Resilient flooring contributes to a more sustainable environment

For all types of facilities from health care to manufacturing, sustainability is becoming increasingly important. Products and systems that can meet this demand are on the rise. In fact, the European Commission is launching a comprehensive new strategy focused on increasing material efficiency and reducing climate impacts to promote a sustainable built environment. 

New products and systems allow facilities to:

• Avoid contributing to landfills

• Reduce the level of toxic fumes released into the environment in the process of flooring replacement
• Reduce the overall cost to the environment that occurs as a result of floor replacement

Research shows that renewing resilient flooring surfaces can offer up to 92% reduction in carbon footprint and 95% savings in energy resources, versus replacing, according to an IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute study.

Today, even the most worn, dilapidated resilient floors (i.e. linoleum, rubber, vinyl, concrete etc.) can be transformed with eco-friendly processes that avoid removal of the old flooring surface or the need of floor refinishing.

According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the total annual consumption of the European flooring materials market is about 3 billion square metres, with laminate and vinyl accounting for 25% of that number.

“The norm today is new and fresh, and refinishing is often perceived as more difficult,” said Maria Ahlm, author of the report at the IVL Swedish Environmental Institute. 

Waterborne solutions are now an industry standard for durable, long-lasting resilient floor surfaces

Waterborne products are proven to be better for the environment while maintaining the high durability demands of flooring surfaces. Most resilient floor renovation systems also offer a clear, non-yellowing formula to keep the floor looking great for years to come. Leading manufacturers have enhanced indoor air quality and contributed to sustainability in construction and maintenance by innovating safe, waterborne products that eliminate the need to ever strip resilient flooring surfaces again.

“Most people spend more than 90% of their time indoors. Therefore, the quality of indoor air (i.e. the concentration of pollutants in the indoor air) has a significant impact on human health.” 

–The German Environmental Agency

The importance of safer resilient flooring products, indoor air quality and why EC1 Certification matters

When evaluating environmentally-safe chemistries, facilities teams should seek manufacturers that have achieved EC1 Certification for their products – meaning the chemistry is scientifically proven to meet some of the world’s most stringent third-party chemical emissions standards in order to reduce indoor air pollution. The German Environmental Agency holds frequent discussions on the amount and impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from construction products.

Renewing vs. replacing resilient flooring helps our environment

Consider these eco-friendly examples:

• Slovakia-based Schill Dental Clinic replaced its worn flooring with a resilient renewal solution that was safe for employees and other office visitors, and also prevented nearly 200 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the environment.
  
  
• Oslo, Norway’s National Museum is a newly-constructed museum with new vinyl flooring, which was severely damaged during construction. By renewing rather than replacing the flooring surface, the museum prevented nearly 30,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being emitted into the environment.
  
  
• Bishop Walsh Catholic School in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England renewed its worn and scarred vinyl floors. School officials chose the sustainable option of renewing the existing floor, which eliminated a massive load of old flooring into a landfill. Completed in just five days and at half the cost of replacing the floor, the school is proud to host sporting events on its strikingly-beautiful and sustainable sports floor.

Learn more about the Bona Commercial System for sustainable flooring solutions, and explore our products: