LAWRENCE, MA - Rubber flooring - long known for durability, comfort and safety - also offers multiple environmental advantages that contribute to green- and sustainable-design goals, including LEED certification. According to Philipp Leferenz, president of Freudenberg Building Systems, Inc. - maker of nora® Rubber Flooring - many architects and interior designers are "discovering" rubber flooring because of its favorable environmental qualities. And at the same time they are delighted to find sophisticated design capabilities with nora® Rubber Flooring products.

"The performance characteristics of rubber flooring are well established. More recently, significant work has been done to document the environmental advantages of our products. As a German company, Freudenberg has made a corporate commitment to environmentally responsible processes and products. And now that long-standing commitment also is more relevant in the U.S. market, which we see as very positive," Leferenz commented. He outlined four main areas in which nora® Rubber Flooring offers environmental advantages compared to other flooring products and systems:

• Flooring Material - nora® Rubber Flooring contains recycled rubber flooring (trimming and sanding dust), renewable natural rubber, abundant natural fillers (fine porcelain clay), and is completely PVC-free.
• Impact on IAQ - nora® Rubber Flooring products are subject to ongoing testing for emission of VOCs - both for the flooring itself and the adhesives used to install it. Extremely low VOC levels are reported, meaning there is very little adverse impact on indoor air quality.
• Impact of Maintenance - Rubber's naturally dense surface, combined with the exclusive nora® cleanguard manufacturing process, mean that nora® Rubber Flooring products do not have to be waxed or sealed - ever - and that simple dust mopping and wet mopping with mild cleaners will maintain the surface.
• Extended Life Cycle - The unusual durability of nora® Rubber Flooring - with some installations over 40 years old - gives it an extremely long life cycle. Since it does not have to be replaced as often as carpeting or other resilient floors, there is an overall environmental advantage.

Freudenberg has produced rubber flooring for over 50 years, and has operated in the U.S. from its Lawrence, Mass., headquarters for over 30 years. Among other initiatives, Freudenberg Building Systems has implemented and maintains an Environmental Management System that fulfills the requirements of ISO 14001 and a Quality Assurance Management System that fulfills the requirements of ISO 9002.

"The PVC issue alone is driving many designers to reconsider their selection of a floor covering. We are committed to the rubber flooring market and to products that are 100% PVC free," Leferenz noted.

The nora® Rubber Flooring system includes noraplan® tile and sheet flooring, norament® tiles, stairtreads and accessories. Together, these lines provide solutions for the toughest floor covering problems in an environmentally sensitive way, enabling architects and interior designers to achieve inspired design and exceptional performance. nora® Rubber Flooring systems are available in a broad range of exciting colors and patterns compatible with today's architectural trends to help create bold and innovative flooring designs that blend naturally into all interior design concepts.