After their panel discussion at Tarkett’s Design Days event at their Fulton Market Showroom in Chicago, Dr. John McKeon had a chance to chat with Ren DeCherney, Lead for the Built Environment with Cradle to Cradle Product Innovation Institute. DeCherney believes that the discussion around sustainability has moved on from purely the impact materials have on the planet to include the more holistic approach of the impact the built environment has on people and their health. She goes on to talk about how the social impact of the design of a product can be measured by centering people as part of the design process.
The panel discussion at Design Days – which included Benjamin Holsinger who specialises in product development at the global design firm Gensler and was moderated by Roxane Spears, Vice President Sustainability, Tarkett – was attended by a full house of professionals working in the design industry. When asked what single takeaway she would wish the designers would leave with, she says “keep asking”, ‘keep asking for healthy products”.
Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization created to bring about a large scale transformation in the way things are made. Their mission is to provide a continuous improvement quality standard to guide product manufacturers and designers in making safe and healthy things for our world.
Tarkett
With a history of 140 years, Tarkett is a worldwide leader in innovative flooring and sports surface solutions, with net sales of €2.8 billion in 2021. Tarkett have an impressive track record in developing flooring that prioritises the impact it may have on the health and well being of a buildings occupants.. Tarkett only recently expanded its CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly® iQ® Granit™ collection and introduced the coordinating iQ® Eminent™ collection within their high-performance homogeneous vinyl sheet and tile products. The newest addition to their portfolio of CERTIFIED products, Powerbond® RS flooring, is the world’s first soft surface flooring to be CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®. Powerbond RS is a hybrid resilient flooring, meaning it combines the look and feel of carpet with the durability and cleanability of a resilient surface.
Key Words
Tarkett, Design Days, trade show, healthy homes, certification, asthma, allergies, standards, third party certification, health and well being, indoor environment, asthma & allergy friendly®, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute