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Offering resources to help the interiors industry make a positive impact on people and the planet, Metropolis and theMART’s hub returns to NeoCon.
ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF theMART, the Metropolis Sustainability Lab at NeoCon is a destination to support the interiors industry in taking the next step toward regenerative and resilient design. At the exhibit, visitors can learn more about how to make design decisions that help safeguard the health and well-being of people on this planet.
The Lab showcases breakthrough products and initiatives from AVA, Carnegie, Clarus, ECONYL by Aquafil, Heirloom Design, HMTX Industries, Interface, Keilhauer, Material Bank, Mohawk Group, Momentum, Reseat ID, Rulon International, Shaw Contract, Sherwin- Williams, Turf, and Ultrafabrics. Visitors can also join Metropolis on a tour of these manufacturers’ showrooms to learn more.
A host of sustainability-driven educational sessions and CEUs are also on offer at the Lab. All programming is focused on designing interiors that make a positive impact and raising awareness around equity and embodied justice (see the full schedule to the right).
Designers can also visit the Lab to get involved with important industry-wide movements, including the Interior Design Pledge for Positive Impact. The pledge, created by ASID, IIDA, IDC, and Metropolis with the support of leading firms and organizations like IDEC, provides a comprehensive framework for the future of interior design organized around three interconnected commitments to climate, health, and equity.
Visit the Metropolis Sustainability Lab at NeoCon, Suite 380. Learn more about the Lab and register here.
10 a.m.: Let’s Keep Great Furniture out of Landfills, presented by Reseat
12 p.m.: Material Innovation for the Circular Economy, presented by Metropolis in partnership with Aquafil Group
1 p.m.: Understanding Paint, Coatings, and Sealants in LEED, presented by Sherwin-Williams
2 p.m.: Interiors for Positive Impact, presented by Avi Rajagopal, editor in chief, Metropolis
4 p.m.: Collaborating Toward Circular Design, presented by Shaw Contract
10 a.m.: Understanding Commercial Flooring Sustainability Certifications, presented by AVA Flooring
12 p.m.: Doing the Right Thing Takes Setting the Right Goals, presented by Heirloom
2 p.m.: The Journey to JUST Social Justice Label, presented by HMTX Industries
3 p.m.: Design for Justice, presented by Avi Rajagopal, editor in chief, Metropolis
4 p.m.: Cocktail reception, hosted by Material Bank
AVA DIGITAL PRODUCT PASSPORT
AVA is excited to announce the first Digital Product Passport for a flooring company in North America. The passport can be accessed by scanning a QR code on the back of AVA flooring planks or tiles and provides information about content, recyclability, embodied carbon, TVOCs, certifications, and technical data.
CARNEGIE BIOBASED XOREL® INDOOR/OUTDOOR
Carnegie’s newest innovation is the world’s first Biobased Xorel for both indoor and outdoor applications. Introduced in 2013, Biobased Xorel is a plant-based, rather than fossil fuel—based, product that generates significantly lower carbon emissions while delivering beauty and performance. Now with up to 85 percent plant-based content, the new Biobased Xorel Indoor/Outdoor pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.
Clarus’s rolling glass whiteboard, go! Mobile, is practical, versatile, and modern, serving as the perfect product for office spaces or classrooms, giving you the freedom to create flexible workspaces on the go. With a choice of four different sizes and the ability to customize each side of your go! Mobile, you can transform any space into a productive collaborative environment.
ECONYL® regenerated nylon is transforming the fiber industry and helping to create a more sustainable future. Designers can influence a product’s environmental footprint with their early design decisions by choosing sustainable materials. ECONYL® regenerated nylon is a product that can help you close the loop. Made from waste, it’s infinitely recyclable and can unleash infinite possibilities for makers, creators, and consumers.
Heirloom Design strives to be the catalyst of change for sustainability by powering the circular economy for the commercial design community. We empower makers, businesses, and specifiers to invest in higher-quality furniture that lasts longer than a lifetime—and creates a healthier planet in the process. Each product from Heirloom comes with a unique QR code that tells its story so you can see where it’s been and the legacy it’s left along the way as you become part of it.
