Auweko and Green Furniture Concept Articles

Safe & Clean Solutions for Airports

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WASTE AND RECYCLING AUWEKO n

CLEAN AND SAFE Auweko’s wide range of products provide customizable solutions for cleanliness and hygiene at airports

Cleanliness and hygiene have never been more important than they are today, and the health and safety of passengers and employees in public spaces are presenting new challenges for everyone.

Auweko, based in Frankfurt, Germany, stepped up to the challenge years ago and intentionally focused on stainless steel for its products as it is extremely sturdy and durable while also easy to clean and to keep clean. These characteristics are also the reason medical facilities, the food service industry and many other areas have relied on this high-quality material for years.

Auweko has been producing high-quality stainless steel waste and recycling bins since 1993, and its products are a familiar sight all over the world: at international airports and train stations, amusement parks, shopping centers, hospitals, universities, trade fair venues and at many more locations. As of 2020, the company’s customers have a new challenge to face and Auweko offers customer-

The unique Hygtec coating offers up to one year of antimicrobial protection for stainless steel surfaces and more

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Auweko’s litter and recycling bins can be customized to meet special requirements or popular demands

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Auweko’s Temptation disposal bin can be customized with posters, such as this PPE poster, to include advertisements or special announcements

specific solutions made from premium materials with the best level of protection.

Stainless steel prevents surface contamination with germs in three ways: the slick surface makes it hard for germs to collect; the surface is easy to clean thoroughly, since the material is firm and strong so disinfecting or cleaning does not affect the surface structure; and studies have shown that the ions in the chrome-nickel surface have an antibacterial effect. The surfaces of Auweko products can be treated with conventional cleaning products and disinfectants without harming the quality of the bins, which brings financial peace of mind, and stainless steel is also food-safe, meaning it does not release any particles on contact with foods or liquids.

There is no contamination.

In 2019, Auweko began researching active protection against germs and bacteria and, after an extensive process, decided to work with Swiss Hygiene Technologies, which was conducting further research into the fight against viruses. The company is now a valuable partner and has appointed Auweko as its distributor.

The unique Hygtec coating offers up to one year of antimicrobial protection for stainless steel surfaces and more (plastic, wood, leather, other metals) and is easy to apply at any time. The antimicrobial, non-leaching, biocidal combination of active substances delivers long-term protection. It is activated immediately in case of contamination and works directly upon contact with germs.

Swiss Disinfect Professional disinfectant can be used universally to pre-treat a wide range of different surfaces. A stabilized hypochlorous acid formula eliminates viruses, bacteria, fungi and spores of all kinds. Hypochlorous acid is also produced by the human immune system to fight harmful germs and is completely harmless to humans, animals and the www.PassengerTerminalToday.com

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environment. The product can be applied by wiping, spraying, immersing items, or through the air, using cold foggers and disinfecting chambers or tunnels.

Strong products, strong partners The product development process always addresses current needs and involves close cooperation with experts from all areas. Around the world, the products are marketed by premium partners from a range of different industries. Auweko partner Arconas Corporation, based in Toronto, Ontario, is a premium manufacturer of airport seating and the Auweko point of contact for markets in the Americas.

Arconas has also developed valuable ideas and products to make time spent at the airport safer.

Auweko products also contribute to safety and security and can be used for standard waste and recycling containers for the clean disposal of many kinds of materials, such as liquids, dangerous goods or FOD (foreign objects and debris).

Patented fire protection The extensive Temptation and Skyline series feature patented fire protection: funnel-shaped openings combined with specially sealed metal inner containers create a self-extinguishing effect, suffocating flames and embers and providing the highest standard of safety. These advanced models are ideal for use at airport grounds due to their combination of zero fire load and hygiene.

Secure areas The Skyline series includes a number of special models for airports. Skyline Liquid, a liquid container developed and designed specifically for the airport security checkpoint, was unveiled last year. The easy to use liquid disposal bin enables passengers to empty the liquid from their personal bottles before passing through security (or areas where liquids are not allowed). An accompanying container (S150R) is also offered for collection of larger quantities of items like PET bottles, further optimizing the waste disposal process.

Auweko also offers a container for confiscated items (‘dangerous goods’) which was also designed for security checkpoints. This container is tamper-

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proof; confiscated items pass through a flap opening to land securely in an inner container made of galvanized sheet steel.

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Personal protective equipment

The Temptation range can be supplied in a range of designs thanks to the use of powder-coated steel The Skyline liquid collector at the security checkpoint at Iceland’s Keflavik Airport

Prepare your terminal or public space for new Covid-19 requirements with dedicated PPE disposal bins suitable for indoor or outdoor use. The light blue color creates a distinction among other waste bins, and standard decals offer clear PPE disposal messaging (see photo, previous page).

Vandalism protection Auweko’s Kendo series is specifically designed for outdoor use and made of sheet steel 2-3mm thick.

An innovative technology was developed to address vandalism and tough conditions: the surface sealing – a second coating cured in a furnace at 200°C – leaves the surface like glass, so it is difficult for dirt and grime to stick.

