Healthy Flooring Can Affect Air Quality

Hanover, Md. — New research gives evidence that the type of flooring selected can make a difference in the quality of indoor air. A study supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) shows that there are bacterial chemicals called endotoxins, which are a by-product of bacteria that is found particularly in indoor areas. “When we analyzed dust samples, we found that kitchen and living room floors had the highest concentrations of endotoxin,” said Darryl C. Zeldin, M.D., a senior investigator at NIEHS. “However, when we looked at where the health impact of the dust was the most significant, we found that the likelihood of having recent asthma symptoms was nearly three times greater among individuals with exposure to high levels of endotoxin in their bedroom flooring.”

According to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study, sustainable flooring such as cork oak, bamboo, or certified hardwoods can be a healthy alternative for those looking to protect the quality of their indoor air. Cork oak has the added benefit of not harboring allergens, microorganisms, or harmful pesticides. In addition, dust, mold, and mildew are impenetrable to cork oak and it is naturally stain and fire resistant. Unfortunately, treatments that make traditional flooring stain and fire resistant can also be a source of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions and fumes.

There is also the possibility that some flooring may contain toxic chemicals aimed at reducing dust mite infestation. One way to avoid toxic chemicals is to make sure that you choose flooring that doesn’t use formaldehyde glue or binders and that has been off-gassed in the factory. Off-gassing is the name of that “new floor smell” and is a chemical by-product of the manufacturing process. These emissions can be harmful for people who have allergies, asthma, or sensitivities to chemical products, and can affect immune systems. It can take months for these chemicals to off-gas or dry out. Usual symptoms are flu-like. For the healthiest option, consider choosing flooring with the lowest VOC emissions possible.

Amorim’s new line of Wicanders cork oak flooring with Acrodur, developed in a partnership with BASF, is water based and created without the use of toxic solvents like common formaldehydes and polyurethane resins that give off harmful emissions, the company reports.

Visit www.wicanders.com for more information.

FSC-Certified Bamboo Architectural Plywood and Flooring

San Francisco, Calif. — Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and flooring, announced it has secured certification according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and established a responsibly managed bamboo forest resource, enabling the company to produce FSC-certified bamboo plywood and flooring. Product will be available to the North American market by this summer.

“The independent European FSC-certifier Institut für Marktökologie (IMO) was impressed with our forestry practices and agreed that if we could meet the same FSC standards for a tree forest, it would certify our bamboo source,” Smith & Fong president and founder Dan Smith said. “We have been working with the bamboo forests and telling our story for more than a decade now, and we’re grateful to both FSC and IMO for validating our efforts.”

Smith & Fong’s certified products will qualify for the FSC Pure designation, as they are 100-percent FSC material from an FSC-certified forest and have been sold and/or processed by an FSC chain-of-custody certified company. Smith further stated that the company’s sources use no irrigation, pesticides or fertilizers in growing their bamboo.

Visit www.plyboo.com for more information.

BISSELL Partners with the EPA’s Design for the Environment Program

Grand Rapids, Mich. — BISSELL Homecare, Inc. announced that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) program has recognized BISSELL as a DfE Partner. All BISSELL full-size deep-cleaning formulas have been screened by the DfE scientific review for potential human health and environmental effects.

BISSELL’s DfE designation allows the company to work closer with EPA chemists, environmental scientists and others in investigating materials that can further improve the environmental impact of its products. Companies that hold the DfE designation have demonstrated that they seek continuous improvement and integration of environmentally responsible solutions in everyday business practices.

The DfE program is one of the EPA’s premier partner programs, which allows the EPA to work with individual companies and industry sectors to compare and improve performance, human health and reduce the environmental risks and costs associated with existing and alternative products, processes and practices.

Visit www.getalittlegreen.com for more information.

Tandus Recognizes Cleveland Clinic for Commitment to Recycling

Cleveland — Tandus, has recognized Cleveland Clinic with its Environmental Stewardship Award for its commitment to recycling. Tandus collaborated with the hospital to reclaim 143,518 pounds (13,863 yards) of carpet through the carpet reclamation program of its C&A Floorcoverings brand.

Christina Vernon Ayers, AIA, LEED AP, Director, Office for a Healthy Environment at Cleveland Clinic, accepted the award on the hospital’s behalf. “We focus on sustainable design and energy management throughout the entire life cycle of our Cleveland Clinic facilities; from acquisition, through construction and in the course of sustaining our buildings,” said Ayers. “Protecting and preserving our environment is an absolute priority.”

Visit www.tandus.com for more information.

Tile Product For Multiple Commercial Interior Applications

Adairsville, Ga. — BOLYU Contract introduced Savvy, a commercial carpet tile manufactured with Zeftron’s premium nylon 6ix fiber systems, which carries Zeftron’s Enviro6ix designation. This designation guarantees a minimum of 25 percent recycled content in every Zeftron nylon color offering, the company reports. Savvy also features BOLYU Contract’s Nexterra modular tile backing, made with 85 percent post-consumer recycled content. Savvy carries a lifetime limited warranty and is backed by Zeftron nylon’s lifetime performance, colorfast, stain removal and static control warranties and third-party performance certification.

Visit www.bolyu.com and www.zeftronnylon.com for more information.

Collection Produced with Alternative Energy

LaGrange, Ga. — Milliken Contract’s Persian Dynasty Collection takes its design cues from beaded saris, hand-woven shawls, vintage fabrics and colorful, embroidered costume items. Persian Dynasty comprises four designs, Knot Sari, Moroccan Roll, Ottoman Twist and Turkish Paisley, each offered in 50cm modular format, the company reports. Persian Dynasty produced with alternative energy.

www.millikencarpet.com.

Woven-Bamboo Flooring Product for Homes and Businesses

San Rafael, Calif. — EcoTimber’s new, patented Woven Bamboo flooring product for homes and businesses took two years to develop, can be sanded and refinished just like hardwood flooring, the company reports. The environmentally friendly finish, by Bona of Sweden, is specially formulated for enhanced durability, flexibility and adhesion. This new flooring also reportedly has low moisture content.

www.ecotimber.com.

Brochure Addresses Flooring in LEED

Salem, N.J. — Mannington Commercial’s “Learn to LEED” brochure explains how flooring choices may contribute to LEED points on a project. It includes formulas and examples of how Mannington products fit in. For example, Mannington’s LOOP carpet tile reclamation program diverts waste by utilizing recycled carpet tile material for the Infinity RE Backing System, which contains a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer and 20 percent pre-consumer recycled content by total product weight.

To get a copy of the brochure, either download the PDF or request a printed brochure on Commercial Interiors or New Construction via www.mannington.com.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Down 82 Percent from 1996 Baseline

Atlanta — Interface, Inc. released its ecometrics for 2007, reporting that net absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are down 82 percent from the 1996 baseline, while total energy intensity (use per unit of output) is down 45 percent from 1996. In addition to typical financial metrics like profit and loss, Interface began tracking “ecometrics” in 1996, measuring energy and water intake, waste streams, greenhouse gas emissions, and raw materials streams, to evaluate its progress towards the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimize the impact on the environment.

“We are making the business case for sustainability by reducing our carbon footprint through process and product efficiencies, while sales — and therefore production — are on the rise,” said Dan Hendrix, president and CEO of Interface, Inc.

Other highlights include:

QUEST (Quality Utilizing Employee Suggestions and Teamwork) waste reduction efforts resulted in a 50 percent decrease of waste cost per production unit since 1995.

Total energy intensity for carpet manufacturing is down 45 percent since 1996. In addition, 27 percent of total energy use is either made renewable through the purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) or received directly from renewable sources.

