KBAC Flooring’s Raised Flooring division has supplied and installed a sustainable InstaCradle raised paving system at a new property development for M&T Development in Centurion. The innovative application of InstaCradle rubber under-structure and raised paving around the public spaces on the ground floor of the building, and on its third-floor balcony, uniquely allows for the substrate to direct waterflow away from the building and to be potentially reused as grey water elsewhere. 

Guy Park, who heads the Raised Floor division of KBAC Flooring, says the property developer, M&T Development, approached KBAC to provide a solution that could deal with water runoff from the exterior extensions which, because of the site of the building in Byls Bridge Office Park, could have posed major problems. 

“A raised paving solution was opted for so that the sub-floor could be adequately waterproofed and designed in such a way that water is directed to collection drainage points beneath the floor void through undulations in the slab. By adjusting the InstaCradle system, KBAC’s installers ensured that although the sub-level deviated in a manner to control the water flow, the final paved areas on top were perfectly level,” Park explains.

The height of the raised paving system’s concrete paved slab varies from 90mm to 245mm from subfloor to the underside of the concrete paver. The new raised paving solution on ground level outside the building covers 1 406m2, while the system on the higher balcony – used as client entertainment area – is 163m2 in extent. 

The InstaCradle system, which for this project was specified to promote sustainable objectives, is itself exceptionally environmentally-friendly. The innovative form of “green” raised flooring is supported by rubber crumb cradles made from recycled truck and car tyres.  The InstaCradle rubber cradles for this particular project totalled approximately 9.6 tons of recycled truck tyres – this is about 194 radial truck tyres that have been repurposed instead of landing up in a landfill. Concrete pavers 600mm x 600mm x 45mm thick were then loosely placed on a combination of InstaCradle rubber cradles and aluminium battens.

“The cradles and battens were adjusted to suit the sloping finished floor heights. This is a landmark installation and the first of its kind in Africa utilising this combination of materials. 

The combination of the fully-recycled rubber in the under-structure and the InstaCradle system’s capacity to accurately direct the harvested rain water to collection points for potential reuse, has not only impressed M&T Development’s specifying team but has generated substantial interest from the market.” 

Park adds: “The system installed on this project clearly has tremendous potential throughout the construction industry. The installation typifies a circular economy in that it converts what would normally have been precious waste products – water and rubber – into a new product that will have environmental benefits for years to come. The experience we gained in this installation has now given the KBAC Flooring Raised Flooring a significant competitive edge in the market.”

The InstaCradle system’s rubber cradles are made from recycled rubber to provide long lasting high-performance solutions with no maintenance required. The cradles themselves are also fully recyclable, thereby providing a genuine ‘cradle-to-cradle’ product. The rubber crumb cradles – which have a 60-year guarantee – are loose-laid without the need for fixing to sub-floors. 

Other general benefits of the InstaCradle raised floor system – which more conventionally is used to house and hide services and underfloor heating – include: 

• The cradles are unaffected by water.
• Excellent acoustic performance.
• The cradles can be used in areas of abnormal loadings.
• They can accept a range of floor finishes, including ceramic tiles.
• Hardwood floors can be unobtrusively nailed direct to timber battens.
• Structural loadings are minimised due to the light weight of the system. 

For more information, contact Guy Park on telephone 011 608 4270 or 082 563 0973 or email.