ImagesMagUK_December_2021

www.images-magazine.com DECEMBER 2021 images 47 IS DECORATOR PROFILE and requires very little electricity to run. There are, says Phil, about another hundred things being implemented, such as growing edible plants inside the building, as well as on the roof. He believes that the greenery will boost productivity (this will, of course, be measured) and there are studies suggesting certain plants can help purify the air as well as absorb radio waves. The rooftop garden is not just to grow crops and for wildlife to thrive, but also for staff to enjoy– the lift goes all the way to the top to ensure it is easy for employees and customers to access, and will also be a great space for photo shoots, says Phil. And inevitably, given that the symbol for Manchester is bees, there will also be hives. Continuous improvement While the site should be sealed by April 2022, the drive to be eco in everything the company does will never end. Phil is talking to the British Fashion Council about getting someone to calculate how much carbon the new factory is saving compared to the old, and then to keep tracking it with the aim of continuously tweaking and improving the facility. There is already a lot of interest from fashion brands in the project. “They can’t believe that their vision of what the future for fashion should be, we’re actually already doing it. There’s a lot of people talking about it, but we’re actually doing it.” The new Creative Apparel factory is a huge, complex project, but at its heart is a simple driving force: to be as green as possible and ensure that every single part of the building plays a role in achieving this. “I look at it like Marks and Spencer – it’s not just a meal, it’s a Marks and Spencer’s meal,” says Phil. “It’s not just a factory, it’s the Creative Apparel eco factory, and everything has a purpose.” www.creativeapparel.co.uk which is expected to go around the entire building, and the rooftop garden will be hosting plants that will help endangered species as well as growing food that Phil hopes can be given to local food banks and the staff. “What we’ve suddenly got is a brownfield site, a building that is giving, that’s turning carbon dioxide into oxygen, feeding people, keeping heat in the building through the living wall – and all this in an industrial area in Stockport. “I want it to be a ‘greenprint’ for future factories, of what can be done. And I’m the madman who is actually doing it,” he laughs. Greenwashing is definitely not a charge that can be levelled at this project. Partnership plans The costs of creating a factory like this are considerable, a situation not helped by the cost increases for supplies across most sectors in the UK – Phil estimates that this alone has added a third on to the price of the build. “I’m spending two, three times the amount on the building that I am on my equipment. That’s how crazy it is. But what I’m trying to do is prove that if you invest in this stuff, it makes your overheads lower.” As well as providing its own water via the rainwater harvesting, the new factory will also use solar and wind power to generate electricity, along with battery technology, explains Phil. “The National Grid sometimes has too much power and they need to dump it quickly. If you have batteries, they’ll dump it into your batteries at zero cost. This is why eco is worth it in the end.” The aim to be completely off-grid is only likely to be thwarted by the printer’s use of gas dryers – Phil would like them to be hydrogen, and is hoping to link with a university to research the possibility of this. Collaborating with universities is a pragmatic choice as it allows Creative Apparel to be at the cutting edge while the academics are able to apply for research grants, which keeps costs down. The new building includes incubator offices for researchers such as those from Salford working on the living wall, and hopefully Manchester University, which is looking at different types of concrete. “I always say to universities, ‘The problem with you lot, you invent things that nobody wants. Come to my business so I can tell you what I want and help develop it.’” The production area – where the screen printing presses will all be automatic – will also house innovative new solutions, including “mega fans” with 20ft blades. “These push the heat down to keep it in there, and the fumes, which of course you get in a print factory, are pushed down along the floor then up the wall to extract it.” It’s all in the detail Every tiny part of the building and decoration processes has been delved into and made as green as possible. The water used in the automatic screen washing unit is fairly clean but still has some residual ink (which is, of course, biodegradable) and so a filtration system is being built that will see the water trickle through layers of natural stone, resulting in purified water. The cladding is 110mm thick rather than the usual 80mm to ensure maximum heat efficiency. Electric bike charging spots will be available as well as a bike room complete with showers and changing facilities in the hope it will encourage staff to cycle to work. Warmth will be provided via an air-source heat pump, while the air-conditioning system uses no CFCs The ground floor of the new building, where the screen printing area will be located Everything in the new building has got to have a purpose, says Phil Millar