The Sun is Shining in Dalton, GA

January 19, 2010- The largest commercial solar array in the state was commissioned today in

USFloors' newest solar array is visible from Interstate 75

Dalton, GA. USFloors, a nationwide leader in sustainable flooring, installed an 144.48 kW solar array on their facilities. USFloors President Piet Dossche explained, “The array is expected to more than cover the energy needs for our green building, producing enough energy to power 10 Georgia homes. As part of USFloors’ ongoing sustainability mission, we have more than quadrupled the amount of solar energy we provide to the community.” The array covers approximately 14,500 square feet, and is visible from I-75.

By producing solar power on site, USFloors is able to take advantage of excellent Government and Utility benefits; a 30% Federal Grant, a 35% State Tax Credit and accelerated depreciation. North Georgia EMC pays USFloors a premium for the solar power that it generates. Ownership of power provides business owners with the opportunity to hedge against dramatic cost increases, and carries strong financial benefits.

The system was installed by Alpharetta based United Renewable Energy, LLC. William Silva, President of United Renewable Energy LLC added that “USFloors continues to show leadership in sustainable manufacturing practices and job growth. This solar power system is impressive in it’s size alone, but more importantly because this is the largest commercial solar photovoltaic installation in Georgia since the 1996 Olympics.”

Installing this solar array is just one of the many sustainable practices of USFloors, a company actively working towards a solar powered future for Whitfield County. “Through our work with the Whitfield County Chamber, we have demonstrated how being sustainability stewards can benefit all local businesses,” said Dossche. This solar array created at least fifteen jobs, and preserved many more by reducing operating costs, developing a new industry and introducing Dalton’s business community to ways to stay sustainable and competitive. 

About USFloors - USFloors’ commitment is to provide consumers and specifiers with beautiful and durable floors at a good value, while minimizing our impact on the environment and enhancing and improving it whenever possible. USFloors is committed to sourcing and utilizing sustainable resources for its flooring products whenever possible and specifying raw materials and processes that meet stringent U.S. and European environmental standards, USFloors NEVER sources from clear cut or unmanaged forests. USFloors continually strives to actively reduce its environmental and energy footprint, creating better indoor air quality and promoting Green Building through renewable energy and LEED initiatives.

About United Renewable Energy, LLC - Alpharetta, Georgia based United Renewable Energy, LLC (URE) delivers practical, economical, renewable energy solutions to businesses and homes throughout the East Coast. URE is  the leading integrator of commercial photovoltaic solar electric power systems in the state of Georgia, and one of the fastest growing renewable energy companies in the country.  URE’s president is a NABCEP Certified PV installer^tm, and as Adjunct Coordinator of Solar Programs at Lanier Technical College, shares best practices with aspiring solar installers. URE is committed to promoting quality solar installations, to educating the public and promoting supportive legislation for renewable energy. 

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The following press release was distributed by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, a third-party organization that administers the GREENGUARD certification programs.

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Rigorous Indoor Air Quality Certification Augments USFloors’ Sustainability Credentials

ATLANTA (December 10, 2009) – The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is proud to announce that USFloors, Inc. has achieved the first-ever GREENGUARD Certification for a complete line of bamboo flooring. Though bamboo flooring has long been considered a sustainable choice because it is a rapidly renewable material, it now helps create healthier indoor environments by meeting the stringent chemical emissions standards of the GREENGUARD Certification Program^SM.

“The level of interest in environmentally responsible and healthier products has never been greater than it is today,” said Dr. Marilyn Black, Founder of GEI. “The GREENGUARD Certification Program attends to the public health component of sustainability and provides consumers and building professionals with an objective resource to minimize chemical exposure in their homes and buildings.”

Indoor air quality can have a significant impact on the health of building occupants and is therefore recognized as critical to the creation of healthy, high-performance interior environments by numerous sustainable building programs such as, the United States Green Building Council’s LEED^® program and the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) National Green Building Program. Both of these programs, and many others, identify the specification of GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified products as a strategy to improve indoor air quality and fulfill requirements for low-emitting materials.

USFloors is a leading manufacturer of bamboo, cork and other hardwood flooring products for both residential and contract commercial environments. The company markets its contract products under the USF Contract brand. 

