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Responsible Flooring
Industry-leading track record
Driven by the desire for continuous innovation, the mindful manufacturers behind Beautifully Responsible® resilient flooring have taken big steps in their support for good indoor air quality (IAQ) and the conscientious use of resources at manufacturer sites.
RESPONSIBLE
LIVE CONFIDENTLY
When we say RFCI member brands are committed to environmental and social responsibility, we don’t want you to just take our word for it. Here’s what our efforts look like – from long-term plans to everyday standards:
HOW TRANSPARENT ARE RESILIENT FLOORING MANUFACTURERS ABOUT THE PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS THEY USE?
You’ll find information on product ingredients, carbon footprint, and overall environmental impact in industry-wide Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for various types of resilient flooring. Some member brands issue Health Product Declarations (HPDs) for material health transparency.
WHAT HAS RESILIENT FLOORING DONE TO PROACTIVELY IMPROVE PRODUCTS AND PROVIDE ASSURANCE OF PRODUCT CLAIMS?
RFCI was instrumental in the creation of the FloorScore® certification, which addresses IAQ through compliance with the VOC emissions criteria of the California Section 01350 Program, as well as Assure Certified™ for rigid core products, which addresses elements like IAQ, performance, and durability. Look for these third-party certifications on resilient flooring products, which require an on-site audit.
DOES RESILIENT FLOORING CONTRIBUTE TO ANY GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATIONS?
Yes, they can when it comes to third-party certifications. Sustainability is a growing concern in many communities. Looking to get your home or building project certified through a green building scheme? Products that hold third-party labels like FloorScore® can qualify for Low Emitting Material credits for LEED® and Green Globes®, among others.
WHAT SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES CAN I FIND FROM RESILIENT FLOORING MANUFACTURERS?
Many RFCI member brands regularly publish reports to share progress made on sustainability goals, which you can find on their individual websites. Some member brands hold ISO14001 certificates for effective environmental management systems, which enable mindful management of shared natural resources like water and energy.
What is an Environmental Product Declaration?
Our third-party certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) provide you, your architect and your designer with a listing of environmental impacts for resilient flooring products.
An EPD is based on a product life cycle assessment (LCA) that evaluates environmental impact indicators, such as the potential to contribute to global warming. The goal is to use the LCA for continual product improvement to reduce impacts on the environment. Plus, there is a clear list of ingredients – we’ll never leave you to wonder what your flooring is made from.
Learn more about industry-wide EPDs. For more information on product-specific EPDs, visit the manufacturer’s website.
WHAT THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATIONS SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN RESILIENT FLOORING?
The average American spends about 90% of the day inside, where you want to maintain a high quality of indoor air for your family.
Thankfully, you can choose products with FloorScore® and ASSURE® CERTIFIED labels that make it easy to know whether the floor you choose contributes to good IAQ.
Independently verified flooring products give you space to breathe easy, knowing you’ve made a great choice for your family.
LEARN ABOUT FLOORSCORE® LEARN ABOUT ASSURE® CERTIFIED
THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION FAQs
HOW CAN I FIND RESILIENT FLOORING THAT IS CERTIFIED BY REPUTABLE THIRD PARTIES?
Look for certifications that are clear about what they validate and communicate their process. The more specific, the better.
Both the FloorScore® and Assure® Certified for rigid core flooring certifications are backed by third party independent verification and their certification criteria are publicly available.
FloorScore® certification is focused on indoor air quality. This certification ensures that flooring products have met strict limits for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and that products that carry this certification promote good indoor air quality. You can find a list of certified products here.
Assure® Certified is only applicable to rigid core flooring, but it goes beyond just indoor air quality. In addition to indoor air quality, Assure Certified products must meet strict criteria for performance, heavy metals and Ortho-Phthalates. A list of Assure Certified flooring options can be found here.
WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR IN RESILIENT FLOORING IF I’M WORRIED ABOUT CHEMICALS AND OFF-GASSING?
Start by looking for certifications that publicly disclose their measurement criteria and focus. For resilient flooring in general, there are two primary certifications — FloorScore® and Assure® Certified.
The FloorScore® certification ensures that a product is independently verified to the SCS Environmental Certification Program for Indoor Air Quality. To get this certification a flooring product must satisfy:
- Testing demonstrating compliance with emission concentrations for listed VOCs under California Section 01350
- Manufacturing facility on-site audits and yearly surveillance audits
- Annual product re-testing
- Product record keeping
- A documented quality control plan
Assure® Certified ensures that a product meets strict criteria indoor air quality, performance, heavy metals and Ortho-Phthalates. The certification process provides clear steps and accountability to make sure products meet these standards.
- Apply for certification
- Data collection, working with an auditor to aggregate quality data
- Onsite audit is conducted and product samples are collected for testing
- Product testing against several specifications across VOCs, phthalates, heavy metals and standards
- Audit results are detailed in an Assessment Report
- Reporting back to the applicant of findings
- Certification decision is made
- Certification is valid for three years and annual surveillance required to maintain certification
HOW IMPORTANT IS FLOORSCORE® OR SIMILAR CERTIFICATION WHEN CHOOSING RESILIENT FLOORING FOR MY HOME?
Certifications can provide peace of mind and independent assurance that a product meets certain criteria. While by no means required, FloorScore® and Assure® Certified can ensure that the new floors you buy are contributing to good indoor air quality and other benefits. In the case of Assure Certified, products that carry the label also meet strict limits for heavy metals, Ortho-Phthalates and performance standards.