Benefits and FAQs
Learn more about the benefits of sustainable design and nora flooring solutions.
- Where does natural rubber come from?
- What is nora rubber flooring made of?
- What sustainable benefits do nora flooring solutions offer?
- How important are ecological factors in production?
- How are nora rubber floors maintained?
- Are nora rubber floors easy to install?
- Which environmentally compatible adhesives are used to install nora floor coverings?
- Are the packaging materials environmentally friendly?
- Do nora floor coverings emit dangerous substances when in use? How do these substances affect indoor air quality?
- How long do nora floor coverings last?
- What does nora systems do with the production scraps?
- What other forms of recycling installation scraps and old floor coverings are used?
- What is your company philosophy on environmental protection in the workplace?
Where does natural rubber come from?
Natural rubber is a rapidly renewable raw material extracted from the sap of the tropical rubber plant and supplied as compression-molded bales of rubber.
What is nora rubber flooring made of?
nora flooring is made of high-quality industrial and natural rubber purchased only from suppliers that are ISO 14001 and 9001 certified. The rubber is supplemented by raw mineral materials extracted from natural deposits and environmentally-compatible color pigments. Over 60% of the raw materials are sourced locally.
What sustainable benefits do nora flooring solutions offer?
Our sustainable rubber floor coverings are extremely durable and hard wearing, resulting in a long life expectancy and further conservation of resources. nora rubber is scuff-resistant and has low maintenance requirements. It does not require coatings or wax, nor does it contain any PVC, plasticizers (phthalate) or halogens (e.g., chlorine). Since they do not contain PVC, nora rubber floors are also guaranteed to not generate any hydrochloric acid, dioxins or furans, leading to a healthier indoor environment.
How important are ecological factors in production?
nora rubber floor coverings are manufactured in state-of-the-art production plants. The production process is designed to conserve resources. In order to reduce water consumption, the water used for cooling the rubber is contained in a closed cycle. Electrical energy and process steam are generated as much as possible in an environmentally friendly power plant, utilizing not only high-efficiency air filtration systems, but also the principle of combined and power (CHP) cogeneration. Recycling is a top priority and aggressive recycling measures result in over 75% total substance recycling.
How are nora rubber floors maintained?
nora rubber floor coverings can be maintained in an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective manner. Eighty percent of costs generally associated with floor coverings come from maintenance, and since nora rubber floors do not require any waxing, stripping or finishing, those costs and the impact on the environment are low. Independent studies have shown that life cycle costs of rubber floors are far lower than other resilient floors. With innovative cleaning practices like the nora® pro clean system, you now have a sustainable alternative of maintaining your nora floors with only water, a custom nora cleaning pad and an autoscrubber — thus eliminating the need for harsh cleaners and detergents.
Are nora rubber floors easy to install?
Thanks to their resilient material, industry-recommended tile sizes, extended life cycles and installation with solvent-free, environmentally-compatible acrylic adhesives, nora flooring is designed to be installed efficiently and to stay down for decades without replacement. In addition, nora floor coverings are dimensionally stable, meaning they will not shrink or expand, eliminating the need for welding, which saves time and money.
As an additional installation solution, nora has developed the nora® pro install system. The nora pro install system is a unique installation solution that brings all the necessary components for nora flooring installation together into one comprehensive system that offers reliability, convenience and peace of mind.
Which environmentally compatible adhesives are used to install nora floor coverings?
nora floor coverings use solvent-free, environmentally-friendly acrylic adhesives that are low emitting and meet the requirements of the South Coast Air Quality Management (SCAQMD), District Rule 1168 required by LEED.
Are the packaging materials environmentally friendly?
nora floor coverings are packaged in cardboard boxes that are produced from waste paper and are 100% recyclable. Our rolled goods are supplied on hard paper cores also made of recycled cardboard. Even the secondary packaging is made of recyclable paper. Each roll is supplied on wooden pallets (which are taken back and then reused), that are sealed in recyclable, environmentally-friendly polyethylene film.
Do nora floor coverings emit dangerous substances when in use? How do these substances affect indoor air quality?
Due to the composition and dense nature of nora floor coverings, they do not emit substances in toxic concentrations. nora floor coverings do not contain any PVC, plasticizers (phthalate) or halogens (e.g., chlorine).
nora floor coverings are GREENGUARD Children + Schools Certified, a high level certification that offers stringent criteria to meet the strict emissions levels as presented by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). GEI is a world-wide acknowledged institute focusing on healthy indoor environments. All certified products are subjected to regular emissions tests.
nora products have also been awarded the Blue Angel eco-label, one of the most storied and respected eco-labels in the world, which includes strict emissions limits as part of its certification criteria.
How long do nora floor coverings last?
Our durable floor coverings have extended life cycles, typically 30 years, which reduce the need for frequent removal and disposal.
What does nora systems do with the production scraps?
Production scraps such as die-cut trim and sanding dust from rubber floor coverings are granulated and become part of the raw material base of new rubber flooring products as high-quality fillers and decorative color speckles.
What other forms of recycling installation scraps and old floor coverings are used?
There are various ways of disposing of these scraps and old coverings, including recycling them into new nora floor coverings or other materials, such as landscaping mulch, rubber mats or coverings for sports areas. They can also be used for material, thermal, and complete material/thermal recycling.
What is your company philosophy on environmental protection in the workplace?
nora employees are committed to reducing their carbon footprint. The company’s sustainable operational practices include recycling programs that encompass paper, bottles, computers and office equipment, as well as the use of recycled shipping materials and office furniture. Lighting motion sensors, low mercury compact fluorescent lights and programmable thermostats contribute to energy conservation. Even the coffee and tea we drink is fair trade.
