Contract Floors July 08

Down under Underlay
www.ﬂ oordata.com
Novostrat Polethylene underlay
‘The analysis
polystyrene backing.
was commissioned
It provides a smooth
to pinpoint ways of
surface to receive new Karndean
reducing Envirolay’s
vinyl ﬂ ooring in domestic and commercial
carbon emissions and
installations. It is quicker and easier to
to help consumers
install and remove than traditional smoothing
choose the greenest
whole
compounds.
products. This analysis
supply chain, from
Versilay, when used with Karndean ﬂ ooring,
further demonstrates
raw materials through
reduces up to 22dB of impact sound and up to
Texfelt’s positive approach
to leaving the factory gate. It
58dB of airborne noise. It is ideal for multi-
to reducing its impact on the
also included the emissions from energy
occupancy refurbishment projects where sound-
environment. We are conﬁ dent that
use and haulage at each stage, including the
reducing ﬂ oors have been speciﬁ ed. It can be
Envirolay’s carbon footprint is low compared to
product’s packaging.
laid over underﬂ oor heating systems.
non-felt underlays, since its raw materials are
The analysis showed that Envirolay has a
Versilay can be laid over other ﬂ oor
almost all recycled and produced in the UK. We
carbon footprint of 345g (of carbon dioxide or
coverings. This saves time and costs associated
urge other underlay manufacturers to measure
equivalent greenhouse gas) per kg of underlay.
with removing the existing ﬂ oor before
the carbon footprints of their products using the
This can also be expressed as 492g per square
installing Karndean. Keeping noise levels down
same methodology (see below) to assess and
metre of underlay.
is all well and good but one company has taken
improve their impact on the environment.’
Envirolay, which is made in Texfelt’s Elland
it to greener levels.
As a result of the carbon footprint analysis,
factory, West Yorkshire, is already viewed as
Yorkshire-based Texfelt Ltd recently
Texfelt are now working hard to reduce the
a ‘green’ product as it is made from 100%
announced the carbon footprint measure of
carbon emissions, particularly those from
recycled textile ﬁ bres and is energy efﬁ cient
its leading felt underlay brand Envirolay – an
energy use.
in terms of its high thermal insulative qualities
industry ﬁ rst.
There are many hard-wearing materials that
thus reducing the energy needed for heating.
The carbon footprint analysis, carried out by
are used for underlay. Polyethylene is an amaz-
James Taylor, managing director of Texfelt
consultancy, Shearwater Environmental covered
ingly versatile product and it is increasingly
commented:
the carbon emissions arising from Envirolay’s
being used for underlay.
76 ContractFloors Issue VII 2008
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