Interview

Flor
Direct Marketing Manager answered questions
Heather Arnett, FLOR Sales Associate Sr., forwarded questions to DMM

10/7/11 @ 9:50 AM Replied

How much do you sell yearly?

We are not at liberty to disclose company financial information.

Is it hard to maintain FLOR tiles?

No, FLOR carpet squares can be easily cleaned in the sink, air dried and placed back good as new.  For details on care and maintenance of FLOR, please visit (http://www.flor.com/maintenance ) 


How much on average does it cost for a tile?
FLOR products range from $8.99 per square to $40.00 per square. 


Are FLOR tiles healthier than regular carpet?
Unlike many other rugs or carpeting options, FLOR products are made with renewable and recycled content and most styles are recyclable through our Return & Recycle Program (http://www.flor.com/recycle ).  For more details on the philosophy behind the design of FLOR, visit (http://www.flor.com/design-philosophy ) and here for information on our sustainability efforts (http://www.flor.com/sustainability ) 


What are the tiles made of?The raw materials in FLOR varies by style, with 100% Nylon face fibers among the most common.  For details on specific styles, visit FLOR.com and click on the "Specifications" tab for materials and recycled content information. 


In the catalogue I saw that there is a photo of a woman and kid cleaning a tile in the sink....Is that possible?
Yes.  Most dirt and spills can be easily cleaned by rinsing in the sink with mild detergent and warm water.  Visit this page for helpful videos, one of which is how to clean/replace/refresh your FLOR design http://www.flor.com/flor-videos 

***One thing that aggravates me is that it may seem that I'm asking obvious questions that I could look up online, but I don't because who knows what is right online.  And by asking this questions I hope to spark the person I'm interviewing into adding additional information.  I just feel like since I'm a student they don't care, and at times it makes me feel like they think I'm incompetent.  I just want a spark a conversation, but I feel they are too busy and rush me off.

Bamboo Hardwoods

800-607-2414

10/7/11

Called and asked who I should talk to, and the man, Chris, told me to ask him the questions.  I felt he had no clue how to answer my questions.  I asked "Where you do get the bamboo?" and he replied, "from China."  Then I asked "Why don't you all grow it in the US?"  His response was well you should look it up online.  After that he told me to just go to the website. I felt like I was just thrown aside and he didn't have the time for me to brother him with questions.

I am getting very frustrated with having to deal with certain companies.  The positive experiences are running out.

Interview

Forbo
Betty, Technical Department
570-459-0771
10/6/11 @ 4:12 PM


*Reordered samples because never received them last month

With this phone call I got kicked around from department to department.  Went from Operator to Receptionist to Samples to finally Technical.

Do you make the tiles?  If not, where?

No, the tiles are made over seas in Europe, then shipped over to us.  Our main Forbo headquarters is in Europe.

What are the tiles made of?  Are they sustainable?

They are made from linoleum, which is made of natural materials.  This makes them sustainable.

Naturally floating floor means what?

Floating floor means that there is no glue used.  The flooring is placed over the previous flooring.  For the materials that require glue installation contains no VOCs.

Naturally bacteriostatic means?

Bacteriostatic means that the tiles materials are self sanitizing.  This means that they don't mold.

How do you clean them?

We recommend that customers use neutral pH cleaners, so they don't harm the tiles.

What is the expected life of the tiles?

The span depends on where the tiles are installed and how much traffic the area gets.  Usually it ranges between 20 to 30 years.

Are the tiles easily replaceable?

Yes, the tiles are easy to take out.

Can the tiles be recycled?

The factory that manufactures the tiles recycle tiles.  Here in North America we are trying to set up a recycling center for the tiles.  I have no details on this though.

Terra Green Ceramics

Teresa Smith, Office Manager

765-935-4760

10/6/11 @ 4:05 PM

How are the tiles made?

The ceramic tiles are manufactured here at our facilities.  We are located in Richmond, IN, and we operate from there.  The tiles are 55% recycled materials in the body.

