Reposted from: https://www.floorcoveringweekly.com/
Date: Tuesday, July 19, 2024
Author: Suzy Krogulski
Sustainability Spotlighted in DC
[Washington] The inaugural Flooring Sustainability Summit, held here July 17-18 at the Westin Washington, D.C. Downtown, was established to open up conversations around sustainability in the flooring industry. These conversations are particularly crucial now as there’s been an increased demand from end users for eco-conscious building materials.
Bill Griese, deputy executive director of Tile Council of North America (TCNA), a co-host of the summit, remarked, “We are incredibly pleased with the dialogue and caliber of keynotes, panelists and Flooring Sustainability Summit participants this week. Their enthusiasm, dedication and expertise, along with the collaboration and relationships forged will propel our next steps toward greener, healthier buildings. Our critical conversations will continue in the months ahead, and we are already looking forward to the next Summit in 2025.”
Indeed, Mohawk’s Malisa Maynard, chief sustainability officer noted the event was a success. “The engagement and commitment of the attendees, including industry leaders, trade organizations and sustainability experts, played a crucial role. The summit provided a platform for meaningful discussions on sustainable practices and the future of sustainable solutions. The summit’s success was attributed to the collaborative efforts of all participants, including strategic discussions on standards and certifications as well as how to address current sustainability challenges. It also paved the way for future industry collaboration.”
Participation, Matt Redding, sustainability marketing manager, Mohawk, was the most critical ingredient. “The success of the event was reliant on its participation. It was clear that the attendees were both passionate about sustainability and committed to driving better solutions within their specific sectors. It was helpful and insightful to engage in discussion with people from different parts of the flooring industry. From manufacturing to designers to retailers. It helps to understand where the different ‘pain points’ exist to better come up with solutions that meet multiple needs.”
Jacki Adams, Florim U.S.A.’s MILEstone vice president of business development said they were “thrilled that there were manufacturers, distributors, contractors and designers who participated and are committed to defining standards. MILEstone’s sustainability mantra is ‘It’s time to take responsibility’ and it is encouraging that all segments of the flooring industry seem to be committed to making positive changes!”
The opening keynote panel featured leading experts from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), International Interior Design Association (IIDA), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Building Initiative (GBI) that set the stage for productive and insightful discussions on sustainability and green building practices.
Additional panels followed throughout the summit, focusing on green building standardization, health and materials reporting, and embodied carbon. Government organizations including the General Services Administration (GSA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) were represented, as well as sustainability leaders from Habitable, International WELL Building Institute, International Living Future Institute, U.S. Green Building Council and Green Building Initiative. After each panel, attendees broke into interest-based groups to dive deeper into the topics at hand.
Michael Martin, president and CEO of the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), was in attendance and said for a premier event it was very successful, adding, “225 attendees discussing sustainability specific to flooring definitely reflects the interest in the topic.”
The goal, he said, was to get real information into the marketplace to combat greenwashing. “It’s amazing how many moving parts, different data and industries work from different sources,” noted Martin. “This meeting was a first attempt to establish a dialogue with a vocabulary that crosses from architect to installer, manufacturer to federal agencies.”
Attendee Don Haynes, Florim U.S.A.’s environmental, health, safety, and sustainability manager, shared, “Attending the inaugural Flooring Sustainability Summit was an enlightening experience. Hearing the challenges from the full breadth of flooring materials allowed me to see both the unique obstacles and common problems across the flooring industry. As we work towards better sustainability standards, understanding these differences will provide valuable direction.”
The key takeaways from the summit, noted Lindsey Waldrep, vice president marketing, Crossville Brand, were twofold. ““Having key leaders from the government, industry and design in one room to discuss what current and future issues we need to partner on to address is critical. The Summit provided not only an opportunity to learn about each group’s current needs, but to express goals for the future of the built environment,” said Waldrep.
Attendees of the Flooring Sustainability Summit listen to panelist on the event’s first day, taking place at The Westin Washington, D.C. Downtown Hotel.
During the day one’s opening keynote panel, Bill Griese, Tile Council of North America (TCNA) (far left), led a discussion among panelists (from second left to right): Peter Templeton, U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC); Vicki Worden, Green Building Initiative (GBI); Alexander Cochran American Institute of Architects (AIA); and Cheryl Durst, International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
