InterfaceFLOR has aligned with “Architecture 2030,” the first manufacturer to adopt the nonprofit organization’s 2030 Challenge for Products.

The 2030 Challenge for Products initiative calls on the architecture, planning, design and building communities worldwide to specify, design and manufacture products that will meet a carbon footprint of 30% below the product average through 2014, and subsequently improve on this reduction:  35% in 2015; 40% in 2020; 45% in 2025; and, 50% in 2030.

“InterfaceFLOR’s own declaration Mission Zero, to be off oil in the manufacture of its flooring products and eliminate any environmental impact the company may have on the environment by 2020, has so much in common with Architecture 2030 that we were compelled to lead the charge in its Challenge for Products,” said John Wells, president of Interface Americas. “Moreover, InterfaceFLOR is an early adopter of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)-statements of full disclosure on the life cycle performance of products, and it’s this ultimate level of transparency in eco-labeling that has qualified the brand to participate in the 2030 Challenge for Products.”

While InterfaceFLOR is the first manufacturer onboard for Architecture 2030, several sustainability-driven organizations are also supporting the undertaking, including Athena Sustainable Materials Institute, BuildingGreen, Carbon Leadership Forum, The Green Standard, Green Wizard, Healthy Building Network and Sphere E.

According to Francesca Desmarais, director of the 2030 Challenge for Products, “The critical need for this initiative is underscored by some alarming statistics. The Building Sector is responsible for almost half of the energy consumption (49%) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (47%) in the U.S;  and, the statistics for Canada are not much different, at 39.4% and 37.2%, respectively. While the majority of this comes from building operations, such as heating, cooling, and lighting, the embodied energy and emissions of building materials and products are increasingly having a significant impact. With InterfaceFLOR’s acknowledged reputation and position as a steward of sustainability, we are grateful that they have so resoundingly joined our efforts.”

For more information, visit Architecture 2030. To learn more about InterfaceFLOR’s Mission Zero, click here.