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Floors & Coverings

This is important in terms of providing office workers with comfort and durability as well as a healthy and pleasant working environment. The three options to consider are:

  • Uncovered floors
  • Carpets
  • Other floor coverings

Uncovered floors

As a number of New Zealanders suffer from asthma wooden floors, with under floor insulation can be a saviour.

Timber Flooring

If purchasing timber (e.g. flooring or furniture) consider the following:

  • Buy Second Hand or Recycled Timber
  • Choose plantation timber
  • Look For Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification

Buy Second Hand or Recycled Timber

Buy recycled timbers of second hand furniture, or repair existing ones. If timber is recycled, it has a lower environmental impact. Beware of fakes (the Consumer Institute discovered a huge amount of fake recycled timber on sale), so ask for written evidence that it is actually recycled.

Choose plantation timber

Use plantation timbers, as their use has much less serious consequences than the use of old-growth timbers. Some examples include: douglas fir, eucalyptus species, lawson cypress, macrocarpa, radiata pine. Avoid timber from old growth forests.

It is now more common to find terms such as ‘sustainably managed’ or ‘renewable resource’ natural forests used on timber or timber products. Beware of anyone who, for example, tells you that jarrah or kwila have been grown in a plantation.

  • Use new timbers recommended by the Good Wood Guide. (Preferably grown in New Zealand plantations). E.g. Cypress, Douglas fir, Eucaplypts or Blue Gum or Macrocarpa.

Look For Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certification

The FSC is an international non-profit organisation based in Oaxaca, Mexico. Its members include representatives from environmental and social groups, as well as the forestry and timber trades. The FSC provides a certification system so that consumers can know that the timber they buy is from forests, which have complied with the FSC’s principles of forest management.

Floor Coverings

To reduce noise, and maybe reduce drafts, many offices opt for some kind of floor covering:

  • Linoleum or Marmoleum
  • Unbleached, organic cottons rugs
  • Hessian or hemp rugs

Carpets

  • When choosing a carpet there are a number of important considerations to be made. Listed are a number of questions you can run past any carpet supplier - choose the one that meets the most of your criteria.

About the material and the manufacturer

Does the manufacturer have an environmental or sustainability programme in place?

  • Is the raw material used efficiently?
  • Has it been made from recycled materials?
  • Are toxic emissions reduced in manufacture?
  • Has it been made using alternative energy (e.g. solar energy)?
  • Made from natural fibres (Check for the ‘wool mark label’)
  • It is locally manufactured?

During its use

  • Does it appeal to your staff?
  • Is it easy to install and to maintain?
  • Is it durable, can you make small changes easily? (Carpet tiles are good for this)
  • Does it promotes better Indoor Air Quality?
  • Ensure the backing is formaldehyde–free
  • Ask for natural latex, jute or woollen felt backing
  • Can you lease the carpet instead of buying it and receive a life-long servicing contract (For more information on leasing floor coverings see www.interfacenz.com)

Note: Carpet tiles should be rotated between high and low traffic areas to maximise life of the ‘system’

At its end of life