Jotun Paints UAE, the market leader of decorative, protective and marine paints in the Middle East, India and Africa, participated at the World Sustainable Business Forum organised by Gulf News and the International Federation of the Indo-Israel Chambers of Commerce (IFIICC) last month in Dubai. According to Toronto-based sustainable business magazine, Corporate Knights, the world’s most sustainable businesses are usually Nordic, as per the Global 100 Index in 2020.
Being a Norwegian company, Jotun Paints has used this platform to discuss buildings of the future and the innovations and products it uses to contribute towards sustainability goals.
As part of this discussion, Kjetil Urheim, General Manager, Jotun UAE, addresses some key questions.
Why has it become so imperative for companies to look at sustainable solutions or green buildings?
According to the UN Environment Programme, the building sector alone is responsible for 40 per cent of total carbon-dioxide emissions in the world. Through sustainable alternatives, companies can take on this massive responsibility and tackle this environmental monster. Sustainable solutions being cleaner and less hazardous offer multiple long-term benefits such as better efficiency, improved quality of products and better brand value and goodwill.
What is the importance of paints and coatings to the contribution of meeting green building standards?
People have this perception that paint is only meant to beautify a building and although paints may only constitute 2 per cent of total construction costs, it contributes towards many unseen features of a building.
Any construction, for it to qualify as a green or sustainable building, has to consume the least energy as possible. Jotun UAE being a founding member of the Emirates Green Building Council has actively been promoting green specifications and products to customers. For example, in regions with warmer climates, such as the UAE, use of air conditioners is extensive, which adds to energy consumption and therefore higher carbon footprint. The use of temperature-reducing paints or specific colours or innovative heat-protective paints actually help tackle such issues, which may not be visible to people but make the building more sustainable in the long run.
The use of temperature-reducing paints or specific colours or innovative heat-protective paints actually help tackle such issues, which may not be visible to people but make the building more sustainable in the long run.
Taking into consideration interior or decorative paints, Jotun’s products are environment-friendly and significantly improve the quality of air due to a low presence of volatile compounds. In addition, the durability and quality of these paints make them sustainable and long lasting painting solutions.
What steps is Jotun Paints taking towards providing sustainable paint solutions?
Sustainability is a part of Jotun’s Green Steps vision, which it has achieved over the years through local manufacturing of products, using modern technology that reduce energy consumption and wastage, and constant innovations in our product features.
In product manufacturing, we have replaced many toxic raw materials with environment-friendly ones.
Our high performance coatings in marine, oil and gas industry increase the life span of assets thereby reducing maintenance, which positively contribute towards sustainable solutions, by saving energy, resources and costs and reducing industrial waste along with fuel-saving and reduced CO₂ emissions.
Our extensive shades of cool-toned colours along with heat-reflective exterior paint options help to reduce temperature of building and homes resulting in lesser energy consumption.
The World Sustainability Business Forum was also attended by Sten Arne Rosnes, Ambassador of Norway to the UAE, who discussed the contribution of Nordic countries towards innovation and sustainability.
For more information, visit www.jotun.com/me or call 04 339 5000