Where is the recycled glass from that is used to create the tiles?

The glass is within the body of every tile.

What is the cost of the tiles?

The cost depends on the size and color of the tiles.  They can range from $2 - $13 a tile.

How long do they last?

Well I'm unsure, but here in the office we have had the same tiles since 1989.

Is there a sealant used on the tiles?

There is no sealant required, but the consumers are able to choose their own.

Are the tiles glued down?

We don't install, but the typical process is mortar.

Have ever thought of a program to recycle tiles?

We actually use the scraps in our parking lot, all over the Richmond area, and in the landscape.

Flor

* I am emailing my questions to Heather Arnett who will pass them around to the people that can answer them

Class Day 7

University of Kentucky Professor
Biosystems Engineering
Controlled Environment Systems
Donald Colliver, Ph.D., P.E.
* Helped with building of Solar Decathlon House*


dcolliver@uky.edu

The walkways for pedestrians are important around campus.  Have to watch out for rust because it can ruin a pedestrian bridge.  At the University of Kentucky they cover the walkways or heat them to not cause any rust to form.  Rust means death for the pedestrian bridge.  He started by talking about the interaction of environment and buildings.  Buildings are important because they contribute to 9.5% to US GDP through construction and renovation projects.  Buildings energy use is important because they use 70% of US electricity, and 55% of US natural gas.  Buildings are the fastest growing consumer, than transportation and industrial.  They use coal, renewable, natural gas, petroleum, and electricity (which is the main one used, and has increased 53% over the years.  2/5 of CO2 in US is related to buildings.  

Water is a very important thing all over the world.  45% of water usage if by buildings.  Majority of the energy within buildings is used in the HVAC.  The electronics are sucking up electricity.  100 watts of electricity in 30 minutes makes 1/2 lb of CO2 from the coal plant where the electricity in Kentucky comes from.  Lighting is a very complex analysis process, and is a large component in buildings.  Building energy flows can be very complex.


McKinsey Global Institute

Comfort is an important factor for people when it comes to using energy, like with AC...


High performance buildings are helping to reduce energy usage.  Net-Zero energy buildings produce as much energy as they use.  Net-Zero includes: Site Energy, Source Energy, Emissions, and Energy Cost.  Each one has a different meaning when people attach it to a building.


LEED is one of the common branding along with energy saving buildings.  Putting LEED brand on a building is roughly $40 or $50,000!  Energy Star also emerges, and states that they are 30% more energy efficient than regular models.  


ASHEA  -  Advanced Energy Design Guide


It's interesting to see how Engineers think about sustainability compared to Architects.  It's radically different!  Engineers get all technical with various components, while Architects think graphically.  We take a more artist approach to our line of thinking.  Which I feel makes it more relatable to people outside Architecture.

Research

Globus Cork

Cork tiles are very good for the environment.  Cork trees are not destroyed in the production of cork.  The bark is trimmer from the tree every 9 years, which causes no harm to the tree or its surroundings.  Globus Cork flooring tiles are made from the waste of cork wine stopper manufacturing process.  So this makes the cork tiles a recycled item.  Even the pigments used are water-based, solvent free, and contain no VOCs.  Cork itself is very durable, has a long life, is elastic, and fire resistant.  Cork also helps to reduce transmissions of sound, vibration, heat, and is a great insulator.  It also repels bugs, mold, mites, and termites.

Reading 5

Slow Death By Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie

Chapter 3 Pages 69-95

It's interesting how PFCs are very bad for us (even though many companies deny it), but here we are lining our popcorn bags and spraying our rugs with it.  I'm glad that there are great companies out there like 3M who is 2000 removed PFOs from their Scotchgard product.  That was a move for the better and it makes them stand out a great company to get items from because they are looking out for the health of not only their workers, but consumers too.  No matter what precautions we seem to take, it appears that PFOA is everywhere around us.  How are we to escape it?!

