Floor coverings are a key area for improving the sustainability of a design.
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As a feature of the space that largely gets walked over, it can be all too easy to forget the difference a carpet or rug can make to a room. However, new innovations and regulations mean that there’s never been a better time to take a closer look at floor coverings.
While there has always been innovation in the colours and pile available, big changes in how people view their place in the world means that designers now need to consider not just the footprints of the people walking on the carpets and rugs they choose, but the environmental footprint of the rug itself.
New sustainability legislation has been introduced in Abu Dhabi in the form of Estimada, while Dubai issued a ruling at the end of 2007 decreeing that all new projects should comply with ‘green’ standards. Meanwhile, the US Green Building Council (USGBC) already has a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system in place for commercial interiors.
Experts warn that it’s only a matter of time before these new regulations start to bite into projects and designers will need to pay even more care and attention to the products that they specify. “It’s going to be very shocking for those who haven’t taken it seriously. Designers are going to have to study a little bit more now, and need to be more aware,” commented Cristina Carajas-Artola, export manager for BSH Walls and Floors.
Massive potential
Carpets and rugs are a key area for increasing the sustainability of a space, and new materials mean there’s a larger than ever range of products that can be used while complying with new regulations.
“The main problem is the backing material. Here we still see carpets with PVC backing. PVC is absolutely not acceptable in the European market,” said Fairoz Khan, general manager of In Out Space, which distributes carpets from Thai firm CarpetsInter.
As a result, companies are exploring alternatives to PVC and bringing these options to the Middle East.
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CarpetsInter’s Ecosoft range features backing and cushioning made from recycled plastic drinks bottles. The firm estimates the recycled content of the product is around 90% and can be further recycled again at the end of the carpet’s life. “As far as we know, no one else is doing anything like this in the region,” said Khan.
Nylon, which has been a popular choice for carpet fibre material since the 1950s, can also be used to create recyclable carpeting. “Our carpets are made with yarns that are made of 25% recycled content and are also recyclable,” said Carajas-Artola.
Some suppliers warn though that a carpet with recycled materials may not in itself be truly sustainable. “A product like a piece of carpet has a carbon footprint and there are lifecycle analysis tools that help you calculate how much greenhouse gas is generated in the production of a piece of carpet.
“Those same tools can help you calculate if you recycle it in a certain way, what the new carbon footprint of that recycled product is. Very often we find the carbon footprint of the recycled product is greater than the virgin product itself,” said Lindsey Parnell, president and CEO of InterfaceFlor EMEA and India, who warned of the importance of designers checking the lifecycle analysis of a so-called ‘sustainable’ product.
Other alternatives to recycled products include using different polymers from renewable sources. It is now possible to source carpets made from ‘bio-polymers’, which can be made from plants such as corn. As well as coming from a renewable source, at the end of its life the product will biodegrade and can be used as composting material – perhaps for growing more corn for carpeting.
Current attraction
Suppliers report that demand for sustainable products is growing, with the UAE in particular leading the way in the Gulf. “Demand for sustainable carpet is increasing the Emirates, because sustainability is now regarded as important,” said Khan.
Major carpet and rug distributor Al Aqili also reported an increase in demand, particularly in non-residential applications where budgets can be more flexible and accommodating. “With the local government authorities introducing a ‘greener’ atmosphere, sustainability and recyclability finds a wider application nowadays. It’s having an impact on projects with larger requirements such as in the commercial and hospitality sectors,” said Ghassan Selmy, general manager of Al Aqili’s flooring division.
Meanwhile, the luxury rug industry appears to be taking a slightly different approach to the challenge. Instead of focusing on recycled content, naturally occurring materials, which may inherently be more sustainable, are growing in demand. “Hides, such as cow hides, find more requirements as rugs nowadays,” reported Selmy. “Also, natural products such as Sisal, which also has its natural beauty, are being used more.”
Despite this growth, other regions in the GCC appear to have been slower to embrace the sustainability concept, with some suppliers reporting difficulty in raising awareness, particularly among smaller projects.
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