Article Number : 6237 |
|
Article Detail |
|
 | |
| Date | 12/28/2010 10:38:54 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=6237 |
| Abstract | By Emily Hooper Though the causes of global warming are still a sticky subject in some circles, its affect on the environment cannot be disputed. Tornados in Northeastern America, lethal tsunamis in Southeast Asia and a volcanic eruption in Europe that halted air travel for weeks are just a few examples of Mother Nature’s attempts to maintain homeostasis... |
| Article | By Emily Hooper Though the causes of global warming are still a sticky subject in some circles, its affect on the environment cannot be disputed. Tornados in Northeastern America, lethal tsunamis in Southeast Asia and a volcanic eruption in Europe that halted air travel for weeks are just a few examples of Mother Nature’s attempts to maintain homeostasis. Controlling global environmental events is seemingly impossible, so the floor covering industry is starting somewhere a bit more manageable; in the home with indoor air quality (IAQ). “IAQ is going to be a big deal, maybe even bigger than global warming,” said John Woolsey, vice president of marketing for Anderson Hardwood. As people spend more and more time in the home—close to 90%—quality of the air indoors becomes increasingly important. Some of the main factors affecting IAQ are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and isocyanates, both of which are off-gasses that have been found in products such as flooring adhesives. Today, though, adhesive makers proudly advertise the absence of these compounds in their products and have third party verifications from organizations like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Carpet & Rug Institute (CRI), GreenGuard Environmental Institute and Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). Adhesive flooring companies are doing all they can to improve the floors we walk on as well as the air we breathe. In fact, the adhesives industry claims to be one of the greenest areas of the industry, with many companies asserting to be the first among their competitors. When asked what the manufacturer Bostik is doing to up its environmental game, Phillip Pitts, marketing manager for hardwood and rubber flooring adhesives, responded, “Nothing. We haven’t done anything because we’ve been ahead of the curve.” He said Bostik “set the bar” to earn LEED requirements and that all its products are compliant with South Coast Air Quality District Management (SCAQDM) regulations as mandated by the state of California. Another claimant of green pioneering, Mapei has also been in compliance with SCAQDM mandates for several years, said Neil McMurdie, director of research and development for Mapei Americas. The company uses rapidly renewable materials for improved handling characteristics and reduced odors, while maintaining performance attributes such as bond strength, shear strength and elongation. Other suppliers have environmental claims stretching back 30 years. “Para-Chem has always considered itself a green advocate,” said Sonny Callaham, flooring application technical support. “In the late 1980s, we made the conscious decision to be green long before the market dictated what that meant, as it does today.” The biggest change the company has seen over the years is the way green has changed building demands. U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) specifications have “changed the way architects, general contractors and specifiers build and design buildings,” Callahm said. “Specifically for the flooring industry, we are now gaining LEED credits not only for using low emitting raw materials but for extracting them regionally to help reduce outside air quality through reduced vehicle emissions.” W.F. Taylor also outlines its eco stewardship as, “Way ahead of the industry,” according to Gary Liddington, business manager, manufacturing brands. “Long before it became fashionable, the company was working with EPA and CRI officials to improve IAQ with respect to adhesives.” For example, the Envirotec line first introduced in the late 1980s meets all of CRI’s Green Label Plus program requirements with solvent free adhesives for carpet, resilient and wood installation, and Taylor has continued improving its technology with each decade’s generation of products. Going back as far as 50 years, Laticrete has mandated all products be environmentally friendly and safe to use by contractors and homeowners, said Sean Boyle, director of marketing and product management. “Our internal actions and product requirements have enabled us to not just comply, but in most cases exceed industry requirements.” In addition to GreenGuard certification, Laticrete uses post- and pre-consumer recycled content in many of its products with packaging components that are easily recyclable by end users. Changes in product emissions have helped the market, especially when it comes to installers and building owners, Boyle said. “New regulations and/or programs that test and establish minimum performance standards also help weed out manufacturers that claim performance without providing the data to support it.” Green and environmental New to the adhesive game, Anderson’s years of experience in the hardwood field define its intentions. “For anything we do, we’re in the process of improvement of our core values: quality, innovation, design and environmental legacy,” Woolsey said. “We tried to solve problems by looking at the whole package.” Green Grab adhesive and Triple Option, a three-in-one adhesive, are both GreenGuard certified, as are its wood flooring products and cleaning solutions. “To my knowledge, we’re the only company in the wood industry to offer an entire flooring system that is GreenGuard certified.” Certifications are essential to validate green claims in the industry. A.A.T., for example, offers products that qualify for LEED specifications, are Green Label plus certified and, its manufacturing processes produce no effluence, said Gregory Wood, president. “Our engineers and formulators recapture materials from the compounding process and reuse them when making other products. This not only reduces water consumption, it keeps these materials from entering the water supply.” Though the adhesives segment didn’t need the prodding of environmental law, manufacturers note green regulations and standards have been beneficial to the industry as a whole. “The demand for environmentally friendly products has become ubiquitous in 2010,” said Larry Scott, technical director, DriTac, which has an entire family of green adhesives and concrete sealers that are zero VOC and solvent-free. “Low VOC products are the mandate and zero VOC, solvent-free products are more valuable and sought after than ever before.” |