The use of recycled and bio-based raw materials increased to 25 percent of total raw materials used in 2007.

Water intake per production unit in manufacturing facilities is down 75 percent from 1996 levels.

Total waste sent to landfills has decreased by 66 percent from 1996 levels.

Visit www.interfaceinc.com for more information.

Nike Partners with ECORE International

Lancaster, Pa. — ECORE International has partnered with the Nike Corporation through its Nike Grind recycling program. Nike Grind is the raw material resulting from the recycling of athletic shoes through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe initiative. Reuse-A-Shoe allows consumers to drop off any athletic shoe, Nike or not, at various Nike stores and other collection points across America. These shoes are then ground into rubber crumb, foam crumb, and upper crumb material called “Nike Grind.” Nike then partners with surfacing companies that use Nike Grind in the manufacture of sports surfaces such as tennis and basketball courts, running tracks, athletic fields and playgrounds, the company reports.

ECORE uses a proprietary process that combines Nike Grind Rubber with other ground recycled rubbers and polymers. After this mixture is molded, sets and cures, it is cut into sheets to produce rubber matting and flooring used in Nike retail stores.

Proceeds generated by the Nike Grind program are invested through Nike’s “Let Me Play” initiative, Nike’s movement to use sport to improve lives.

Visit www.nikegrind.com and www.ecoreintl.com for more information.

Eco-Friendly Engineered Wood Floor

Las Vegas — Pioneer Millworks’ engineered wood floor has an FSC-certified or 100 percent reclaimed wear layer, no added formaldehyde, a pre-finish made from all-natural ingredients, and sourced and manufactured in the U.S., the company reports. The goal of the production process is to create an engineered wood floor in a way that’s healthy for customers, employees and the environment.

www.pioneermillworks.com.

Carpet Recycling Process Wins World Energy Globe Award

Quogue, N.Y. — Post Consumer Carpet Processing Technologies (PCC) has been named the national winner for the United States and one of three winners in the Earth category of the World ENERGY GLOBE Award. PCC was selected out of 853 projects from 109 countries.

PCC is being honored because its new technology enables companies to recycle used carpets, save oil and help clear landfills. Each line of the machinery can reclaim up to 30 million pounds of used carpet annually. The equipment separates oil-based fiber from oil-based carpet backing. Both materials can be reused, thereby promoting sustainability and saving energy.

“Our equipment takes apart petrol chemical components that make up the carpet,” says

Sergio Dell’Orco, President of Dell’Orco & Villani, S.r.l., in Capalle, Italy. “By reusing the components, business people can be both profitable and socially responsible. We hope the recognition from this award will stimulate companies and governments to help clean up the Earth’s landfills.”

The World ENERGY GLOBE Award was started in 1999 to honor projects that make economical use of resources and employ alternative energy sources.

Visit www.energyglobe.info for more information.

Environmentally Friendly Wood Flooring Adhesive

Chicago — USG’s Tile and Flooring Division’s DUROCK-brand wood flooring adhesive is an environmentally friendly, high-performance adhesive offering quality bond strength and troweling properties, the company reports. The adhesive is designed for bonding wood flooring, tile and stone to all types of subfloor and vertical surfaces. It contains no solvents, VOCs or Proposition 65-listed materials. DUROCK wood flooring adhesive will not produce outgassing. The product has a 20 to 30 minute working time and relies on humidity and ambient temperatures for curing. After the adhesive is applied, light foot traffic can resume in four to eight hours, while normal foot traffic typically can resume in 24 hours.

www.usg.com.

Production of Urea Formaldehyde-Free Bamboo Flooring, Plywood Products Begins

San Francisco — Smith & Fong Co. has announced it has begun converting its plants in Taiwan and China to urea formaldehyde (UF)-free manufacturing processes, and UF-free Plyboo flooring, called PlybooPure, is now available throughout the North American market. Company president and founder Dan Smith stated that 50 percent of the company’s plywood and flooring production would be converted to UF-free PlybooPure in 2008.

www.plyboo.com .

