Healthy Flooring Improves Indoor Air Quality for Schools

Did you know that asthma is one of the leading causes of absenteeism in schools worldwide? Good indoor air quality in your educational facility is a basis to keep your students coming to class regularly, in turn supporting your district and community’s academic goals. Low emission nora rubber flooring makes an important contribution.

For the health of our children

Our children spend the majority of their time within the walls of kindergartens, grade schools, and universities. If these rooms have been outfitted using building materials that emit pollutants, these pollutants will accumulate and lead to issues ranging from odor to impact on student and teacher health.

You can be sure you’re on the safe side with nora rubber floor coverings: the high-quality floors are low-emission and low-pollutant. They are made from mostly natural materials and free of PVC, other halogenated polymers and phthalate plasticisers. nora rubber floor coverings furthermore contribute to a healthy indoor air quality.

Modern design affects air quality

The precise construction of many modern buildings and window systems means that rooms are often sealed almost airtight. Air exchange due to circulation that would otherwise take place is lacking, and released toxins accumulate in increased concentrations.

This contaminated air can lead to dry mucous membranes, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and allergies – ultimately resulting in illness related absences.

Therefore, in many countries there are regulations or recommendations regarding the use of building materials with eco-labels. One example is “The Blue Angel,” a certification that nora floor coverings have received.

Proven healthy school habitat - study

A 2011 study conducted by the German Federal Environment Agency (BUND) definitively demonstrates how nora flooring contributes to improved indoor air. The study focused on a classroom in the Sentinel Holding Institute and TÜV Rheinland model project “Healthy School Habitat,” in which nora rubber flooring had been installed.

Even in the first measurement results, which were taken after seven days, the values for volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde in the model classroom were already well below the strict Federal Environmental Agency recommendations for the quality of indoor air. The quality of the air in the room was certified according to the criteria of the Sentinel health passport. The diagram shows the accrual of pollutants depending on construction method and the materials used.

“Floor coverings made of rubber have a long service life and contribute to healthy working and living spaces. Their robustness and easy care using minimal, low-emission cleaning agents prevent unnecessary internal air pollution with harmful substances over decades.”

Peter Bachmann, Founder Sentinel Holding Institute