Carpet appeared in this reading pertaining to items that give off fluorinated alcohols.  These are man-made chemicals that we have been putting into our atmosphere.  The earth tries to get rid of it, but at the rate we are putting it into the air, the more the earth has to work with no end in sight.  

"Directly across the river from the DuPont chemical factory is the drinking-water well field for the town of the Little Hocking, Ohio." (p. 74)  This seems quite wrong...

When it came to the lawsuit that followed between DuPont and the Tennants seemed like there could never be an even trade for all the harm the company did to the family.  The Tennants lost their lives, cattle, and much more.  That's crazy!!!

What gives companies like DuPont the right to say that they can set their own standard for drinking water?  Where did they get this power?  Money doesn't mean power...it means greed...

I think it's good that the people of the town didn't really attack DuPont and want them gone from their town, but at the same time...I'm like DuPont should pay and leave the town for all the harm they did.  It was very noble and right of the town to want DuPont to stay, but wanted to get their questions answered when it came to their health and more.  

It's crazy how workers will put themselves in very unhealthy and deadly conditions just to get money to provide for their family.  Is it really worth the cost, which is ultimately your death?

DuPont wasn't right in trying to hide the fact that they were contaminating their workers, and also the future generations.  Like when it came to their test on the 8 pregnant women and they found out 2 had children with birth defects.  All the company did was move the women away and out of sight.  They thought out of sight meant out of mind.  Didn't the women with the birth defected children think to look further into their children's deformities?

I feel that tap water is going to be the end of us...the silently deadly killer...

Class Day 6

Presentations:

"Paint and Pollution" by Mallory

Research.  Explore.  Implement.

Paint composition is pigment and binder.  In the past they used a lot of organic materials, while today we are using additives and synthetic materials to create a longer shelf life.  A typical household paint contains up to 10,000 chemicals.  300 of the chemicals are known toxins and 150 have been linked to cancer.  

"Kudzu" by Bridgette

It's called a "foot-a-night vine" because it grows about a foot a day.  Pros are that Kudzu is edible, renewable, prevents erosion, and soil improvement.  Cons are it grows so fasts that it chokes off other plant species.  


"Carpet" by Me


"Glass" by Mark


The recycling and reuse strategy for glass isn't very much.  Ale 8 is a local company that reuses their glass bottles, and gives a consumer about 25 cents for any they bring in.  The bad part is the closest Ale 8 factory is in Winchester, so it's not really worth the gas to drive out and back to take glass bottles.  Crushed glass is used in counter tops to create interesting effects.  


"Insulation Materials" by Helda


There are many different types of insulation materials.  Fiberglass is a deadly one that has many problems associated with me.  Denim is a healthy alternative.  


"Binders" by Jeremy


He looked at systems and not just materials.  His focus was refrigeration systems, and how to make them safer.


"Horse Barns" by Breana


She looked at different aspects of horse barns.  Bedding is a large one because they go through a lot per week.  Arena footing is something to look into too.


"SIPs" by Miles 


SIPs are Structural Insulated Panels.  The facings used are very strong and very available material.  They are also 100% recyclable, which is a good factor.  Taking at look at the SIPs being used in the HBEER being constructed right now opens up your eyes. 


"Food Production" by Nate


Cuba built a state supported structure to support an urban agriculture.  Aeroponics is the process of growing plants in an air or mist environment.  Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil.  

Research

Plan for the week:

This week I plan to contact:

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo Hardwood Flooring

Kevin Koga

206-264-2414

Certified Wood Flooring

Eco Timber

Chanel Clifford

President of Sales and CEO

813-546-3322

303-586-9420

Linoleum

Forbo

570-459-0771 

800-842-7839

Ceramic Tiles

765-935-4760

* Emailed today about who to contact

Cork

Globus Cork

718-742-7264

347-742-7264

For samples ask for sample department

* Emailed today about who to contact