Invista, maker of Antron carpet fiber, announced that Colorado-based Westminster High School has won the Grand Prize for the Antron Carpet Fiber Sustainable Flooring Performance Award. The award recognizes the use of carpets made using Antron fiber in commercial applications. Westminster High School was chosen for how well the school’s original carpet, from Tandus, continues to perform after 35 years, and continues to fulfill its design objectives despite the wear-and-tear faced in a high school.

Westminster High School, built in 1975, is part of Adams County School District 50 in Westminster, Colo. At the time the school was built, it was the first new school in the district to be opened in five years and the first high school built in 13 years. The 143,000 square foot facility still features the original Tandus C&A Floorcovering PowerBond carpet that was installed when the school opened, and after 35 years, the style, Bellepoint, constructed with Antron nylon, is still performing. In fact, C&A Powerbond carpets are installed in 80 percent of the school district’s 1.2 million sq. ft. of maintainable space, holding up to the abuse of 10,000 students daily.

According to judge Dennis Fortune, sustainability director for McGill University, “Westminster High School is a clear winner over time. To hold up to that amount of foot traffic, the carpet clearly functioned beyond expectations.”

“The carpet at Westminster High School shows just how long properly specified and maintained carpet can last, providing years of use and savings for institutions such as schools,” said Diane O’Sullivan, global marketing director, Invista Commercial Interiors.

Entries for the Antron Carpet Fiber Sustainable Flooring Performance Award were evaluated on how well the original carpet selection continued to meet the client’s performance and design objectives over time. Judges for the award were Josie Briggs of NBBJ, Ellen Dickson of Bailey Edward Architects, Linda Goldstein of CI Select, Holley Henderson of H2 Ecodesign, Marcia Drenton King of Forest City Enterprises and Dennis Fortune of McGill University.