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WFCA Partners on Learning Channel Program

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Anaheim, CA, August 25, 2008 – In an unprecedented move, the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) has partnered with another one of the country’s leading media powerhouses. The arrangement with Discovery Communications consists of an eight-minute segment dedicated to eco-friendly flooring to be broadcast on The Learning Channel’s (TLC’s) Designing Spaces cable program.

With a reach of over 96-million households across the U.S., Discovery Communications is the leading global real-world media and entertainment company. TLC, one of the 15 most widely distributed cable networks in the U.S., consists of popular programming genres, including lifestyle, fashion, real estate, makeovers, babies, weddings, families and relationships — all targeting adults 18-49, particularly women.

Designing Spaces is a half-hour television series that has been on air for over six years. Each episode explores exciting ideas, from flea market finds to fine fashion furnishings. Viewers learn how to achieve their fantasy style with advice from renowned leaders in the design, hardware, architecture, housewares and real estate industries.

For the WFCA segment, which will be hosted by design expert and Creating Your Space executive, Kerry Davis, member manufacturers from across the flooring spectrum were given opportunities for national exposure. Everyone from cork companies to green carpet mills were called upon to provide product samples, images and information to help illustrate and support the piece.

In the segment, Kerry defines the specifics of green flooring, what makes a product eco-friendly, the environmental “footprint” a product leaves from the time and place it is sourced to installation, as well as representative green products from every flooring category, among other topics.

The segment, which taped just outside of Los Angeles in late June, is slated to debut nationally on September 5th on the WE Channel at 8:30AM and again on September 6th on TLC at 8:00AM. The show has been deemed a tremendous success by show producers and executives alike and is expected to run throughout the remainder of the year and into 2009. In total, the segment is expected to be broadcast dozens of times and reach nearly 4,000,000 target consumers.

“Discovery Communications is a broadcast industry leader with unparalleled audience reach across the globe,” said D. Christopher Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the World Floor Covering Association. “Designing Spaces has been a fixture on Discovery’s The Learning Channel for years and it has one of the strongest track records in home improvement programming history. As far as we’re concerned, we’ve successfully married the very best in home show broadcast with our own tremendously talented Kerry Davis to bring consumers across the country high quality, informative programming about flooring, plus alert consumers about our www.wfca.org web site as the unbiased source for flooring information. We’re certain that audiences will embrace Kerry and the program.”

The World Floor Covering Association (WFCA), the official sponsor of the annual Surfaces trade show, is the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America.

Question:

My mother has hardwood floors, and she used some cleaner on them. Now they have a dull patches throughout. These patches don’t come up with mopping with warm water. Can a steamer be useful or recommended to get this buildup out.

Answer:

Unfortunately, water is one of hardwoods worst enemies so steaming or mopping with water would not be a good idea. It is very important to be careful about what cleaners are used on hardwood floors. Cleaners that are not designed for use on hardwood floors can permanently damage the finish where the only solution is to refinish the floors. It would be best to consult a professional about stripping the buildup from the floors before trying any new methods on top of what has already been applied.

 From the start, home building was more than a business to McStain; it was a passion fueled by deeply held beliefs. They believed, for instance, that they could build a better world by rethinking the very nature of community. They could create places where people feel more of a connection to each other and to the natural environment. They could create places where enduring value is more important than conspicuous consumption. Not just places where people live, but where their lives become richer.

This is their way of thinking. It’s what makes a better, more valuable home for you.

And it’s what makes their neighborhoods so … McStain.

Smart means it’s good for everybody… including Mother Nature.

Mc Stain has discovered an amazing synergy: environmentally-conscious building practices work together to create stronger, healthier, more energy-efficient homes. What’s good for the earth is also good for people. They’re using engineered wood products made from wood scraps. They’re using innovative building products made from recycled paper and plastic. And they’re helping to recycle land, too that are breathing new life into outdated and abandoned properties. Recycled products save trees and make better homes. Recycled land saves open space and provides an intelligent alternative to suburban sprawl. It all just makes sense.

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Window coverings are an integral part of your homes decor. Not only are they present for aesthetic purposes, but they have practical purposes, too.

Solutions for every need:

• Light control – for sleep during the day, different moods
• Energy Efficiency – giving the A/C and the heater a rest
• Privacy / Security – bedrooms, bathrooms and other private areas
• UV protections – prevents fading of floors and fabrics

Hunter Douglas suggest that when trying to determine what window covering is right for you that consider: your style, your space and your needs.

There are 9 different categories of window coverings:

• Honeycombs
• Sheers
• Roman shades
• Roller shades
• Woven wood shades
• Wood blinds
• Faux wood blinds
• Vertical sheers
• Vertical Blinds

When shopping for window coverings, be sure to shop with a professional so that you can see all of the color and texture options, measure twice and remember that most window coverings are not in stock and take time to special order.

 Wallpaper has come in and out of style so many times it is hard to keep up with what’s “in” today. There are many different schools of thought on whether wallpaper is a good investment. Here are some points to consider:

General:

If you like wallpaper – then wallpaper is for you. Don’t worry about whether it is in style or not. Wallpaper is meant to last a long time so if you are concerned about it being “in style” just wait a while and it will be back in again!

Wallpaper with patterns:

• If you grow tired of things quickly, a prominent wallpaper pattern might not be a good investment for you.
• Consider the size of the room. Wallpaper that has a small pattern can be overwhelming in a large room.
• Wallpaper that has a large pattern might not work well in a small room because of doors, windows and other obstructions that prevent the pattern of the wallpaper being able to repeat in a sensible way.
• Consider the color of the wallpaper. In this picture, notice that this large room can handle both dark walls and dark floors because it gets plenty of natural light and has the painted bookcases to offset some of the wall space.
• Another point about this photo is the subtlety of the pattern. There is a very subtle tree pattern on the wallpaper that is very effective for those that are afraid to commit to a pattern!

Wallpaper can change the look of a room completely. Before deciding on a particular paper, ask for a larger sample. Take the sample home and hang it on the wall while imagining more of the pattern in the room. Also check the wallpaper book because sometimes room scenes are available to show you what the pattern will look like in a larger setting.

This natural stone floor and natural stone tub show off a variety of options available with natural stone.

Notice the shape of the floor tiles as well as the simple yet elegant installation. The floor material and the pattern do an excellent job of demonstrating a patterned floor with a unique shaped tile that doesn’t compete or take away from the focal point – the magnificent tub.

Notice, too the short freestanding wall that houses the plumbing for the bathtub. A different size tile and different pattern were used to compliment the tub and the floor but in no way took away from the beauty of either the tub or the floor. This is a great example of having a focal point and multiple patterns of tile or stone and texture without appearing too busy. This is a well designed room with a timeless look. It makes me want to say. “Calgon, Take me away!

1. Avoid ozone depleting chemicals in mechanical equipment and insulation.

• CFCs have largely been phased out, but their primary replacements—HCFCs– also damage the ozone layer and should be avoided where possible.
• Reclaim CFCs when servicing or disposing of equipment and, if possible, take CFC based foam insulation to a recycler who can capture CFCs.

2. Use durable products and materials.

• Because manufacturing is very energy-intensive, a product that lasts longer or requires less maintenance usually saves energy.
• Durable products also contribute less to our solid waste problems.

3. Choose low-maintenance building materials.

• Where possible, select building materials that will require little maintenance (painting, re-treatment, waterproofing, etc.), or whose maintenance will have minimal environmental impact.

4. Choose building materials with low embodied energy.

• One estimate of the relative energy intensity of various materials (by weight) is as follows: Lumber = 1, Brick = 2, Cement = 2, Glass = 3, Fiberglass = 7, Steel = 8, Plastic = 30, Aluminum = 80 –source: Building and Environment vol. 17 no. 1

5. Buy locally produced building materials.

• Transportation is costly in both energy use and pollution generation. Look for locally produced materials to replace products imported to your area. (more…)

Shaw Intros New “Green” Hard Surfaces

Friday, August 15, 2008

Dalton, GA, August 15, 2008- Shaw’s commitment to design, innovation and fashion leadership in hard surface is evident in the company’s summer introductions including two expansions within the successful Epic hardwood collection, two highly-demanded exotic looks added to laminate and a beautiful new green tile—and, no, we’re not talking the color green. Shaw is dedicated to growth and excellence within the hard surface category, and the company is working full-steam ahead to fill key niches in the marketplace.

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The Smart Consumer Understands Greenwashing

• What it means – Greenwashing is a term that is used to describe the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. Environmentalists often use greenwashing to describe the actions of energy companies, which are traditionally the largest polluters.
• The term Green sheen has similarly been used to describe organizations that appear as though they are adopting practices beneficial to the environment, but are in fact not substantially altering their environmental impacts. The term came into use around 1990. It is generally used when significantly more money or time has been spent advertising being green (that is, operating with consideration for the environment), rather than spending resources on environmentally sound practices.
• How it affects you – Greenwashing may be accomplished by simply changing the name or label of a product, to give the feeling of nature, without actually changing the product itself. For example, putting an image of a forest on a bottle of harmful chemicals.
• How you can avoid it – You should read carefully the ingredients on the back of the bottle to see if harmful ingredients are listed. An even better strategy is to check the manufacturer’s website for more information and, when in doubt, contact them to ask questions directly.

What it means to you – The extent that you participate in the growing green movement is a personal preference. There are so many different ways to contribute to saving the planet. The more savvy you can be about products/services you use, the better. Today is the day you can start by changing 5 things in your life, then adding more next week until you find yourself as green as you can be!

• Keep caulked areas caulked. Every degree of temperature variance in a home can result in up to 10% addition to your heating and cooling expenses.
• Check your doors. Energy can be lost through doors that are not spaced properly from the floor. If you are having flooring replaced or added, a professional installer can check your doors for proper install height.
• Minimize use of space heaters. Spaces heaters are energy hogs and can generate more than 2 pounds of greenhouse gas per hour. These heaters don’t help your hardwood floors because the heaters increase the contraction of hardwood floors.
• Low-Emitting Materials. Install flooring that are certified to reduce low emittion standard.
• Insulation. If remodeling, ask about putting insulation between the floors to reduce heating and cooling expenses.
• Retailer. Hire a retailer or contractor that is knowledgeable about green flooring products and installation.