Carpet Scores Good Marks in Schools: A Smart, Sustainable Solution in Floor Coverings

Attractive, Cost-effective Products Create Learning-friendly Classrooms

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In a government study in Sweden, when carpet was banned from public buildings and replaced with smooth surfaces, the allergic reactions of people actually increased as carpet use decreased. There were intensive discussions and reports in Sweden in the 1970s claiming that carpet was the source of harmful contaminants, resulting in allergic reactions. As a result, Swedish consumers and public building officials severely reduced their use of carpet. Carpet's share of the total floorcovering market in Sweden dropped from 40 percent in the mid-70s to only 2 percent in 1992. Based on historical figures published by the Swedish Statistical Central Bureau in the early nineties, Professors Roshan L. Shishoo and Alf B?sson, Swedish Institute of Fibre and Polymer Research, published an article for Carpet & Floorcovering Review, pointing out that while the use of carpet in Sweden had steadily decreased since 1975, the occurrences of allergic reactions in the general population had increased. Professors Shishoo and B?sson contend that the removal and decline of carpet usage did not mean improved conditions for allergic patients, who in fact missed the advantages of carpet such as comfort, insulation, and noise reduction.

Another indoor air quality issue is that of carpet and mold. Clean carpet does not support mold growth even at prolonged and elevated temperatures. However, left unresolved, leaks and spills, heavy condensation and localized flooding, especially when followed by prolonged high humidity, can lead to mold growth in many areas of a school. For mold to grow, it needs water, oxygen, a warm temperature and something that contains nutrients to feed on, such as dirt, wood or paper. Moisture trapped below a carpet can result in mold growth and the release of mold spores and mold metabolic products (microbial VOCs or MVOCs) into indoor air. Effective moisture control is critical to protect all building systems from the potential for mold growth. That said, studies have shown that the biggest source of mold spores is actually an improperly operated and maintained HVAC system. Shutting the HVAC system off at night or during downtime creates the perfect incubator for mold spores, which are then flushed into the breathing zone.

Indoor air quality also involves the emissions of volatile organic compound (VOC) levels from building materials. Carpet may be the lowest VOC emitter of common flooring choices and one of the lowest emitting products used in new construction and renovation, much lower than products such as paint. The already low VOC emission of new carpet drops significantly after 24 hours, even sooner with fresh air ventilation. According to Werner Braun of the Carpet and Rug Institute, the industry has developed a program known as the Indoor Air Quality Green Label Program to determine the level of VOC emissions from carpet, floor adhesives, and cushion products. Attached to a carpet, floor adhesive or cushion, the label signifies that a representative sample of the product type has been tested by an independent laboratory. The recent Green Label Plus is an enhancement that incorporates additional requirements to meet California's Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) low-emitting materials criteria. Products listed as CHPS-compliant materials have been chamber tested to meet the indoor air quality guidelines outlined in California's specification section 01350.

Selecting the Right Carpet

In many instances, new schools have incorporated a mix of floor coverings, with carpet in entrances and corridors to minimize dirt brought in and spread throughout the facility. Carpeting in these areas also provides extra traction for school children entering the building, particularly when it's wet or snowy outside. In elementary school classrooms carpeting is increasingly being used around teachers' and students' desks, with smooth surfaces reserved for around sinks and water fountains and in bathrooms and cafeterias.

Choosing the right carpet to stand up to the heavy traffic expected in a school is critical. Industry guidelines are geared to choosing an appropriate carpet for any area, from corridor to classroom to school office, classifying carpet's use according to expected traffic, determining the performance required for the location and for determining the carpet's desired physical characteristics. Compromising any specification recommendation can dramatically affect the way a carpet looks and its ease of cleaning.

Experience has taught that a low profile, densely tufted, tight loop construction is very functional in a school. Color selection is a prime factor in long-term appearance retention and facility managers and maintenance supervisors who understand this can increase the longevity of the carpet and save on future capital replacement. While a light color cut pile can make rooms and hallways look brighter, they are a poor choice in heavy traffic areas and can make successful maintenance more difficult. A darker color loop pile will retain its appearance longer and is a better choice in heavy traffic areas. Tweeds or patterns in the carpet are also a good choice as they add interest to the floor and hide soil.

"Carpet is a cost-effective way to bring color and texture into a project and has the flexibility to transition between areas within a school," says Lisa Pinyan, ASID, IIDA, LEED® AP, Director of Interior Design for Greenline Architecture in Savannah, Georgia.

Variation in color and pattern can mask the effects of traffic in school settings. Photo courtesy of the Carpet and Rug Institute

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