All Shaw hardwood flooring products are now GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) announced today. The GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification Program recognizes companies whose products meet or exceed stringent requirements for low chemical emissions.

"We are very pleased to be the first hardwood flooring manufacturer to earn GEI's prestigious GREENGUARD Children & Schools certification on our entire line up of products,” said David Wilkerson, Shaw’s corporate director of sustainability and product stewardship. “This achievement not only reinforces Shaw's commitment to optimum indoor air quality but also insures these hardwood styles are eligible for low emission credit under the respective commercial and residential LEED certification programs."

To achieve GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification, Shaw hardwoods were screened for more than 10,000 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and were verified to meet the required California chronic exposure levels including 13.5 parts per billion formaldehyde. To maintain certification, Shaw’s hardwoods will be re-tested according to these strict standards on an ongoing basis.

“Shaw’s achievement of GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification, first for their laminates and now for their hardwood flooring, demonstrates a solid commitment to occupant health and sustainability. Selecting GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products is an easy way to ensure that children and other sensitive individuals are surrounded by products that have been scientifically proven to be safe and healthy for indoor air,” said Henning Bloech, executive director of GEI.