Terrazzo Brought to Raised Access Floors

Jessup, Md. — Tate’s terrazzo floor finish is manufactured and poured at the Floorazzo factory in Silver City, N.C. Natural marble, granite or quartz aggregate or eco-friendly recycled glass is embedded in a flexible resin matrix and then polished. The 24 by 24-inch tiles are available in 20 standard colors in the terrazzo marble line. The gem line combines both marble and recycled glass chips in 10 different color combinations. Additional looks can be achieved by mixing and matching marble or glass chips with various background colors in the lines or introducing new chips or pigments to the backgrounds.

www.tateaccessfloors.com/finishes .

Versatile Textured Loop Carpet

Adairsville, Ga. — Fiesta!, from Cambridge Commercial, is a textured loop carpet designed for multiple commercial applications. Fiesta! is available in broadloom and 24-inch by 24-inch modular tile, and made of Cambridge’s Avalar X nylon with Puralex, a permanent, self-renewing odor neutralizer, the company reports. Fiesta! tile has Nexterra backing, which contains 85 percent post-consumer recycled content derived from recycled plastic drink bottles and post-consumer glass. Fiesta! is certified by the CRI (Carpet & Rug Institute) Green Label Plus Program.

www.cambridgecarpet.com .

Winner of Sustainable Flooring Performance Award Announced

San Francisco — The Antron Carpet Fiber Sustainable Flooring Performance grand prize was awarded to Ephrata Middle School in Ephrata, Wash., for carpet that has been performing beautifully since its original installation in 1984. The award recognizes sustainable practices through the use of performance-driven flooring choices in commercial applications. Ephrata Middle School was chosen for how well the original carpet continues to perform and fulfill its design objectives, despite the challenges faced by foot traffic common in schools. Entries were evaluated on originality and creativity in carpet application, and how well the design met the client’s business objectives and installation challenges.

Visit www.invista.com for more information.

New Carpet Tile Backing Line

City of Industry, Calif. — Bentley Prince Street has launched a new carpet tile backing line using next generation thermoplastic technology.

Through this technology, Bentley Prince Street plans to decrease its environmental footprint by reducing energy use, decreasing raw material usage and increasing efficiencies in its carpet tile manufacturing processes. This new recycled-content technology reportedly eliminates the need for any latex and polycarbite laminate in carpet tile backing and decreases the overall product weight, a key factor in reducing its environmental footprint. It also reduces the manufacturing process from a two-step operation to one, realizing energy, water and manufacturing efficiencies. In addition, by housing the new carpet tile line at its Los Angeles headquarters, it eliminates the need for transportation outside the state, reducing shipping expenditures and related environmental impacts and keeping business in California.

Ultimately, this new technology will also improve the company’s ability to keep reclaimed and waste carpet in the technical loop and increase its use of recycled content materials, the company reports. The new line will support Bentley Prince Street’s carpet tile offering.

Visit www.bentleyprincestreet.com for more information.

Aluminum Flooring Product

Chicago — Aluminum flooring, from AlumaFloor, is composed of aluminum floor tiles with a wide range of applications and aesthetics, the company reports. Re-smelting aluminum can save as much as 95 percent of the original energy needed to produce the product, and even coated aluminum can be recycled. Building materials made of aluminum have a recycling rate of approximately 80 percent. Under normal conditions, AlumaFloor will reportedly last for 100 years without needing to be replaced. As certified by the manufacturer, the aluminum AlumaFloor uses is made from 52 percent recycled material.

Visit www.aluminumfloors.com for more information.