Most of the dirt and dust on the exterior washes off with rainwater, graffiti applied with permanent marker or spray paint is easy to wipe away, and stickers and guerrilla advertising peel off. The costs of cleaning and maintaining these recycling bins are significantly reduced as a result, while hygiene standards are observed and the high-end look remains for years.

Auweko is a reliable partner to airport operators thanks to its extensive product range and focus on innovation, and provides all customers with a customized solution. n www.PassengerTerminalToday.com

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new new

Ascent Series

Ascent Series is a modular beam seating system designed for large scale interiors and waiting areas. Flexible to configure and fit any space, helps guiding people flow and creates 30-40% more seating space than conventional seating systems. All the necessary requirements are here - easy to clean, reconfigurable, stackable, hidden electricity, tables, armrests, chargers and easy to maintain.

Gently curved and a triumph of three-dimensional design, Ascent is unique, placemaking and truly seamless. greenfc.com

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SENSIBLE SOCIAL DISTANCING Keeping people apart in public spaces may be a reality in the current climate, but Green Furniture is working to ensure this necessity is as unintrusive as possible

In these times of Covid-19, social distancing has become the topic on everyone’s mind. With the current state of panic and uncertainty, those responsible for public spaces are often resorting to awkward quick fixes that make people feel safe without much regard for long-term practicality.

Patchwork solutions are popping up in public spaces all over the world, but they’re inadvertently creating uncomfortable and anxious feelings for everyone.

Green Furniture has been working on shifting public spaces away from these sorts of Band-Aid solutions by offering design-driven social distancing measures that maintain safety without sacrificing community. For example, solutions such as large X marks between every third seat can separate families, making them sit unreasonably far from one another.

Meanwhile, plexiglass separators can bring up negative associations such as feelings of punishment or isolation. And although these solutions fulfill their function of separating people, it’s at the expense of the warm and inviting feeling that public spaces should have. The team at Green Furniture Concept took on the challenge of developing solutions using ‘sensible social distancing’ features.

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Simple signage that is easily implemented and removed when necessary can remind passengers to keep their distance

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Planters can help create seating zones and improve passenger wellbeing

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So, how can social distancing be approached more sensibly? Are there ways to maintain the important feeling of safety without sacrificing the element of warmth and togetherness in a public space?

We don’t have to look far to realize the concept of sensible social distancing is out there already. People have proved themselves to be conscious enough to keep their distance in line-ups at the grocery store or at the bank, for example.

But how does this translate into publicspace seating? A sensible solution should keep families together and encourage everyone’s civic consciousness. In order to make people feel at ease in public places again, we must design social distancing measures that can be integrated in a non-intrusive manner rather than the ad-hoc solutions we are seeing today.

Use of signage As people slowly return to public spaces such as offices, transportation hubs, education centers and shopping malls, the need to communicate is urgent.

Using different kinds of signage is the easiest and quickest way to transform these areas into safe

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Clever use of color, integrated into the design of seating, can help guide social distancing

places and to encourage people to follow guidelines.

A simple, clean and clear sign is the easiest way to communicate keeping a safe distance.

Versatile planters

With sensible social distancing a sense of long-term safety for both the people and the planet can be fostered

Plexiglass barriers have appeared almost everywhere as a result of Covid-19. These create a transparent physical barrier and prevent people from getting too close. The problem with plexiglass dividers is that they have a cold and utilitarian appearance that subconsciously feeds fear and anxiety in society. A better-looking and more placemaking solution is to ‘divide’ physical space with biophilic planters.

Green Furniture’s seating lines are modular, consisting of building blocks such as benches, planters, privacy panels and armrests. The ratio of benches to accessories can be adjusted as the needs of a space evolve over time. The planters fulfill their function from a safety point of view and, at the same time, offer the biophilic design needed to maintain a warm and peaceful environment.

In the future, when seating capacity is reprioritized, operators will have the flexibility to remove some or all of these planters and place them elsewhere in the building. Once removed from the seating configuration, the planters can serve to decorate other areas or even as a device to guide people flow.

Utilization of color Another non-invasive and sensible way to implement social distancing is through the use of color. Green Furniture Concept’s designers recommend incorporating a different colored rib at strategic intervals to highlight the recommended, safe and available places to sit. The smart element of this solution is that the ribs can be unscrewed and rearranged at a later time with almost no effort. This low-cost solution would not disrupt the design of the space. On the contrary, it would maintain the inviting feeling a public space should have while loudly communicating the importance of distance and safety.

Covid-19 has shown that we are living in uncertain times all over the world. No one can predict the future but as designers it’s our responsibility to avoid short-term, utilitarian solutions that don’t tackle the root of the problem.

Instead, companies must bring forth solutions that have the user experience at heart and prioritize placemaking, biophilic design principles.

Green Furniture Concept sees sensible social distancing as the only way to make returning to the public places that people once attended frequently a pleasant experience. With sensible social distancing a sense of long-term safety for both the people and the planet can be fostered – and that’s what we call ‘the green way’. n

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