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Denver — Oct. 9, 2015 — Twelve years is long enough. With no updates or tools in the last dozen years to provide current and reliable documentation for builders, facility managers, architects, and designers to assess the cost-effectiveness and lifecycle value of soft versus hard surface flooring for their projects, Interface took action.
The world’s leading carpet tile manufacturer commissioned an objective third-party researcher, Dr. Debra Harris, to conduct a lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) of hard, resilient, and soft flooring.
Now well-armed with updated data, the company has also developed an online LCCA Calculator that is accessible, along with the study’s results, here.
And, those results are conclusive: Soft flooring – in particular, carpet tile – is the most cost-effective flooring option available. In addition to being one of the least expensive to purchase and install, it comes with fewer and lower equipment costs, and costs less to maintain.
Harris, the CEO of Austin, Texas-based RAD Consultants and a leading expert in evidence-based design, conducted the analysis, using third-party data from RS Means. Internationally renowned for her research into building performance and occupant outcomes, she has written extensively on healthcare facilities design. But she said the data collected was not specific to a single building type and applies to all types of commercial property.
In her results summary, Harris wrote: “A typical process for evaluation of flooring selection is to consider the initial costs as the only impact on the current budget. A systemic view considers the cost of ownership over the lifetime of the system and its impact on well-being, safety, durability, aesthetics, cleanliness, acoustics, and sustainability to gain a comprehensive view that contributes to the return on investment and effect on the triple bottom line – the social, environmental, and financial impact on an organization.”
According to Harris, the updated study was sorely needed. “Lifecycle economics is critical to the continued viability of a facility. Having the evidence to make informed decisions can save significant costs over time.”
The Interface Lowest Cost Calculator was designed to be an indispensable tool for decision makers responsible for the floor covering choices of new construction or renovation projects. Accessible online, it creates a customized lifecycle cost comparison between Interface carpet tiles and other flooring options being considered, factoring in the key variables of a job. A proven time-saver, the calculator and report clearly delineate not only the initial product costs, but also long-term maintenance and equipment costs. Interior designers, architects, project managers, and facility managers all stand to benefit from having access to these critical numbers all in one place, with the ability to make informed decisions that will affect initial and long-term costs and budgets.
Interface, Inc. is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial carpet tile. For more information, visit interface.com.
