When the project began, the majority of the 282-bed hospital’s floors were covered with worn, unattractive carpeting. Nurses were looking for a new floor covering that was comfortable underfoot and would make it easier to push carts, stretchers and beds. Horsley wanted a low-maintenance flooring.

As he explored alternatives to existing flooring, Horsley considered the advantages of nora rubber flooring. “We knew we would not have to strip and refinish the floors,” he said. “That solves a multitude of problems in a hospital where it is difficult to strip and finish floors without interrupting patient services.”

The hospital tested noraplan eco in a nurses’ station. Selected because it offered an economical floor covering that met the hospital’s performance requirements, eco features a pattern of two-tone randomly scattered color chips. Designed for high traffic areas, it offers excellent wear resistance and slip resistance in compliance with ADA guidelines. Like all nora products, noraplan eco also features “nora cleanguard”, a proprietary manufacturing process that repels dirt and translates into lower maintenance costs.

According to Horsley, the test results were overwhelmingly positive. “We did not need to scrub the floor as frequently as vinyl floors, and the nora product had a much nicer sheen to it.”

Since then, noraplan eco has been specified throughout the medical facility, saving money in terms of reduced material and labor costs associated with maintenance. “We’re projecting savings of 12 percent on chemicals we use for floor maintenance…and are looking at productivity savings of 25 percent, when we compare nora rubber flooring to floors in the hospital that require stripping and refinishing. nora has a good product, and it really works.”