As we navigate the new normal in commercial design, there are changes being implemented throughout all levels of educational institutions to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff. Although the operational status of educational institutions varies by districts and states, many schools take advantage of holiday break periods to retrofit flooring, along with updating other design elements. With these periods quickly approaching, here are some flooring design considerations to factor into upcoming projects, that will remain important beyond today's COVID-19 climate.
Hygienic Surfaces
Ebony VGW89T with Country Oak VGW81T social distancing markers
The use of hygienic, easy to clean surface materials is a key factor in maintaining a safe classroom, living or office environment that builds student, faculty and staff confidence. Unlike carpet tile and other surfaces, Karndean LVT does not trap dirt or dust and its K-Guard+® surface protection provides a durable and hygienic finish that is easy to clean. Routine maintenance with our Karndean Clean pH neutral solution by on-site staff will safely kill and remove germs, effectively killing COVID-19 on the floor’s surface.
Safe Flooring
Raven Oak LLP302, Pearl Oak LLP306, French Grey Oak LLP308
Concerns about hygienic flooring naturally lead to environmental and sustainability attributes of flooring. Our products contribute to improved indoor air quality, carrying a low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) FloorScore® Indoor Air Quality certification, meeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Credit 4.3 and CAL 01350. In addition, our products comply with California's Proposition 65 and do not require warning labels in the US and are Collaborative for High Performing Schools (CHPS) compliant. Most of our products are certified to NSF/ANSI 332, the foremost US standard by which to evaluate and certify the sustainability of resilient floor coverings across the entire product life cycle, including both environmental and social aspects of the production and use of LVT.
Directional Wayfinding
Macrocapra VGW50T and Country Oak VGW81T
As schools make adjustments to keep students, faculty and staff safe from the spread of COVID-19, consider how you can incorporate permanent directional wayfinding into your flooring design. From one-way hallways to incorporating pathways in open areas like cafeterias, our multi-directional gluedown and loose lay products offer the flexibility to add intuitive wayfinding and zoning. For more on incorporating social distancing solutions directly into your flooring design, read this blog post.
Acoustics
In an educational environment, the less distractions the better. Karndean luxury vinyl offers options for acoustically friendly floating flooring options that reduce noise transfer to the room below between 16 and 22dB. Our QuietChoice acoustic underlayment is compatible with all three of our formats to ensure a quiet learning or living environment, including dormitories, classrooms, lecture halls, dining halls or cafeterias and student unions.
For additional benefits of specifying and designing with Karndean luxury vinyl in educational settings, visit our education sector page.