Meller Melos GmbH donated an EPDM surface covering to the IGS Melle school complex in Spring. The centrepiece of the installation, which bears the name “green classroom” within the larger school complex, is a sheltered, circular spot underneath the shade of some trees, and which has been covered with EPDM mulch material.
The layout of classroom 6 is eleven meters in diameter and has seating atop gabions filled with natural stone. Pupils use the green lounge during their breaks and it has already been used as the site of a parents’ conference. According to IGS Principal, Marlies Brüggemann, it will soon play host to the occasional specially-selected lesson outdoors.
The Principal of the integrated comprehensive school is delighted to have some sections of the green classroom equipped with sealed surfaces. It reduces the workload for the cleaning staff and the surfaces can be used again quickly even after damp weather. This Polyurethane-bound EPDM mulch surface (www.melos-gmbh.com/epdm-mulch) used in classroom 6 is easy to clean. It remains hygienic, too, as the material is a poor breeding ground for fungus and bacteria. This means no hidden maintenance costs.
The EPDM mulch surfacing is bound using a polyurethane binder and is certified according to the Toy Safety Standard EN 71-3 and adheres to ZEK 01.4-08. It was installed in the school complex as a water-permeable system by the specialist firm Berleburger Schaumstoff-Werke, a customer of Meller Melos GmbH. The material used is produced using dyed, perfect condition EPDM. “The material is environmentally friendly and, most importantly, offers colour stability,” states Benno Bojahr, applications engineer at Melos. It is possible to install EPDM mulch as a certified fall protection surface in special construction designs.
On the whole, Melos EPDM mulch represents a newly-developed element for fall protection surfaces, recreational areas and paths. “Melos is in possession of a unique selling point,” says Bojahr. The EPDM mulch material appears particularly natural. As a water-permeable surface, EPDM mulch offers not just a hygienic, but also an economical, alternative to organic materials. Securely attached to the foundations, the smooth surface makes barrier-free and safe play possible.
The idea for a green classroom came to Principal Brüggemann as new escape doors and stairs were being installed. She allowed a key function for the teachers to be installed so that the doors could be opened ‘normally’. Their goal from the outset was for pupils and parents to participate in the project. It was a success. In the autumn of 2013 the plans began to take concrete form. Deadlines were set and meetings were scheduled. Melos confirmed the installation of the newly developed mulch as a reference object. In total around 25 parents worked on the green classroom, mostly on Saturdays. In order for the school association to be able to contribute around €4,500 towards the project, 200 children took part in a sponsored run, explained Bianca Kreyenhagen, Chairperson of the Sponsoring Association.
Principal Marlies Brüggemann is already considering original ways in which she can build additional seating facilities, and has arranged for grating that is no longer required elsewhere to be delivered to the school. She would like to cover them using materials from Melos – but that’s another story altogether.
Children and youngsters rushing here and there, screams of pleasure, high spirits and laughter ‒ as soon as a trampoline park opens its gates, it takes no time at all until the visitors arrive.
Fall protection surfaces vary in terms of cost, minimum installation thickness and cleaning and care requirements. It should be noted that the most important property of these surfaces is the safety-related shock absorption. This is the surface's ability to reduce the impact energy that occurs when a child falls from a piece of play equipment. It prevents a critical, even life-threatening, injury.
