CSI Section 09 68 16: Sheet Carpeting

Carpeting is ubiquitous in our homes, schools, and office buildings. Almost two billion square yards of carpeting are sold each year, nearly all of it made from petrochemicals. Carpet is a good absorber of sound and impact, yielding a surface associated with comfort. Its absorbent nature, however, also makes it a good medium for holding moisture and harboring dirt, mold, and dust mites. This, along with potential offgassing from the carpet and its adhesive, has led to indoor air quality concerns. The carpet industry has come a long way toward improving the environmental profile of their products, but there has not been a robust, widely adopted standard for carpet sustainability until the recently approved NSF/ANSI 140-2007e Sustainable Carpet Assessment. This voluntary, point-based standard looks at the entire life cycle of carpet, from material selection to carpet recycling and certifies to three levels: silver, gold, and platinum. Carpets meeting the NSF 140-2007e platinum level must contain 10% post-consumer recycled content, must be certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus program or California's 01350 for indoor air quality, and must not contain polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants. The carpet must also undergo a life cycle assessment (LCA), and the manufacturers have to meet Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) recycling goals. Carpets listed in GreenSpec are certified to the platinum level of NSF 140-2007e, though because the standard is new, we are allowing some time for the industry to complete the necessary testing and LCA work. GreenSpec also lists natural-fiber carpets produced using sustainable materials and methods. Note that antimicrobials and fluorochemicals are added to most carpeting to inhibit mold and improve stain resistance, but the long-term environmental impact of these chemicals is unknown.

(See also 09 68 13 - Tile Carpeting.)

ARTICLES

PRODUCTS

High-PerformancePC Broadloom Bentley Prince Street Wool and Cotton Carpet Carousel Carpet Mills, Inc. Nature's Carpet Colin Campbell & Sons, Ltd. Natural Design Collection and Natural Textures Collection Design Materials, Inc. Bio-Floor Collection Earth Weave Carpet Mills, Inc.	High-PerformancePC Broadloom Bentley Prince Street
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