Washington, D.C.—Flooring industry leaders have begun hosting a new event, the inaugural Flooring Sustainability Summit, to be held July 17-18 here. The event is co-hosted by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA, National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), Natural Stone Institute (NSI) and North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA). This summit aims to bring together policymakers, advocacy groups, standards organizations, manufacturers, distributors, construction professionals, architects, designers and procurement officers. Attendees can participate in dynamic panel discussions, networking sessions and working groups that will provide learning opportunities and foster direct lines of communication with key sustainability decision makers.
Registration is now open. Early registrants will secure a reduced rate, so now is the opportunity to confirm your spot at the forefront of this event. Registration information can be found here.
Key discussion topics
“The summit provides the information attendees need to make educated business decisions and help their organizations enter the next chapter of sustainability,” stated Flooring Sustainability Summit chairman, Bill Griese. “These insightful discussions among various stakeholders are a big step towards shaping the future of flooring.”
The following preliminary key sustainability topics will be addressed with additional timely topics being added as the Summit program evolves:
Alignment on embodied carbon: Attendees will delve into the concept of carbon emissions and push for alignment on a clearer definition of embodied carbon. Participants will learn about and discuss embodied carbon standardization, transparency, accountability and reduction. Topics include:
- Incentivizing low-carbon procurement
- Embodied carbon policy and how it impacts the flooring industry
- Embodied carbon calculations and what they mean
Health and material reporting: Participants will learn how to navigate the complex landscape of material ingredient information and discuss new strategies for efficiently communicating this information throughout the supply chain. Topics include:
- Improvement of health & wellness through sustainable procurement
- Unintended health and material consequences from the push for low-carbon products
- The future of material ingredient reporting, including embodied chemicals
Education on green building standardization: Attendees will receive updates on green building standards, rating systems and regulations in order to stay ahead of the curve. Topics include:
- The role of green building standards in state and federal policy
- An update on what’s coming next from leading green building standardization groups
- How changes in green building certifications will impact flooring choices, installation practices and overall project compliance