Commercial debut for glow-in-the-dark concrete flooring

Glow-in-the-dark concrete flooring is being used for the first time in a major commercial development.

Toptint Glow is decorative concrete flooring with light-sensitive chipping that glows in dark conditions. It has been used for concrete flooring in the walkways and balconies of the Glass Yard development near Sheffield Road in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The flooring is designed to have aesthetic appeal, be environmentally friendly, and improve visibility and safety. In the dark, the green glow from the concrete clearly marks out the various walkways.

The developers of the Glass Yard, Blue Deer Ltd., wanted distinctive visual features in the development to set it apart from other projects. The luminous concrete stores light during the day and emits it after dark without diminishing the durability of the surface. It has been hailed as an exciting and bold new material, and one with eco credentials since no electricity is required to light up the paths.

The flooring is designed for heavy footfall and use by cyclists. The managing director of Blue Deer Ltd., Tim Turner said:

“One of the key principles of our design at the Glass Yard was to introduce a new kind of working environment that is exciting, safe and sustainable and one that people enjoy travelling to and working within.”

The developers wanted a solution that was a little different when it came to the walkways. The glowing concrete impressed them and they were proud to be the first large commercial users of the material.