Gerflor products will attract an A rating, the highest possible, according to Green Guide ratings for vinyl floor coverings published by Building Research Establishment, a UK group of trust companies committed to a sustainable built environment.
The scheme assesses the environmental impact of construction products in terms of their carbon footprint over their life cycle. Its findings on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) challenge popular notions that products made from PVC are inherently damaging to the environment.
The generic products on the Green Guide Online include floor coverings for health education and retail applications, giving an indication of the environmental performance that the Gerflor range may achieve in the respective use categories.
The online guide rates products against a range of criteria, including fossil fuel consumption, carbon emissions and pollution.
The ratings will help specifiers achieve the highest possible BRE Environmental Assessment Method rating for new buildings and reduce the overall impact of their projects on the environment.
Reducing Environmental Impact
Studies have shown the construction industry to be a major contributor of carbon emissions, which is the main environmental issue today. However PVC is possibly the most widely tested construction material and the most recent evidence has shown it to be a major contributor to reducing environmental impact within the construction industry.
Managing Director, Gerflor Australasia, Chris Low, said the new rating system in the UK clarifies long held misconceptions over the environmental impact of vinyl flooring products.
"Previous studies have given vinyl flooring a generic B rating but as Gerflor and other manufacturers have submitted more individual products for testing they all received an A rating, the highest rating available."
"BRE reviewed all the scientific and environmental data available and determined that PVC flooring is playing its part in reducing the impact of the construction industry on the wider environment," Mr. Low said.
"We have been aware for many years that our products require less oil to manufacture than other seemingly ‘natural' products. They are endlessly recyclable and inert posing no threat to human or animal health," he added.
Gerflor is a member of Vinyl 2010, an industry group actively pursuing PVC recycling across Europe and the UK.
Think Global. Act Local
Here in Australia, Gerflor is a member of the Green Building Council of Australia and industry bodies, including the Vinyl Council of Australia and Resilient Flooring Association, with whom it is working actively for a sustainable future. Locally, Gerflor is also acting to reduce its carbon footprint by recycling all warehouse off cuts and making sure all plastic and paper products are recycled. This follows similar actions at manufacturing plants in Europe.
Meanwhile, Gerflor has pioneered new flooring solutions which significantly reduce the use of adhesives, materials and labour costs. Examples include the Createx Tacfast flooring system. Here subfloor preparation usually undertaken every 7-10 years is replaced with recyclable polypropylene plates that are guaranteed for 24 years. The PVC top surface can be spot repaired where worn without replacing the entire floor, extending the life of the floor. Even at life's end, the system is completely recyclable.
Other product innovations include Texline which Gerflor launched into the Australian market more than 8 years ago. Texline has revolutionised the way flooring is installed, increased thermal efficiencies and reduced the environmental impact of old subfloor preparation practices.