HMTX TEKNOFLOR NATURE’S TILE AND PLANK HPD
This bio-polyurethane flooring brings a new sense of versatility and sustainability to the commercial flooring industry. The collection boasts 42 visuals including abstract patterns that mimic both hard and soft surfaces, as well as a variety of planks inspired by the world’s most popular wood species. Nature’s Tile and Plank HPD offers all the advantages of luxury vinyl— durability, easy maintenance, and versatility—but without the vinyl.
Interface has been on a journey to reduce its carbon footprint, including its supply chain, since 1994. It has led the industry with the lowest carbon footprint in commercial carpet tile for many years, and all products it sells—carpet tile, LVT, rigid core and nora® rubber—are 100 percent carbon neutral across the full life cycle through its Carbon Neutral FloorsTM program. Interface can even calculate your floor’s impact so you can see its contribution to global warming.
Keilhauer’s first carbon-neutral office chair, Swurve, brings comfort and elegance to any room. When designing Swurve, Keilhauer eliminated carbon emissions at every turn by sustainably sourcing materials, responsibly manufacturing all elements of the chair, and implementing an end-of-life recycling plan.
MATERIAL BANK CARBON IMPACT PROGRAM
The Carbon Impact Program is a free Material Bank initiative supporting firms on their sustainable design journey. Unlock metrics to monitor and reduce the carbon impact of your project sampling. Leverage customized digital tools to support sustainability education and material specifications.
Solving all flooring challenges with one complete solution is now possible with EcoFlex ONE from Mohawk Group. This state-of-the-art flooring system combines with the advanced engineering of Duracolor© Tricor fiber to deliver modular carpet that leads the industry in durability, cleanability, performance, and sustainability.
This wallcovering combines innovation, beauty, and sustainability in a product with the essence of a woven textile combined with superior performance. Woven Silica is PVC-free, derived from silica sand, and features a biobased coating that absorbs and permanently captures harmful VOCs.
Great office furniture is designed to look good and is built to last. But most of this furniture ends up in a landfill after its first use. Reseat ID is a new tool for companies that automates the future resale process. It also provides a digital space to organize projects, catalogue inventory, collaborate with clients through the planning, design and building processes, and more—all in one place. A little forethought can end a lot of waste!
Wood seems inherently eco-friendly. But until you consider harvesting, processing, and the introduction of chemicals via treatments and finishes, there’s no guarantee that wood products are sustainable. That’s why Rulon International ensures that each product it makes meets the highest standards of transparency. Rulon’s commitment to sustainability on every project is unwavering.
SHAW CONTRACT RE[TURN] RECLAMATION PROGRAM
Shaw Contract aims to make buildings a future source of raw materials through its re[TURN] Reclamation Program. Shaw Contract is actively identifying prior installations and partnering with those customers to reclaim and recycle their flooring at the end of its useful life, with the help of the company’s customer relationship management software.
In addition to having the largest portfolio of products eligible for LEED© credit, Sherwin-Williams is pleased to announce the launch of its Sustainability by Design program. Through this program, all products developed through its 5-Stage-Gate process will consider over a dozen sustainability attributes including ecolabels and third party—validated sustainability disclosures.
Turf Design’s new palette, Turf Hues, features 23 new colors and 9 classics that allow designers to explore the contribution of color and sound to a sense of well-being in commercial spaces. Developed in collaboration with Ames Design Collective’s Carolyn Ames Noble over a period of more than two years, the palette serves all communities with a focus on how different colors and tones affect one’s perception and environment.
Ultrafabrics believes you should never compromise on performance, comfort, or sustainability. Focused on the future, the company is aiming for at least 50 percent rapidly renewable or recycled materials in all its products by 2030. The Volar Bio performance fabric is made of renewable and plant-based materials, while Dwell, Eco Tech, Geom, Pearlized, Ultraleather, and Ultraleather Pro use TENCEL Modal fibers.
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