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If you just building a new house or restoring a house or you are a responsible home builder this page is for you! You want to improve your living conditions and create a safer and healthier environment for you and your family or for your business!
This page is for everyone new or current homeowners who want to create a better place with better choices
Today’s building products, which include the paints, stains, and finishes used for woodworking and DIY, are a chemical soup, according to Andrew Pace, founder of The Green Design Center/Building for Health. And some of the ingredients in those “soup” recipes,…“There are around 92,000 chemicals used in the production of building materials and home goods,” he says. “Out of those, only 3 percent have ever been tested for their toxicological effects on humans. Three percent!”
Pace says the EPA has actually exempted 37 VOCs that are highly dangerous to people, those include ammonia, acetone, and butyl acetate, which are commonly used in consumer paints, including those marketed as zero-VOC “green” products. “Legally, these coatings can then be called “green” because they are zero-VOC. But in actuality, they are just as harmful to humans or in some cases, even more harmful than the old oil-based products,” Pace says. If these chemicals are harmful to those with healthy immune systems, they are even more problematic for those with allergies, asthma, chemical sensitivities and even Autism. While the presence of these toxins in certain paints and finishes presents unhealthy exposure levels when first applied, their toxicity doesn’t necessarily go away after they dry, either.
❌ Vinyl Flooring: they often contain phthalates
You can learn more here
Toxic Chemicals in Building Materials
Avoid greenwashing flooring material made by brands that pretend to be sustainable, toxic and safer when they are not. They will sue their marketing tricks to convince you to buy their toxic products.
❌ Formaldehyde is present in many products because it is very inexpensive and it works extremely well as a preservative.
These are Flooring brands that meet or exceed all environmental , health, and safety requirements including formaldehyde emissions, VOC emissions, state requirements such as CARB II Certification, and FloorScore® Certification.
✅ FloorScore® Certified: FloorScore® is the most recognized indoor air quality certification standard. They utilize independent ISO-17025 accredited laboratories to determine the most trusted, accurate results.
Found in hardwood floors that are in compliance with the strict indoor air quality emissions that have been determined by the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI)
Certification is not an easy process and the FloorScore® Certification seal ensures floors have met all necessary requirements. The certification process typically consists of:
🌿For additional green building home products, green home restoration, and for homebuilders check this website: Green Design Center
🌱 Flooret is an approved sustainable floor brand.
It has a strong dedication to minimizing its ecological footprint and making a positive impact on the planet.
Despite the building materials industry being known for its wasteful practices, they are determined to change that perception and set a new benchmark for sustainability. Their aim is not only to lead by example but to motivate and encourage others in our industry to follow suit.
🌱 They prioritize the use of eco-friendly materials, such as FSC® 100% Hardwood and limestone, in their flooring products to ensure a reduced carbon footprint. Their commitment to sustainability is proven by clean air certifications and sustainable material selection. Here is how they support the environment:
Delivering Clean Air for Every Home
renewable materials like FSC 100% Hardwood and sustainably-sourced limestone
sustainable practices throughout their company
qualified for various LEED credits as part of the USGBC program
MATERIAL: All their products all have zero or negligible formaldehyde and VOC emissions, and are audited by reputable third parties.
🌱CALI Wins GreenStep Sustainability Award:
The omni-channel company’s Fossilized bamboo flooring earned the GreenStep award in the Product category, beating out 13 other manufacturers. The annual awards ceremony is hosted by Floor Covering Weekly magazine and recognizes notable sustainability achievements within the flooring industry.
🌱CALI strives to offer the most responsible green flooring options that out-shine and out-perform the rest. As one of the fastest growing plants on Earth, bamboo can be harvested for flooring every five to seven years without damaging the plant or the surrounding ecosystem. Compared to timber, which can take 30-50 years to reach full mass before being cut down completely, bamboo is far more sustainable, and — using CALI’s Fossilizing process — more durable.
MATERIAL: All CALI flooring has ultra-low VOCs and tests well below Super E0 environmental emissions standards, making it a healthy choice for any customer or setting. Commercial clients can also earn LEED points for projects by opting for sustainable building materials like bamboo flooring.
🌱FloorScore® Engineered, Solid, Laminate & LVT Hardwood Flooring | SLCC Flooring
SLCC Flooring is a U.S.-based supplier of hardwood floors & other flooring options including engineered, solid wood, laminate & luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring. Our floors are FloorScore Certified & CARB II compliant, absolutely free from formaldehyde & other harmful chemicals.
🌱At SLCC Flooring, you can find wood flooring products that adhere to CARB Phase 2 compliance standards, which are established and enforced by the California Air Resources Board to ensure optimal air quality.
One of the primary concerns for homeowners and the general public alike is the presence of formaldehyde, a hazardous substance commonly found in many household products. With SLCC Flooring's CARB Phase 2 compliant wood flooring products, you can have peace of mind knowing that there are no harmful levels of formaldehyde or any other hazardous substances present in the products, ensuring a safe and healthy living environment.
MATERIAL: Floors are FloorScore Certified: FloorScore® is the most recognized indoor air quality certification standard.