New Homes & Lifestyles

The Green Beneath

By Leah Gross

With so many recent changes, terms and new products on the market, it can be difficult to make the right choices, however. How can you be more environmentally responsible if you’re not sure how products contribute to a safe and healthy environment? Despite the lack of official definitions, there are commonly recognized terms:

 Green – Green refers to a substance or manufacturing method that utilizes renewable, sometimes raw materials and/or recycled material or energy sources. Green also refers to systems that use less energy in their manufacturing process and in final use.

 Renewable – Renewable materials are those that come from naturally derived sources that renew quickly. Non-renewable materials tap into resources that once depleted, are gone forever, such as petroleum, some minerals and some types of wood.

 Sustainable – Sustainable flooring products are those that minimize impact on the environment at each phase of their life cycles. Sustainable products also typically wear very well, and can be reused in a myriad of ways. Think of the life cycle of beams in an old warehouse being re-milled into residential floors a century later.

 Recycled – Recycled materials contain some percentage of recovered materials in the finished product. Some of the materials that go into recycled floor covering products include light bulbs, old windshields, mining byproducts, tires and, not surprisingly, worn-out flooring.

 Reclaimed – Reclaimed products are usually in the same category as recycled products consisting of materials that have been recovered or diverted from waste to be recycled for other uses.

 Post-Consumer – Post-consumer materials are those that have served their intended use as a consumer item and have been diverted or recovered from waste. They are also categorized under the broader terms “reclaimed” or “recovered.”

 Natural – Natural floor coverings are derived from products found in nature such as grasses, cottons and wools. Linoleum is a well-known natural floor, as is ceramic tile and cork, among others.

“The floor covering market caught onto the ‘green’ movement earlier than most,” says Chris Davis, President and chief executive officer of the World Floor Covering Association. “There has also been a huge consumer desire for the natural look in homes. But the widespread movement took off in the late ’90s when governments around the world began evaluating how to create high-rise building and urban environments with reduced impact on the environment. Flooring manufacturers have spent huge portions of their research and design budgets to bring more products to market that are easier on the environment.”

A heightened sense of awareness for future generations is driving this desire to reduce the impact of waste, emissions and ozone depletion on the environment. Many flooring manufacturers see the advantages of improving the environmental impacts of their operations both from a cost perspective and as a way to appeal to their customer’s desires.

Some of the most recent products that have come out of this movement are recycled carpets, reclaimed wood floors, VCT tiles and bamboo. Companies are also looking at the environmental impact a product has throughout its life cycle. They’ll consider the raw materials, the way in which they’re manufactured and the ability of end users to recycle them.

Here are some of the options:

CORK
To create cork floors, only the bark is extracted from the tree, meaning that the tree is left completely intact. In time, the tree will grow a new layer of bark that can be harvested again, usually in eight to 10 years. Cork floors offer great insulation qualities. Unlike hard surfaces, they absorb sound. They also come in a wide variety of colors and styles and are biodegradable.

BAMBOO
Bamboo flooring has been on the scene for a number of years, but recent advancements present the product in finer detail and darker shades. Unlike hardwood, bamboo does not come from trees. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass. It can grow from sprouts to harvesting in three to five years. As such, an acre of bamboo can provide more flooring than an acre of trees. When bamboo shoots are cut, the roots remain intact and new sprouts grow in their place. The dense root mass of bamboo helps prevent soil erosion and provides a viable crop opportunity in hilly acres where other crops cannot grow. Bamboo is stable and has a long life cycle.

LINOLEUM
Linoleum flooring, which has been enormously popular for well over a century, is manufactured from natural, renewable resources, such as linseed oil, resin, wood flour, flax, cork powder and pigments. Its durability, up to 40 years as flooring, makes it suitable for high traffic areas. Linoleum is also naturally biodegradable, and, because it is naturally anti-bacterial, there are no chemical agents needed in its manufacture or maintenance. It comes in tile or sheet form and is available in almost every shade on the color wheel, which also lends to its popularity. Linoleum is also available in a rug form. The rugs, which consist of intricately carved designs, can be put integrated or put on top of other flooring.

CARPET
Sustainable carpets must use post-consumer and industrial materials, biodegradable dyes and solutions and recycled wastewater. Major carpet mills and fiber suppliers have carpet reclamation programs that extend the life of the original raw materials. These programs have kept tens of millions of pounds of used commercial carpet out of landfills. With proper maintenance, most carpet has a long life cycle.

HARDWOOD
In the hardwood category, sustainable floors are made from recycled wood and/or antique “reclaimed” woods that offer a timeless, weathered look. Sustainable wood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and comes from managed forests, so impact on the environment is lessened. Traditional hardwood is also biodegradable.

CERAMIC
Ceramic floors are primarily made from natural and renewable resources and are exceptionally durable. Many manufacturers use recycled content in their products. Ceramic is an environmentally attractive product with exceptional durability and a long life cycle.

RESILIENT
Resilient floors are available chlorine and VOC free and are typically made from recycled vinyl and plastics. In this form, they are a highly durable product with a long life cycle. They are also exceptionally easy to maintain and can be recycled after use.

RUBBER
Rubber floors, a popular trend, can be made from recycled tires and other materials and typically have less negative impact on the environment than non-synthetic rubber products.

VINYL
VCT vinyl tile, made primarily of limestone (a renewable resource) is long lasting and offers a high performance rating.

If you’ve decided that green flooring is the way to go, here are some questions to ask yourself or your retailer to ensure that you are making a sound decision:

 Is the product made from ingredients that reduce overall material or energy use?
 Is this flooring made from salvaged products?
 Does it have post-consumer recycled content?
 If the flooring is marketed as “natural,” can you confirm that it is made from abundant
and renewable materials?
 Is the hardwood you are considering made from certified wood products that were harvested responsibly?
 What is the lifespan of the flooring? Does it reduce the need for renovation or replacement?


INFO LINK
The World Floor Covering Association
www.wfca.org