As facility managers and building owners increasingly explore opportunities to incorporate environmentally friendly products in their buildings, and architects and designers respond to new colors and patterns that are compatible with architectural trends, many of these decision-makers are turning to rubber flooring. An educated public is paying more attention to raw materials, manufacturing processes, life cycle costs and a variety of issues associated with sustainability, as they carefully consider the built environment and its occupants.

In healthcare and education, sustainable design decisions are complicated by the large number of complex needs and functions that are present. The variety of functions required to meet the diverse needs of students and faculty members in schools, as well as patients, staff and visitors in hospitals , comes with multiple demands , including durability, hygiene, ease of maintenance, sound absorption, slip resistance and environmental compatibility.

Not all commercial rubber flooring products are able to meet the various demands of these facilities. However, high quality rubber flooring products offer a variety of design and performance characteristics that help them address the unique challenges of educational and healthcare facilities in an environmentally friendly and aesthetically pleasing way.

Sustainable
Some rubber floor coverings are made with natural rubber, a sustainable material made from renewable natural rubber that is extracted from tropical rubber plants and synthetic rubber. Depending on the manufacturer, the product may also contain natural fillers to supplement the natural and industrial rubber qualities, as well as environmentally compatible color pigments that are free of lead and other heavy metals.

Some manufacturers are also able to produce rubber floor coverings that are completely free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), plasticizers and halogens. The absence of volatile plasticizers and the dimensional stability of rubber floor coverings mean the floor covering will not shrink. As a result, rubber flooring can often be installed without welding. Having nonwelded flooring is a big advantage. Welded seams tend to catch dirt and can also increase installation costs as well as disrupt the design flow. Non-welded seams can contribute to a more hygienic and aesthetically pleasing environment.

Life Cycle Costs
The extremely low life cycle costs of rubber flooring make it an attractive option for healthcare settings. Many life cycle cost analyses (LCA), including a study by Sue Tartaglio, which was part of a Continuing Education Series article for the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), have shown that rubber is by far the most cost- competitive resilient flooring option available. This study took into consideration initial costs, cleaning and labor over a 15-year life cycle and included vinyl, linoleum, carpet and rubber. The favorable LCA for rubber flooring relates to its durability (20 to 30 years of useful life is typical), and low maintenance requirements (needs no waxes, coatings or finishes).

IAQ Friendly
Rubber floor coverings that are not made from recycled tires can also feature lower VOC emissions, the offgassing from products that occurs under specific conditions. Low emission levels help flooring products meet the indoor air quality (IAQ) standards that characterize green products and are especially important in healthcare facilities, where special consideration is given to respiratory conditions and allergies. Following renovations, low emissions levels also mean patients can be quickly moved back into areas where rubber flooring has been installed. The use of solvent- free environmentally friendly dispersion adhesives can further ensure good IAQ.

Green Maintenance Advantages
Rubber flooring also offers green maintenance advantages. For the majority of rubber floors, cleaning consists of simple dust mopping and wet mopping with a mild pH-neutral cleaning product. Because of their dense, nonporous surface, rubber floors do not need to be waxed or sealed. Installing a no-wax rubber floor makes cleaning easier and eliminates the need to strip or rewax the floor later in the maintenance cycle. As a result, hospital units can function twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, without interruption or fear of air contamination by harsh strippers and waxes. As Dr. Greg Norris of the Harvard School of Public Health has reported, “The amount of VOCs emitted from a single waxing of a floor is comparable to the amount of VOCs emitted from the flooring itself over its entire lifetime!” With no-wax rubber floors, fewer cleaning agents are used, which leads to better IAQ as well as a decrease in the cost of labor and cleaning supplies.

Durable
In addition to maintenance considerations, the extended life cycle of rubber floor coverings – typically 20 to 30 years – appeals to hospital administrators, who seek green building status. The durability of rubber gives rubber flooring an extremely long life cycle, reducing the need for frequent removal and disposal of the product and conserving natural resources in the process.

LEED Points
Many of the environmental features that make rubber flooring an attractive choice for environmentally conscious architects, designers and facility managers can also contribute to the achievement of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design® (LEED) points for Indoor Environmental Quality and Materials and Resources Credits.

Healthcare & Education Advantages
Rubber flooring offers a number of additional advantages in healthcare and educational facilities such as comfort underfoot, slip resistance and acoustics. Comfort underfoot is important to staff who spend most of their workday on their feet, and can also lessen the impact of falls. Slip resistance is another important consideration, especially in orthopedic, geriatric and rehabilitative areas of healthcare facilities. And, the soundreducing properties can limit the noise associated with rolling equipment and constant foot traffic and create a quieter, more restful environment for patients in hospital settings and students in learning environments.

Some manufacturers of rubber flooring offer products with features that make them uniquely suited to healthcare facilities and educational facilities as they are resistant to chemicals and disinfectants, allowing most spills to be removed easily without residual staining. Resistance to chipping and breaking eliminates a potential breeding ground for germs. In addition, bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi and help meet the stringent hygienic requirements of healthcare facilities.

Aesthetically Pleasing
Just as rubber flooring offers performance benefits, it also contributes to a pleasant visual appearance. Rubber floor coverings are available in a wide range of colors and patterns, making it easy to create an inviting and calming atmosphere.

Although rubber flooring is appropriate for many different types of installations, it is an ideal material for use in healthcare facilities and in educational environments. This sustainable, IAQ friendly, easy-to-carefor floor covering solution also offers comfort underfoot, slip resistance and sanitary benefits. In the end, rubber floor coverings design possibilities, combined with a variety of performance features, make it an attractive and environmentally friendly solution ideal for healthcare and educational settings.

Carol Fudge is the senior marketing specialist at nora systems, Inc. and can be contacted at: carol.d.fudge@nora.com.