The GREENGUARD Children & Schools Program is one of the most stringent and rigorous indoor air quality certification programs in the world. Products certified to this standard have been screened for more than 10,000 different volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and undergo periodic verification processes to remain certified. The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, an independent, third-party organization dedicated to improving indoor air, oversees the certification program and develops the standards that guide it.    

“USFloors and USF Contract strive to offer beautiful, durable flooring products for both the residential and contract markets that address every element of sustainability,” said Piet Dossche, President and CEO of USFloors. “Achieving GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification is important to us as a means of demonstrating our commitment to indoor environmental quality and furthering our efforts to provide flooring that makes a difference.”   

About the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute

Founded in 2001, the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is an independent, third-party organization that oversees the GREENGUARD Certification programs. The Institute’s mission is to protect human health and quality of life through programs that improve indoor air. As an ANSI Accredited Standards Developer, GEI establishes acceptable indoor air standards for building materials, interior products, electronic equipment, indoor environments and buildings. The more than 200,000 GREENGUARD Certified products represented under the GREENGUARD Certification mark must meet stringent; third-party standards for low chemical emissions based on established health standards and undergo rigorous testing and verification processes on a regular basis. GREENGUARD Certification is broadly recognized and accepted by a number of “green” building programs, including the United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED^â rating system.  For more information and a complete listing of certified products, visit www.greenguard.org.

About USFloors

Based in Dalton, Georgia, USFloors (which is the brand moniker for Unique and Sustainable Floors) is a leading producer of sustainable, eco-friendly floors including cork, bamboo, linoleum and FSC-certified hardwood floors. The company also provides the products to the contract market under the USF Contract brand. USFloors is the ONLY supplier of cork and bamboo flooring with manufacturing facilities operating in the United States. USFloors’ commitment is to provide consumers and specifiers with beautiful and durable floors at a good value, while minimizing the impact on the environment, and enhancing and improving it whenever possible.  

Mark Brunelle, National Sales Mgr. USF Contract, accepts Greenbuild Green Exhibitor Award

Mark Brunelle, National Sales Manager for USF Contract, was excited with the recognition the award provided. “We really made an effort to prepare our exhibit with the scorecard in mind. When the Greenbuild Performance Committee audited our booth on Wednesday morning, we actually earned additional points and were in the running for most points obtained in the entire Expo.”

Brunelle continued, “We are in the business of making and supplying the building industry with sustainable, environmentally friendly flooring options, but we strive to minimize our impact on the environment in all aspects of our business. This award is further evidence of our commitment to the environment.” (You can hear more from Mark Brunelle and USF Contract’s Greenbuild experience in an interview with Kemp Harr from floordaily.net. Click here to listen to Mark’s interview.)

According to information provided with the Green Exhibition Scorecard, “The purpose of the Green Exhibitor Award is to recognize the outstanding efforts of exhibiting companies who are successfully minimizing the negative environmental effects of participating in conferences and tradeshows. The Award criteria are designed to establish a baseline for accepted environmentally responsible exhibit practices and prepare exhibitors to meet mandatory green guidelines for 2010.”

USF Contract is a division of USFloors, the only cork and bamboo flooring manufacturer with manufacturing facilities located in the U.S. Founded in May 2001, USFloors features state-of-the-art finishing and profiling lines for flooring and moldings. USFloors manufacturing facility is the only manufacturing facility in Georgia utilizing photovoltaic panels, installed on its roof, to generate clean, renewable energy. USFloors manufactures a wide assortment of cork flooring, bamboo flooring, and FSC certified hardwood flooring for residential and commercial applications. USFloors is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. For more information on USF Contract and it’s unique and sustainable commercial floors, visit the website at usfcontract.com.

San Francisco - In a nondescript neighborhood on San Francisco’s south side, there sits what any average passerby would think is your typical everyday bungalow. But, with a closer look you find it’s no ordinary home. It’s San Francisco’s first and only Green X-ray House, and it’s quite the attraction.

Exposed walls of Green X-Ray House show various types of energy efficient insulation. Bamboo floor is USFloors' Engineered Horizontal Spice

The Green X-ray House is a public/private partnership between the city of San Francisco and local builders, designers, and building material suppliers. The house has been remodeled using energy efficient, sustainable, and financially viable green building practices and materials that can be incorporated into even the most average of homes with only a modest budget.

To demonstrate unseen features, some of the interior walls and floors have been left unfinished to allow visitors to peer inside the walls and under floors to view various types of wall insulation and subfloor radiant heating systems. Thus the name X-ray House.

