24 California Buildings News • Q1 2020
Healthier Flooring That Makes You Feel Good
There are many ways your flooring can make you sick and increase global warming and recycling burdens. Materials can be manufactured in an unsustainable manner, containing chemicals that off-gas and impact the health of tenants. The good news is that some manufacturers are making a great effort to produce more sustainable flooring— and often their goal is to fabricate floors that evoke pleasing images of nature, and that has health benefits.
tile, select ones that can be installed in a random fashion, reducing waste while providing visual variety. w Provides thermal variability— be aware of the abilities of stone, tile or concrete to absorb heat or cool air and use it with intention. In the same way, be mindful of the ability of a floor surface to interact with light and shadows from windows and skylights. w Finally, consider how the acoustical properties of flooring materials can contribute to the experience of the users —by enabling quiet focus, or activating a space or alerting inhabitants to the footsteps of others." Membrane systems from NAC Products abate sound in office buildings, hotels, multifamily facilities and other buildings that need sound reduction. Its SuperSAM® premium sound deadening sheet membrane is designed to be used on flooring surfaces that require impact or airborne sound reduction.
Biophilic Patterns Inspired by owls' coloring Say San Francisco-based Gensler and patterns, each architects Melissa Mizell and Kirsten style in Mohawk Ritchie, “When considering the impact Group's Owls of flooring in regards to environmental collection consustainability, can incorporating the tains no chemiprinciples of biophilia be a tool to help cals of concern, us make better decisions? Biophilia goes is carbonneutral, way deeper than adding plants or organic and incorporates shapes and forms to the built environbiophilic design Top photo: Materials such as tiles with designs that reflect natural ment. Biophilia also refers to our innate patterns. Photo: Adobe Stock. Lower photo: Mohawk Group's principles. The connection to natural systems, our desire Owls collection of carpets incorporates patterns and collection's two for complexity and order, and our percepcolors inspired by owls. Photo courtesy of Mohawk Group. designs, Feather tion of sensory information. Here are five and Flight, come in two 12" x 36" patterns. “Birds are such ways that flooring design and selection can utilize Biophilic an indicator of our environmental footprint on the world. principles as well as create a better experience for users of With that in mind, we dug deeper into owls to truly undera space: stand and interpret their textures and patterns,” said Jackie w Create a seamless connection between indoor and outDettmar, vice president of design and product development door spaces—this can be both visual and physical. Imagine at Mohawk Group. “The Owls collection represents a collaba stone or paver system that’s used on the exterior flows into orative effort between a diverse group of people who have an interior lobby, lounge or dining space. come together to make Mohawk’s latest nature-inspired w Create a distinct sense of place and celebrate the local carpet system.” ecology by using materials that are sourced and manufacIn addition, the Owls collection meets the stringent tured locally with minimal processing and embodied energy. requirements of Living Product Challenge Petal Certification For example, local stone or FSC certified wood. and is domestically produced at Mohawk Group’s “Living w Use texture and pattern in a way that enhances our (Continued on next page) human desire for complexity and order. When using carpet
