Keeping Your Indoor Environments Safe

Commercial Wallcovering and Indoor Air Quality.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors. If you have a role in the specification of the materials to be used in an interiors project, you have an impact on indoor air quality. Walls, carpets, paints, furniture and office equipment all affect the air inside a building. Sure, you want to use the most durable, economical and attractive materials available, but can you do so and still be environmentally sensitive?

Materials that emit a lower level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during their initial installation as well as over the course of their useful life and that last beautifully for years with minimal maintenance requirements can be considered an environmentally preferred choice – especially when they also offer durability, longevity, quality and value.

GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality CertifiedOur wallcoverings were the first commercial wallcovering products to earn the GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® designation, and today over 90% of our portfolio, including all new designs, meet this certification for low VOC emissions.

In 2009 it was announced that all of our commercial wallcoverings meet California 01350 specifications for low VOC emissions. This includes the brands AVANT™, BOLTA®, ESSEX™, GENON®, SCION™ and TOWER®, as well as private label offerings. California 01350 is a special environmental standard developed by the state of California to evaluate and reduce the impact of building materials on indoor air quality and health in interior environments.

In addition, OMNOVA Solutions introduced two new wallcovering constructions — RECORE™ Recycled Wall Technology and ECORE™ Advanced Wall Technology. Both constructions were designed for a reduced environmental impact and, as part of their eco-friendly profile, are GREENGUARD Certified and meet California 01350 specifications for their low VOC emissions.

RECORE Recycled Wall Technology  

RECORE Recycled Wall Technology is the industry's "best-in-class" recycled wallcovering product. It's GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified for low VOC emissions. RECORE also features 30% recycled content, including a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled content. BOLTA, ESSEX, GENON and TOWER wallcoverings manufactured by OMNOVA since January 2009 utilize RECORE Advanced Wall Technology. Additional features include:

    • 30% recycled content — 20% post consumer
    • Diverts waste from landfills
    • Recyclable — through the OMNOVA Wallcovering Reclamation Program
    • Contributes up to six LEED credits
    • Durable — Type II, 20-oz.
    • Discriminating color and design
     
ECORE Advanced Wall Technology  

ECORE Advanced Wall Technology features a non-PVC platform which is used in the manufacture of our AVANT and SCION wallcoverings. ECORE technology is both GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified and GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified for low its VOC emissions. Additional features include:

    • Energy-saving, non-PVC construction
    • Recyclable — through the OMNOVA Wallcovering Reclamation Program
    • Contributes up to four LEED credits
    • Breathable and lightweight