The flooring was supplied through Greenv Sustainable Center of South San Francisco and installed by Crown Flooring of San Francisco. Craig Anderson, Crown Flooring owner, said, “It was great to be a part of such an important and innovative project that does a great job at educating home owners about green homes.”

USFloors' Corkoleum Caminha installed in the Green X-Ray House bathroom. Notice exposed plumbing in lower right of picture.

About the flooring Anderson continued, “USFloors’ Natural Cork® and Corkoleum® floating floors, and their engineered Natural Bamboo® were selected for several reasons. First, they are eco-friendly and can all be installed over underfloor radiant heat systems. Beyond that, USFloors’ Green Island made it easy having a wide selection of environmentally responsible floors in one space. This is a growth area for my business and it’s great to have that kind of selection of green floors when customers come in the store asking about them.”

USFloors’ eco-friendly Engineered Horizontal Spice Bamboo was used throughout the house in the family room, bedrooms, and hallways. Natural Cork® floating floors from the company’s Earth and Classics Collection was used in the kitchen  primarily due to the fact that it is a sustainable product, but also due to the added thermal insulation properties inherent in cork and the ergonomic benefit of reduced impact stress, as so much standing is required in a kitchen.  Finally the X-ray House’s bathroom was fitted out with USFloors’ eco-friendly, ultra-durable Corkoleum® linoleum floors .

Piet Dossche, USFloors president and CEO, commented, “We are extremely excited to have our floors throughout the Green X-ray House. 

The kitchen features Natural Cork Cleopatra glueless floating floor.

It’s great to see a city and private enterprise partner to educate the public on the benefits, and especially the financial viability, of building or remodeling with energy efficient and environmentally responsible materials.”

Dossche continued, “As I’ve said before, this is the future of home building. Going forward, homes are going to have some kind of high performance features such as those in the Green X-ray House to capture the home values that home owners want and expect.”

For more information on San Francisco’s Green X-Ray House, visit www.greenxrayhouse.com

The distinctive character of each Avignon Collection natural oil finished oak hardwood plank is achieved using a variety of antiquing and aging techniques and finished with natural oils to preserve the original beauty of the wood.

Avignon Collection’s natural oil finish provides a warmth and refinement to the floor that cannot be achieved with modern day acrylic or polyurethane finishes. The rich patina of each Avignon Collection floor is only enhanced with age and use – the more traffic it endures, the more beautiful it gets. The natural oils in Avignon Collection floors penetrate the grain and become part of the finish.

100% FSC Pure Certification

Avignon Collection floors feature the FSC 100% certified designation of the Forest Stewardship Council. This ensures that not only the oak wear layer, but the entirety of the wood used to produce these beautiful floors follows a verified and documented chain of custody. FSC certification gives you the confidence that only wood from well-managed forests harvested using environmentally responsible practices is used to make floors in our Avignon Collection.

Distinctive Surface Treatments

Avignon Collection floors feature a distinctive and sophisticated range of distressed, smoked, and antiqued floors finished with either natural or pigmented oils. Each Avignon Collection floor is meticulously crafted to ensure lasting beauty.

One of the Industry’s Thickest Wear Layers

The 6 mm solid oak hardwood top layer is one of the industry’s thickest wear layers and rests on a multi-layered, dimensionally stable core giving each Avignon Collection floor the strength to withstand many years of use.

Natural-E™ Natural Oil Finish

Natural-E™ Natural Oil Finish penetrates the wood fibers to provide a natural layer of protection, while maintaining and enhancing the natural beauty of the wood. With no visual film on the surface, Natual-E™ Natural Oil Finish floors are distinguishable by their elegant patina.

Easy Repairability

Avignon oak floors with Natural-E™ Natural Oil Finish are easy to care for and can be spot repaired, unlike pre-finished floors with hard surface coatings. An Avignon oiled floor never needs to be sanded, only regular applications of a USFloors recommended maintenance oil are necessary to nourish the wood and rejuvenate the luster to its original appearance. Products in the Avignon Collection are ideal for use in commercial projects requiring superior performance and a distinctive visual aesthetic such as corporate office, hotels, retail environments, municipal buildings and restaurants.

