Dean Thompson

By Dean Thompson President, Resilient Floor Covering Institute
Resilient flooring offers sustainable benefits, many derived from the inherent performance characteristics of vinyl. The principal raw material for vinyl is resulting from common salt, an abundant and inexpensive natural resource. Scientific studies from around the world support the long-term human health and safety advantages of vinyl products. As well, the resilient flooring industry is continuing to innovate and introduce vinyl products with new and enhanced sustainability benefits.

Indoor air quality. FloorScore has become an accepted indicator of indoor air quality for certification systems such as LEED. FloorScore was developed by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) in collaboration with the Resilient Floor Covering Institute and is a voluntary, independent certification program that tests vinyl, linoleum, laminate, wood, ceramic and rubber flooring. Several LEED systems specifically cite FloorScore as an indicator, including New Construction (NC), Commercial Interiors (CI), Core and Shell (CS), Healthcare (HC) and LEED for Homes. FloorScore is also included in important environmental rating systems such as the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes, Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS), Green Guide for Health Care and EPA’s Tools for Schools.

Sustainability Standard. NSF 332 Sustainability Assessment Standard, an industry-wide sustainability measurement, is due to be finalized next spring. The standard follows a lifecycle assessment (LCA) approach, helping document superior durability while driving a stake in the ground for the sustainability of resilient flooring. The resilient flooring industry is one of few building product categories that has developed such a standard. It is an important indicator of environmental impact and is valued by specifiers and consumers alike.

Recycling. Based on the environmental hierarchy of reduce-reuse-recycle, vinyl performs exceptionally well because of long- lasting performance and ease of recycling. More than 1 billion pounds of vinyl are recycled annually. During the vinyl flooring manufacturing process, most of the scrap (pre-consumer material) is recycled for use in the finished product. In addition, many vinyl flooring manufacturers reclaim vinyl from the field (post-consumer material) and recycle it into other vinyl products. Companies including Mannington and Azrock have developed very efficient, closed-loop systems that recycle VCT into VCT.

Durability. Architects say durability is the most important attribute for a green building product, according to a recent survey commissioned by PPG Industries. Vinyl has long been prized for its durability, retaining its appearance with little maintenance over a long life cycle. Architects also rated life-cycle assessment and low-VOC indoor air quality as important, both areas where resilient flooring excels.

Energy efficiency. Vinyl products save energy as one of the most efficient major plastics. Compared to most competing materials, vinyl resin takes less energy to produce, resulting in a lower level of greenhouse gas emissions during its life cycle.

Versatility. Vinyl’s low cost, versatility and performance make it the material of choice not just for flooring but for dozens of products in industries such as healthcare, communications, aerospace, automotive, retailing, textiles and construction. Rigid or soft, heavy or light, opaque or clear, vinyl is capable of assuming all types of shapes and forms.

Long life cycle. Based on its outstanding performance, corrosion resistance, maintenance and replacement cost advantages, vinyl is the material of choice for interior and exterior building products. Because of its durability, vinyl flooring does not have to be replaced as often as many other types of flooring. This durability is a significant benefit for the environment because it conserves the energy and resources what would have been expended to make replacement flooring.

Conservation. VCT outperforms certain flooring products based on the criteria developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Building for Environment and Economic Sustainability (BEES) lifecycle assessment model. The criteria include indoor air quality (IAQ), solid waste, acid rain, global warming and natural resource depletion.

Manufacturing. The manufacturing process for vinyl flooring poses minimal risk to workers and the environment. Plasticizers used to make modern vinyl flooring have been thoroughly researched and tested, and there is no evidence of adverse human health effects when properly used in vinyl flooring.