After many years, the structure will represent the realisation of a dream of many people, from citizens to sports clubs, who will finally have a safe and functional space where they can practice various disciplines.
In particular, the PalaPonte will be the sports hub for five-a-side football, basketball and volleyball, but also for other disciplines. The diversity of sports is also one of the reasons why the Mondoflex flooring by MONDO was chosen, combined with Everlay Protection underlayment. A choice that is perfectly in line with the objectives and green values of the project itself. Let's see why.
The PalaPonte is the last piece of the puzzle that completes the vision of the municipal administration of Ponte San Pietro to make sport a vehicle for aggregation, integration and health. The idea, as confirmed by the deputy mayor Matteo Macoli, is to build a real "citadel of sport" and the PalaPonte is the perfect finale to a series of already concluded interventions in the sports sector, such as the requalification of the sports areas of the middle schools, the synthetic field of Briolo or the renovation of the Matteo Legler stadium.
The PalaPonte will boast modern LED lighting, underfloor heating, four changing rooms, an infirmary, equipment storage and will be able to accommodate over 200 spectators. The green vision of the project, based on energy saving principles, will be the frame. The result? A "Nearly Zero Energy Building" with very high performance.
Architects Gualtiero Oberti, Lucia Oberti and Maurizio Ronzoni are leading the project, which has been underway since 2019 and will be inaugurated soon. Since the gym will host very different disciplines, the search for sports flooring led to the choice of the Mondoflex system combined with Everlay Protection underlayment.
The reason? The characteristics of the sports surface, which are suitable to ensure the best performance in each sport. Indeed, the Mondoflex system is made up of layers with different compositions and elasticity to ensure a suitable response to the needs of each discipline.
The system consists of the Mondoflex rubber surface combined with Everlay Protection underlayment. The result is a sports floor that is both shock-absorbing and high-performing, capable of absorbing shocks, accompanying athletes in their movements on the field and optimizing grip and changes of direction during training and play.
From a technical point of view, this is made possible by the vulcanised rubber surface with a smooth, non-slip and anti-reflective finish that constitutes the Mondoflex layer; then, thanks to the absence of joins between the rolls of the surface layer and to the uniform elastic response provided by the Everlay foil.
In addition to this, the MONDO flooring is perfectly in line with the values of the project. First of all, because it is manufactured in full compliance with the European Reach regulation and has Greenguard and Greenguard Gold certifications, having passed UL ENVIRONMENT tests for more than 10,000 volatile chemical agents. Installing sports surfaces with low VOC emissions means actively contributing to good indoor air quality in sports facilities.
The implementation of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) certifications and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) allow us to objectively document the environmental and sustainable impact of Mondo's rubber products: they include more than 5% contaminant-free recycled materials and 10% rapidly renewable rubber.
In other words, protecting both the health of the athletes and the environment.
The reason for this choice for the PalaPonte sports flooring is confirmed by the words of the architect Lucia Oberti, who was personally involved in the project: "(...) attention to the use of products that do not constitute a health hazard is also one of our modus operandi. Moreover, it is our custom to conceive of our projects as durable goods for free use by the community; therefore, knowing that the product not only complies with the regulations but in some way anticipates them has given us further confirmation that the product chosen, due to its durability, was the right one."
But that's not all: the vulcanised rubber material and the smooth, non-porous texture of the surface make the flooring fully hygienic and antibacterial! Rubber flooring can be easily cleaned using water and a pH-neutral detergent and has excellent natural antibacterial characteristics; Mondo rubber flooring makes it extremely difficult for bacteria to grow without containing biocide ingredients. In tests carried out according to ISO 22196, the killing of inoculated bacteria exceeds 99.999% in 24 hours, with an antimicrobial activity R-value of more than 5.
Another important feature that contributes to the safety of all those who are going to be training and playing here.
The many voices behind the project only add to the enthusiasm for seeing it completed soon and ready to open its doors to spectators and sports fans; meanwhile, the preview reveals promising glimpses of what deputy mayor Matteo Macoli calls "(...) an important investment for the future and young people."
Discover our sport flooring for multi-purpose gyms and contact us to find the best solution for your sports hall!