HandR Johnson at Earthdome project

HandR Johnson's Elements range was used at the award-winning Earthdome project, to increase the thermal mass of the building that further adds to its eco-friendly properties.

A Master Builder of the Year has cemented his faith in leading tile manufacturer HandR Johnson by using its products for a pioneering energy efficient housing development in London.

HandR Johnson's Elements range was used at the award-winning Earthdome project, to increase the thermal mass of the building that further adds to its eco-friendly properties.

The building of the four flats, London's first domestic buildings to have hot water and heating supplied from natural ground heat, was the brain child of Bob Harris, a chartered builder, professional teacher and a founder member of the Ecological Design Association.

Bob chose leading manufacturer HandR Johnson for its reliability and eco-friendliness, he said: "HandR Johnson is a long-established UK company producing excellent dimensionally stable tiling systems.

"I chose to use flecked tiles for the floors with an unpolished surface because this meant that the tile went through a smaller number of processes resulting in energy saving at the manufacturing plant.

These floor tiles were primarily used for transferring healthy radiant heat from the floor as well as being easily cleaned, leading to a healthier environment for Earthdome occupants." Earthdome currently has a showroom open for the public to see this architectural environment, which has featured on ITV's Home and Property Show.

Talking about the Elements range Bob added: "This particular tile range has a quartz diamagnetic quality and the large size means there are less joins in the floor, which will reduce dirt collection and improve overall thermal mass.

These large format floor tiles, which are almost 10mm thick, were also used on bathroom and kitchen walls where they added further thermal mass and improved cleanliness while reducing water penetration.

Left over tiles were also used on the work surfaces in the kitchens adding even more thermal mass." All the tiling extended wall-to-wall, even beneath kitchen units and bedroom wardrobes.

A covered skirting which assists in the smoothing of ambient sounds by eliminating sharp edges at corners was also used throughout.

The Elements range brings together five large format porcelain floor and cladding tile ranges in three sizes and two large format wall tile sizes in fourteen colourways.

The range draws on the natural weathered effects and colours of geological strata and is targeted at prestige front of house applications, commercial buildings, receptions, airport concourses, up-market hotels and leisure complexes, shops, banks and bars and restaurants.

The Elements package has been created following intensive research with architects and designers into the needs of ceramics for the future.

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