Flowcrete Backs China’s Green Car Concept with Sparkling Sustainable Floor for New Showroom

BMW Brilliance – the German-Sino joint venture – has cut the ribbon on the first brand showroom for its pioneering electric vehicle, the ZINORO 1E, located in downtown Beijing.

The flagship showroom is located in a modern complex named the Sanlitun SOHO, which has been developed by Chinese real estate tycoon Pan Shiyi.

Often described as the point where Chinese culture and international fashion collide, the site represents the ideal location to introduce the world to BMW Brilliance’s first e-mobility concept.

The new showroom is expected to serve as a promotional centre for the brand, with various events and seminars in the pipeline to promote knowledge on alternative energy and the concept of green mobility.

Close to 200 square metres of Flowcrete Asia’s sparkling terrazzo flooring material, Mondéco Crystal, was selected by the project architect for installation across the entire showroom in three contrasting bands of colour.

The installation of the material represented a challenging undertaking for both Flowcrete Asia and the company’s approved application team.

A three-week turnaround in which to install the terrazzo material posed difficulties combined with plummeting temperatures as low as -10 degrees centigrade.

Environmental temperatures are important in any application of in-situ resin floor coatings and systems. The majority of resin solutions cure best at room temperature; however fluctuating conditions are often unavoidable.

Although typically the speed of cure of an epoxy decelerates under cold conditions it is prone to becoming stiff and can be difficult for the applicators to work.

Flowcrete Asia’s epoxy terrazzo system, Mondéco Crystal, has been specially formulated to combat such circumstances, providing a fully workable material that poses no risk of imperfections or damage to the final surface.

The terrazzo material was specified on top of newly laid concrete exhibiting high moisture content, as such Flowcrete’s water-free moisture tolerant primer, Hydraseal DPM, was used prior to the application of the Mondéco to prevent moisture entrapment.

Mondéco Crystal is a highly decorative system and a popular choice for retail clients looking to impress visitors underfoot with recent installations at both Alexander McQueen’s and Emilio Pucci’s flagship stores in China.

The system contains a decorative mix of crushed mirror, clear glass chippings and mother-of-pearl which once diamond-ground to a smooth surface glisten underfoot.

The system offers clients a high environmental profile too, containing a high percentage of recycled and natural materials, an energy-saving, easily maintained surface and an impressive lifespan way in excess of 20 years when properly cared for.

The opening of the new showroom represents an important landmark in Chinese culture, helping to increase customer understanding and acceptance of electric vehicles and drive forward their commercialisation and adoption across China.