Consolidated Carpet, a Manhattan-based flooring contractor, has been committed to environmentally-responsible practices for decades. Since the 1980s, the flooring contractor's goal of diverting material from landfills and supporting sustainable practices of reuse has been recognized as one of the leading carpet reclamation programs in the country. The organization aims to provide customers with sustainable product options from leading green manufacturers. Over the past few years, Consolidated has indicated that there is a strong move towards heightened design sensibilities from flooring manufacturers. They estimate that up to 50% of the products that are specified and sold are sustainable, specifically driven from architect and design firms desiring quality, environmentally-responsible spaces for their clients. Not only has there been a shift in the flooring material itself, but also in the adhesives or alternative technologies used to install the surfaces. As manufacturers move away from oil-based materials to more water-based or bio-based products, they are finding these products to also provide cost benefits.
With the passing of NSF ANSI 140 Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard by standards developer NSF, suppliers and supply chain stakeholders are equipped with the tools and resources to compare the sustainable attributes of carpet. As many in the flooring industry note, NSF ANSI 140 is to carpet as LEED is to buildings, and the desire to achieve sustainable status is at a fever pitch.
As a contractor who has participated in reclamation programs for nearly 30 years, we are encouraged to see the industry continually making strides to complete sustainability. We look forward to continued innovation, and product development that will change the way commercial designers and end users will view our products in the future.
Consolidated Carpet has spearheaded industry-leading initiatives to help support the environment. The company's "Con-Serve Reclamation Program" has diverted over one million pounds of carpet from landfills over each of the past three years - with over 174,070 yards of combined carpet and carpet tile, weighing 518 tons, recycled between May 2011 and September 2012.
The industry-leading commercial flooring contractor forecasts the progress of even more green-manufactured products, such as Bentley Prince St.'s Contact Release with Free Lay Technology, a product that eliminates adhesives and tack strips and is made from 12% post-consumer recycled content. With nearly 75% of post-consumer carpet collected being recycled, the prominence and popularity of these products in commercial spaces are sure to increase.
David Meberg is the president and CEO of Consolidated Carpet, New York, N.Y. Tags: