Tarkett's "Designing People Friendly Spaces: Keeping Occupants Healthy, Safe and Comfortable" webinar will address the ways architects and designers can create spaces that are people-friendly on Thursday, Nov. 7.

On average, Americans spend 93% of our lives indoors. As we work toward a more sustainable world, our homes and offices become ever more tightly sealed – preventing air leakage for sure, but also laying the foundation for inhospitable and potentially dangerous indoor environments. As a result, our exposure to chemicals is 10 times greater indoors than out. 

Creating healthy indoor spaces requires a balanced approach, not only during the design and construction phases, but also in regards to the long-term maintenance of the space. When architects and designers consider flooring materials for a project, they strive to balance all the needs of the space, such as health, safety, aesthetics, regulations and sustainability. Today, that means choosing a product with low VOC emissions, third party certification, low maintenance, high durability and safety, and a wide selection of colors, textures and designs. 

Fortunately several organizations measure and certify construction materials based on their effects on IAQ. In the flooring industry, certifications such as FloorScore, Greenguard, asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program and others, provide designers, architects and building owners/facility managers with quantifiable metrics for the volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions given off by various types of flooring materials. 

During this webinar, a panel will address the ways in which architects and designers can create spaces that are people-friendly. With a focus on indoor air quality, the panel will examine the materials being used to create structures free of airborne contaminants, and the ways in which the flooring industry is helping lead the way toward safer and more sustainable homes and offices.

Click here to register