Healthier Flooring Options

Healthier Flooring That Makes You Feel Good

There are many ways your flooring can make you sick and increase global warming and recycling burdens. Materials can be manufactured in an unsustainable manner, containing chemicals that off-gas and impact the health of tenants. The good news is that some manufacturers are making a great effort to produce more sustainable flooring— and often their goal is to fabricate floors that evoke pleasing images of nature, and that has health benefits. Say San Francisco-based Gensler architects Melissa Mizell and Kirsten Ritchie, “When considering the impact of flooring in regards to environmental sustainability, can incorporating the principles of biophilia be a tool to help us make better decisions? Biophilia goes way deeper than adding plants or organic shapes and forms to the built environment. Biophilia also refers to our innate connection to natural systems, our desire for complexity and order, and our perception of sensory information. Here are five ways that flooring design and selection can utilize Biophilic principles as well as create a better experience for users of a space:

• Create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces—this can be both visual and physical. Imagine a stone or paver system that’s used on the exterior flows into an interior lobby, lounge or dining space.

• Create a distinct sense of place and celebrate the local ecology by using materials that are sourced and manufactured locally with minimal processing and embodied energy. For example, local stone or FSC certified wood.

• Use texture and pattern in a way that enhances our human desire for complexity and order. When using carpet tile, select ones that can be installed in a random fashion, reducing waste while providing visual variety. w Provides thermal variability—be aware of the abilities of stone, tile or concrete to absorb heat or cool air and use it with intention. In the same way, be mindful of the ability of a floor surface to interact with light and shadows from windows and skylights.

Finally, consider how the acoustical properties of flooring materials can contribute to the experience of the users —by enabling quiet focus, or activating a space or alerting inhabitants to the footsteps of others."

Membrane systems from NAC Products abate sound in office buildings, hotels, multifamily facilities and other buildings that need sound reduction. Its SuperSAM ® premium sound deadening sheet membrane is designed to be used on flooring surfaces that require impact or airborne sound reduction.

Biophilic Patterns

Inspired by owls' coloring and patterns, each style in Mohawk Group's Owls collection contains no chemicals of concern, is carbonneutral, and incorporates biophilic design principles. The collection's two designs, Feather and Flight, come in two 12" x 36" patterns. “Birds are such an indicator of our environmental footprint on the world. With that in mind, we dug deeper into owls to truly understand and interpret their textures and patterns,” said Jackie Dettmar, vice president of design and product development at Mohawk Group. “The Owls collection represents a collaborative effort between a diverse group of people who have come together to make Mohawk’s latest nature-inspired carpet system.”

Mohawk Group's Owls collection of carpets incorporates patterns and colors inspired by owls. Photo courtesy of Mohawk Group.

In addition, the Owls collection meets the stringent requirements of Living Product Challenge Petal Certification and is domestically produced at Mohawk Group’s “Living Top photo: Materials such as tiles with designs that reflect natural patterns. Photo: Adobe Stock. Lower photo: Mohawk Group's Owls collection of carpets incorporates patterns and colors inspired by owls. Photo courtesy of Mohawk Group. Site” facility in Glasgow, Virginia. The Living Product Challenge is a product certification program, advocacy tool and philosophy created by the International Living Future Institute and defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in product manufacturing. Armstrong Flooring Sustainability Manager Amy Costello says, “According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend nearly 90% of our time indoors, on average. Modern life has taken us away from beneficial contact with nature. As a result, biophilic design, which seeks to reconnect us to nature in buildings and cities, has become more and more important. It’s a powerful tool that can help people recharge so they feel and work better.

“Mimicking nature’s characteristics and bringing the outdoors inside is not a new concept; however, there is mounting evidence that demonstrates the positive impact biophilic design can have. Implementing biophilic design is immersing the principles of the natural world—the regrowth, the natural wonder—into a space so customers, patients, and employees feel the connection. Flooring contributes to biophilic design by replicating colors and textures found in nature, and by the sustainable attributes of the flooring itself.

“For example, Natural Creations ® with Diamond 10 ® Technology ArborArt drew inspiration from classic wood grain patterns. Striations BBT™ with Diamond 10 ® Technology coating was inspired by striated geological formations. Not only do the patterns complement biophilic design, but the product’s makeup is ideal for spaces with a focus on sustainability. Striations coordinates with our other bio-based tile collection—Migrations ® , and even the color names are a nod to the complementary palettes. Whether it’s Green Leaf and Lilly Pad, or Caribbean Sea and Seaside, there are a host of combinations to help designers create a beautiful biophilic design.

“Flooring can also help bring elements of nature into a space in a variety of ways, from providing the look of wood or stone to reflecting sunlight. In healthcare and other commercial applications, there is an ongoing trend to move away from institutional design and instead to create a more residential feel.

Natural hardwood—and engineered hardwood— flooring is a popular choice for offices, and not just because it is the ultimate biophilic appeal. Beyond its pleasing aesthetics, various types of wood are also highly sustainable and add to a facility’s green imagery. Even laminate wood surfaces offer the natural look that tenants enjoy and is easy to install and maintain.

Oak, tropical wenge and cumaru are woods that can stand up to commercial flooring traffic. Engineered wood flooring better resists temperature changes and water and are an economic choice as well. The National Wood Flooring Association is a useful resource to learn more about commercial and residential wood flooring practices. Click: https://www.nwfa.org/ n Healthier Flooring

Membrane systems from NAC Products abate sound in office buildings, hotels, multifamily faclities and other buildings that need sound reduction. Its SuperSAM ® premium sound deadening sheet membrane is designed to be used on flooring surfaces that require impact or airborne sound reduction.