New Website Launched

Clifton, N.J. — DriTac Flooring Products, LLC, has announced the launch of a brand new, user-friendly website at www.DriTac.com, the company reports. The new website, designed to offer DriTac business partners and customers access to key information at the click of a button, features a complete list of the DriTac product line, installation, specification and warranty information, a look back at the 50-plus year history of the company, as well as quick and easy access to DriTac distribution partners across the country. In addition, the new website features the DriTac “Green Center,” showcasing its complete range of solvent-free and VOC-free adhesives, concrete sealers and installation products.

Visit www.DriTac.com for more information.

Sidebar: What Exactly is Sustainable Flooring?

>> By Howard Brickman, Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification

Sustainable flooring and green living are popular phrases among consumers. Property owners want to be environmentally responsible without sacrificing modern luxury in their homes. The key is understanding the viability of the materials available in terms of sustainability.

As a wood flooring expert, I define sustainability as the flooring product that offers long term durability and lifespan while consuming the least resources after the installation is complete. In other words, the need to replace flooring adds to the need to use more product and consume more resources. Additional factors that should impact product evaluation are the energy expended to get the product to the consumer and overall impact on global climate and air quality.

We can also broaden the definition of sustainability to include using wood species that are readily available in the market place and originating from places that don’t require extravagant methods of harvesting or recovery. North American forests that combine the resources of the public lands managed by various government agencies along with private land holdings include popular hardwood species such as red oak, white oak or maple. Additional species such as ash, hickory, cherry, walnut, birch and beech are very easily adapted as well.

According to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), considerably more wood is added in new growth each year than is harvested on the 486 million acres of commercially classified forestland in the United States. For hardwood species, 86 percent more wood is added annually in net growth than is removed through harvest. This net increase has been sustained during the last 15 years because the North American forestry industry takes care to manage the forests to protect watersheds, prevent soil erosion and provide access for recreational uses like camping and hiking. Occasionally, the procedure to nurture a productive timber supply will require cutting down trees that have marginal value simply to remove unhealthy specimens from the gene pool. At the same time, this also means intentionally leaving extremely valuable trees in the forest which are genetically superior. The end goal is always to maintain forests that are suitable for both recreation and replenishing economic resources.

Bamboo is another popular type of flooring generating buzz among earth-friendly consumers. Although it is indeed plentiful in supply, caution is warranted when addressing how the land is managed. Bamboo is not a tree, but actually a grass that is processed and formed into flooring. The places where bamboo grows are not available for recreation, making it more of an agricultural product. Additionally, most bamboo comes from China where natural forests are cut down to make room for bamboo plantations. Obviously, it takes a lot of resources to transport foreign flooring to the United States, not to mention the political and trade issues surrounding products from China.

Cork from the Mediterranean is a good alternative foreign product. As the quintessential renewable resource, cork is harvested from the bark of Cork Oak trees, and it grows back. It’s a lot like shearing a sheep. These trees can be harvested every nine to 15 years and often have a lifespan of more than 100 years. It takes 40 years before the trees can produce cork, thus the bark is harvested very carefully. Another sustainable option that is presently overlooked is palm, the byproduct of coconuts. Palm is readily available and, currently, when the plants reach maturity they are cut down and discarded. There are some difficulties in the processing, but it’s an abundant and handsome wood type worth looking into.

As you can see, green flooring is not black and white. Extravagant claims that a product is green should be confirmed by researching information on qualified wood vendors, wood species and source origination to ensure that your flooring selection meets your sustainable needs.

For more information, visit The National Hardwood Lumber Association at www.natlhardwood.org . Additionally, the National Wood Flooring Association, www.woodfloors.org , offers a free video on wood flooring and the environment. Once you select a wood type, visit the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification at www.certifiedcleaners.org to find a certified flooring professional in your area.



Howard Brickman founded Brickman Consulting in 1984 with the goal of providing expert level guidance concerning wood flooring manufacture, storage, installation, finishing and proper job site conditions that is firmly based in scientific fact. With more than 25 years experience in wood flooring contracting, he has made several appearances on “Bob Vila’s Home Again” as a technical consultant.