About USFContract

USFContract is a division of USFloors, the only cork flooring manufacturer located in the U.S. Founded in May 2001, USFloors features state-of-the-art finishing and profiling lines for flooring and moldings. USFloors manufacturing facility is the only manufacturing facility in Georgia utilizing photovoltaic panels, installed on its roof, to generate clean, renewable energy. USFloors also manufactures a wide assortment of bamboo, linoleum and distinctive hardwood products. USFloors is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Visit usfcontract.com for more information.

For centuries, hardwood floors were finished with a variety of natural oils or waxes to protect and nourish the floors that would needto  withstand decades of use. With the  evolution of modern polyurethane and acrylic hard finishes, hardwood floors finished with natural oils declined in popularity.

Today, as many consumers are becoming more “green” , natural oil floors are being embraced by consumers drawn to the enhanced nature, or “realness”, of natural oil floors.

Polyurethane and acrylic hard finishes form what can aptly be described as a plastic film on the surface of the floor, providing protection, yet sacrificing the natural and inherent beauty of the wood floor. To the contrary, a natural oil finish actually protects the floor by integrating the oil into the wood itself, in essence becoming one with the wood, providing protection for the wood without sacrificing the wood’s natural beauty, but rather enhancing it.

Dispelling the Maintenance Myth

Consumers and sales people often have the misperception that natural oil floors are more maintenance intensive than polyurethane/acrylic floors when in fact the maintenance schedules for each are similar.  Typically, whenever a synthetic finish floor would need a screen and recoat, the natural oil floor would need a maintenance coat of oil. But that’s where the similarity ends. And this is where one of the great advantages of an oiled floor begins.

The Big Advantage: Selective Repairability

Consider this… a high traffic area in a home is showing significant wear to the finish and needs to be refinished to regain its original luster. If the floor has a hard finish of polyurethane, acrylic, or aluminum-oxide, the entire floor must be refinished, resulting in downtime, expense, and a general hassle for the homeowner. If, instead, the floor is a natural oil finished floor, the worn area can be spot repaired by simply sanding the affected area and applying a new coat of maintenance oil. Minimal downtime. Minimal expense. Minimal hassle.

And the best part is, the older the floor gets and the more it is used, the better it looks. Imagine that, a hardwood floor that actually looks better the longer it’s down. Over time the oiled floor acquires a rich and saturated patina that only this type of floor can provide.

Discover the advantage of a natural oil hardwood floor.

Dalton, GA – USFloors, the leading manufacturer of unique and sustainable floors, delves further into the realm of environmentally responsible flooring with the launch of Navarre Timeless Wood Floors™. Navarre Timeless Wood Floors™ are certified 100% FSC pure, ensuring that not only the top oak wear layer, but the entirety of the wood used to produce these beautiful floors follows a verified and documented chain of custody.

Philippe Erramuzpe, COO of USFloors, notes that, “FSC certification gives consumers and environmentally conscious designers and retailers the assurance that wood that is used to make these beautiful oil-finished hardwood floors was grown and harvested in well-managed forests and that environmentally responsible practices were used to produce them.”

Natural Oil Finishes in Expanded Colorways

Navarre Timeless Wood Floors™ consists of 24 wide plank natural oil finished oak floors in an engineered tongue and groove construction. Three widths and two thicknesses are represented:

·       7 ¼” width in 13/16” and 5/8” thickness

·       10 ¼” width in 13/16” thickness

·       12” wide, 3-strip in 5/8” thickness

According to Erramuzpe, “The 13/16” thickness and its ¼” wear layer is similar to a solid floor but much more stable and offers the option to be glued down over a concrete slab. This impressive floor is an investment that can be passed down to future generations.” Navarre floors are finished at USFloors’ Dalton, GA manufacturing facility using their proprietary Natural-E™ Natural Oil Finish in clear and a variety of oil tints custom developed in USFloors’ on-site color lab. The oils in Natural-E™ penetrate the fibers of the wood providing a natural layer of protection while enhancing the woods natural beauty and grain. Over time, the Navarre floor develops a saturated patina imparting a timeless, heirloom quality to the floor.

“This is one of the only floors that actually gets better looking the longer it is down. That’s a pretty remarkable attribute for a hardwood floor,” noted Erramuzpe.

Easy Maintenance and Selective Repairability

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the Natural-E™ Natural Oil Finish allows for easy maintenance and, if necessary, easy, spot repairability. Erramuzpe elaborates, “Consumers and retail sales people often have the misperception that natural oiled floors are more maintenance intensive than traditional hard coated floors, when in fact the maintenance guidelines for each are similar.  Typically, whenever a synthetic finish floor would need a screen and recoat, the natural oiled floor would need a maintenance coat of oil.”

Navarre’s natural oil finish further allows for areas that show signs of wear to be spot repaired without having to disturb the room’s settings. Erramuzpe continued, “This scenario is a great example of the advantage of our Navarre floor. If the floor in this scenario were finished with a synthetic hard coating, the entire floor, not just the affected area, would have to be refinished. With a Navarre floor, simply sand the affected area, apply a coat of maintenance oil and the floor looks good as new. It’s really very simple, much cheaper, and so much healthier since the operation is dustless and the oil is VOC-free.” 

Industry’s Thickest Wear Layer

Select Navarre offerings feature 13/16” thick planks with a 6 mm wear layer of solid oak, making it the thickest wear layer available on an engineered oak floor. Erramuzpe further states, “The wear layer is nearly ¼ inch of solid oak. When a consumer compares a Navarre floor to a competitor’s floor, the thickness of the wear layer will be very apparent and will represent greater value and quality in their minds. In these economic times, consumers want to feel that they are getting exceptional value for every dollar they spend. This will be a great selling tool for retailers that want to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.”

Masterworks Merchandising

Navarre Timeless Wood Floors™ are merchandised in an upscale, low profile twin stairstep display.  According to Gary Keeble Jr., Marketing Manager for USFloors, “This display focuses on the product. We have 24 products in a footprint approximately 48” x 48”. Keep in mind that these are wide plank floors that require a large sample to show the product properly. I think we’ve managed to provide the best of both worlds by showcasing a lot of product in a relatively compact space without compromising the upscale image of the Navarre line.”

Each sample features a full coverage back label that includes photography of each product. “This illustrates the amount of shade variation that can be expected throughout the floor in the product, so that the homeowner has a very accurate representation of how the Navarre floor will look when it’s installed in their home.  No one likes surprises when it comes to their home,” explained Keeble.

About USFloors

Based in Dalton, Georgia, USFloors (which is the brand moniker for Unique and Sustainable Floors) is a leading manufacturer of cork, bamboo, hardwood and other unique and sustainable hard surface flooring products for both residential and contract environments.  For more information, please visit usfloorsllc.com

Testers say two strand bamboo floors out-performed all of the hardwoods and that bamboo flooring has gotten much tougher.

DALTON, GA – Four on the management staff of USFloors have achieved accreditation as a LEED AP certified by the Green Building Certification Institute. Those four include: Deborah Hardin, VP of Sales and Marketing; Patty Ward, West Coast Regional Sales Manager; Bruce Graye, Northeastern Regional Sales Manager; Gary Keeble, Jr., Marketing Manager.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings as administered by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). USFloors is a member of the USGBC. LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED APs) have demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and the LEED Rating System. More than 75,000 people have earned the credential since the Professional Accreditation program was launched in 2001.

“As a manufacturer of sustainable, environmentally responsible flooring products like cork and bamboo, it’s important that we continually grow and solidify our commitment to green building products and practices. If we are going to talk the talk, we have to be willing to walk it, ” said Piet Dossche, President and CEO of USFloors, Inc., based in Dalton, GA. “Having USFloors management staff with LEED AP credentials further demonstrates our commitment and accelerates our knowledge of and expertise in green building and design. Having four LEED AP’s on staff at USFloors is a tremendous accomplishment.”

Dossche continued, “As we continue to pursue LEED-EB (Existing Building) certification for our manufacturing facility, having LEED APs on staff with knowledge of the LEED certification process will help streamline our efforts to secure certification. In addition, we will be able to share in-depth, credible knowledge of LEED with our customers that want to tailor product lines that will grow their green building business and help them to become a supply resource for green builders.”

USFloors, Inc. is the only manufacturer of cork and bamboo flooring in the United States. USFloors has an array of solar photovoltaic panels assembled on the roof of its manufacturing facility making it the largest privately-owned solar power generation system in the state of Georgia. USFloors offers the most comprehensive product assortment of sustainable cork and bamboo flooring, as well as unique hardwood floors from managed sources, for the residential and commercial markets. USFloors’ products comply with the Lacey Act and meet or exceed air quality standards established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).