A strong flooring program requires attention to sustainability, design trends and budgetary considerations.
When planning a flooring project for a public or commercial building, you want to do more than ensure the floor is easy to clean and safe for the building's occupants.
Facility managers must consider a variety of factors, including cost, design trends and sustainability, as well as disposing of old products, installing new ones and establishing a maintenance strategy.
Managers need well-thought-out flooring plans that fit the needs of different spaces, both in terms of design and performance. To ensure flexibility but also seamless design and ease of adjustment, you can look for suppliers with design collections available in multiple sizes and thicknesses.
“Today, we see a need for products that help spaces be both flexible and adaptable,” says Keith Richardson, director of Performance Markets Healthcare and Senior Living at Patcraft. “As these environments continue to change and evolve, facility managers are being challenged to create adaptable spaces that offer a variety of solutions to accommodate different needs and uses throughout the day.”
In healthcare, education and workplace environments, spaces need to be multifunctional, and flooring is often an essential part of this solution because it defines the space “in a natural, intuitive way, while providing durable, high-performance products that can withstand the demands of a busy environment,” says Richardson.
As with every aspect of your business, choosing the right flooring for the right environment is critical. With a range of attributes including durability, cleanability, maintaining appearance, ease of installation, quality and functionality, our flooring materials offer engineered solutions that combine experience and performance.
“It's important that flooring meets the various needs of commercial spaces while also supporting the wide range of activities that take place throughout these environments,” Richardson says.
Hybrid flooring solutions combine the tactile and acoustic properties of a soft surface with the durability and easy-cleaning benefits of a hard surface.
Get the timing right
Facility managers continue to prioritize products that fit within budgets, are easy to maintain and fit project timing, says Paula Meason, marketing activation manager at Interface Inc.
As workplaces adapt to a new hybrid workforce and interior spaces are redesigned, institutions and commercial facilities will likely consider products that offer design flexibility to suit current and future needs.
“Businesses are returning to the office and refreshing their work environments,” Meeson said.
Flooring companies can help managers create spaces that are more flexible and also look more aesthetically pleasing.
Meeson is seeing growing interest in biophilic flooring across a range of commercial spaces. Incorporating biophilic design elements into indoor spaces through colour, texture and pattern can “connect occupants with the natural world and create spaces that are more productive, inspire creativity and support better outcomes,” she says.
Budgeting is a major area of concern for building owners. Today, many facilities are struggling with budget cuts and staffing shortages, making product selection even more important.
“Given this, streamlined installation and maintenance protocols are increasingly influencing product selection,” Meeson says.
Influences such as procurement guidelines, government regulations, net zero pledges and corporate carbon commitments are all working together to drive the specification of low-carbon building materials, including carpet tile.
“We are finding that the sustainability attributes of flooring products are becoming a key consideration in specification decisions,” says Meeson, “This is due to an increased focus on decarbonising buildings in both the private and public sectors.”
The collection and recycling of waste, i.e. used vinyl-backed carpet, is also a selling point for suppliers: the product is collected and redirected into the most sustainable options, including reuse, recycling and energy recovery.
Howard Reel is a freelance writer from Henderson, Nevada.
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