Choose from a wide variety of commercial-grade flooring products manufactured from renewable resources and natural materials including bamboo, cork, natural rubber, linoleum, hardwood, and others.
For hardwood flooring, look for salvaged wood or products manufactured using sustainable forestry practices that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. More durable than hardwood and made from wood waste, laminate floors offer the same appearance and feel at a lower price. Concrete sealed floors are environmentally-friendly because new technologies limit the need for finishes with hazardous materials or refinishing. Using concrete also saves resources because it uses the same material for a building's foundation and flooring. New "poured" polymer floors are extremely durable and are cleaned with just water, although they can emit Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs during installation. If opting for tiling, look for 100% recycled ceramic glazed flooring tiles for commercial use and rubber tiles for playgrounds.
Avoid vinyl flooring, which is nonrenewable and does not degrade. Grout for tiles, stains for wood, linseed oil in linoleum, and glue in cork floor bindings can emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Lower grade, pre-finished bamboo flooring may emit formaldahyde, which is a VOC. Finishes and sealers that emit fewer VOCs are available. Look for certifications such as Green Guard to guide flooring purchases.
The U.S. federal government requires rubber and plastic floor tiles to contain 90 to 100 % post-consumer content. The government does not offer recommendations for recycled content in ceramic floor tiles. It is, however, a good practice to seek flooring products made from recycled content or renewable resources.
The U.S. Green Building Council identifies bamboo, sealed concrete, recycled content tile, linoleum, and wood flooring products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as environmentally preferable flooring.
The following table provides information on various types of flooring.
| Type | Characteristics |
| Cork | Renewable, soft and resilient, but heavy objects can damage it and sunlight can fade it. |
| Bamboo | Renewable, strong, and an enduring resource. After installation, it looks like hardwood. |
| Hardwood | Known for beauty, but can scratch. |
| Laminate | Looks like hardwood, but requires less maintenance. Mostly scratch resistant. |
| Linoleum | Made from natural materials and is widely recognized as one of the most durable and suitable floors for commercial use. |
| Vinyl | Not environmentally-friendly. Often confused with linoleum flooring. |
| Tiles | Grout is difficult to clean, unless sealed on a regular basis. |
| Rubber & Poured Floors |
Exceptionally durable and cleans easily. |
Order soft and hard flooring products directly from vendors or contractors through their websites. The nonprofit Build it Green, maintains product fact sheets on flooring products including availability.
The table below summarizes information on six popular flooring types.
| Type | Pros | Cons | Cost |
| Ceramic Tile |
Available in 100% recycled glass |
Grout can emit VOCs |
$8 to $15 per tile |
| Sealed/ Polished Concrete |
Better indoor air quality; no wax needed |
Usually only available in structures with concrete foundations |
$4.50 per square foot |
| Bamboo | Renewable grass |
Some lower-quality bamboo floors emit VOCs |
$3.50 or more per square foot |
| Hardwood | Certification from Forest Stewardship Council |
Stains emit VOCs |
Usually 15% higher than non-certified wood products |
| Linoleum | Made from renewable resources |
Can emit VOCs |
$4 to $9 per square foot |
| Cork | Available from recycled cork |
Can emit VOCs from glue used in binding granules |
$3 to $7 per square foot |
Sources: Consumer Reports' Greener Choices and fact sheets from Build it Green
Consider these requirements for bid solicitations:
- Wood flooring products must be manufactured using sustainable forestry practices as specified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
- Tiles must contain recycled content. Plastic and rubber tiles must contain a minimum of 90 % post-consumer content.
See the Cooperative Purchasing Venture for information on accessing the following state contract:
C-432 (5) Carpet and Resilient Flooring
Access a comprehensive list of Minnesota flooring contractors and national flooring retailers.
Build it Green
Berkeley, CA
510/845-0472
www.builditgreen.org
This nonprofit organization promotes healthy, energy-efficient, and resource-efficient buildings. Website offers comprehensive product fact sheets for multiple types of flooring.
U.S. Green Building Council
Washington, D.C.
800/795-1747
www.usgbc.org
This nonprofit works to make green buildings accessible to everyone. It offers templates for helping builders meet LEED requirements as well as numerous online resources for builders and planners.
GreenGuard Environmental Institute (GEI)
Marietta, GA
800/427-9681
www.greenguard.org
An industry-independent non-profit organization dedicated to improving public health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air.
"Greener Choices: Flooring"
Consumer Reports
www.greenerchoices.org/printProduct.cfm?product=flooring
2007
"Bamboo Floors: Environmental Solution for Sustainable Planet"
Real Estate Weekly
www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3601/is_46_53/
ai_n19346202
2007
Consider linoleum, instead of vinyl floors, as they do not degrade. Concrete flooring can be sealed with materials that contain no Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Guide published by the Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, 4/00. The SWMCB includes members from the Minnesota metropolitan counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington, with ex-officio members from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
Last Revised July 23, 2008 - 2:20pm