Sustainability
What lies underfoot: flooring and sustainability
Sustainability has been embedded in the culture of flooring manufacturer Bona since its founding in 1919. Here, Rohit Sharma, resilient sales manager, shares his insight into going green from the ground up
Sustainability is ever evolving – it changes as our world changes. It is everybody’s responsibility to do better and be better in everything we do. Developments in technology, new innovations, and cultural shifts are all part of how we can continue to create a better world. As many people now advocate and embrace the benefits of a circular economy, decisions to reuse or renovate existing products are prominent across different areas of our lives – saving money, reducing wastage, and minimising the environmental impact of our choices. In the care home sector, the importance of environmental sustainability has gained greater prominence in recent times. Care homes are increasingly taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint, and this is largely driven by the implementation of green technologies such as solar heating and smart technologies to reduce energy use and water consumption. Care homes are often committed to
reducing their environmental impact across the buildings estate, and the operations side such as transport or waste disposal. However, environmentally sustainable choices can be made from the ground up, and there is one area that is commonly overlooked; what lies underfoot has a key role to play.
Flooring industry innovations Innovative new developments continue to emerge in the flooring industry, and it is encouraging to witness and be at the forefront of major changes that permeate across all sectors, both consumer and commercial.
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Forward-thinking research and
development teams in the flooring industry are constantly studying new ways to develop materials and products that are effective and sustainable. There is, of course, still work to do, but progress from manufacturers enables organisations in different sectors to make progress and this has now filtered through to the care home sector. There are some wonderful examples of sustainability-driven flooring organisations that have taken action to make better products and processes that minimise impact and are kinder to the environment. For example, waterborne finishes for wooden floors present a safer way for flooring contractors to refinish floors by significantly reducing exposure to solvents that can be detrimental to health. The use of renewable raw materials
Innovative new developments continue to emerge in the flooring industry
in floor finishes also has a low impact on the environment. Air quality is another important factor for a healthier and safer planet, and some products are stringently tested to ensure a reduced or minimal release of volatile organic compounds (VOC) into the air. Meanwhile, innovations in machines or products, such as dust containment systems, virtually eliminate dust from hardwood floor sanding processes.
Of course, it is not just the products
themselves that have undergone vast improvements – the processes involved have developed, too. A flooring organisation’s own environmental credentials can also affect the decision-making process; there is a greater awareness and expectation of a company’s sustainability work, which in turn puts pressure on suppliers to act. For instance, Bona has more than a century of commitment to sustainable practices and is very conscious of its carbon emissions, recently shifting transportation modes from road to rail from Sweden to Germany, reducing carbon emissions by sixty per cent. Since the pandemic, market fluctuations indicate that people and organisations are
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com June 2022
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