67 / 210
BEAM P
LUS
I
NTERIORS
C
OMMERCIAL
, R
ETAIL
A
ND
I
NSTITUTIONAL
M
ATERIALS
A
SPECTS
(MA)
MA 6 S
USTAINABLE
F
LOORING
P
RODUCTS
Copyright © BEAM Society Limited. All rights reserved. Page 66
E
QUATION
Equation 1
– Determining the total quantity of renewable materials /
recycled materials / sustainable timber.
Qualified
Content (%)*
=
∑ (Rapidly Renewable Materials + Recycled
Materials + Sustainable Timber) (m
2
)
x 100%
∑ Newly Installed Flooring Materials (m
2
)
Equation 2
– Determining the total quantity of regionally
manufactured materials.
Total Regionally
Manufactured
Materials (%)*
=
∑ Regionally Manufactured Materials (m
2
)
x 100%
∑ Newly Installed Flooring Materials (m
2
)
Equation 3
– Determining the total quantity of environmentally
manufactured materials.
Total
Environmentally
Manufactured
Materials (%)*
=
∑ Environmentally Manufactured Materials (m
2
)
x 100%
∑ Newly Installed Flooring Materials (m
2
)
* Only single side area shall be counted.
B
ACKGROUND
Rapidly Renewable Materials
Most building materials necessitate the consumption of large amounts
of natural resources. Rapidly renewable materials
[1] are represent a
materials alternative to mainstream buildings materials that are
composed from either finite raw materials or long-cycle renewable
materials (i.e., natural resources which are planted and harvested in
less than a 10-year cycle are defined as rapidly renewable materials)
and do not result in significant biodiversity loss, increased erosion, or
air quality impacts. Rapidly renewable materials include, but are not
limited to, bamboo, linoleum, cork, fast-growing poplar, pine and
products such as wheat straw cabinetry. Materials such a bamboo,
wool, natural linoleum, etc. require fewer inputs, have reduced
environmental impacts, and can provide economic benefits.
Designers should establish objectives for the use of rapidly renewable
materials and identify where such materials can be applied as
substitutes for more commonly used resource intensive materials.
The use of materials such as bamboo flooring, strawboard, cotton
insulation, natural linoleum flooring, etc. should be considered as a
minimum. Installation method shall be carefully considered, and
detailed in the submission.
Recycled Materials
Waste materials and industrial by-products can be used in building
construction in an unprocessed form. This reduces the extraction of
virgin materials. The basic properties required for technical
acceptance are that they can perform their intended functions
throughout the design life without being deleterious on the
environment.
Sustainable Timber
Timber is the most ecologically benign of construction materials.
However, there are hardwoods which are being extracted from virgin
forests in an unsustainable manner, destroying valuable forests and
ecosystems. Similarly, some softwoods, such as redwood and cedar
are being depleted. Where forests are being harvested in an
1
Preshani Maistry. Rapidly Renewable Materials.
http://greenalberta.ca/downloads/Rapidly_Renewable_Materials.pdf