“In many buildings, carpeting was worn and dirty, so we suggested the school consider a number of other resilient products, among them nora rubber flooring,” said Roelofs. “We felt the noraplan product was durable enough for high-traffic areas, easy to maintain and is made from a rapidly renewable source, unlike many of the resilient flooring products on the market today.”

Intrigued by the product, school officials conducted a number of tests, attempting to stain nora samples with soda, mustard, gum and other substances they typically see on floors. Based on test results and the ease with which the samples could be cleaned, they decided to install noraplan environcare in the new building’s hallways, break areas and auditorium. They have been pleased with their decision ever since.

“These floors are incredibly easy to maintain,” said Dwain Moore, Brookhaven College building services supervisor. “We don’t put any finish on them—no strippers or waxes—which results in tremendous savings in both labor and cleaning supplies. Just to strip and wax one floor, you’re probably looking at 10 hours and three or four people. Multiply that by three and you get some idea of how much money we’re saving with this choice of floor covering.”

Roelofs incorporated seven different colors of noraplan environcare in a linear pattern. “The colors have a punch and work well with the finish palette,” she said. “In terms of other rubber products on the market, I think that nora offers great color and pattern selections. Because of these choices and the tile sizes, it also tends to be one of the easier products to work with.

So happy is Moore with the look and performance of nora floor coverings that he would like to see nora products installed in other campus buildings, where applicable, as they undergo renovation. “It’s a move toward sustainability,” said Moore, “But it’s also a move toward significant savings—of time and of money.”