With buildings in Australia accounting for almost 25% of the country's greenhouse gas emissions, it’s important for design and construction experts to prioritize lowering their carbon footprint as part of their professional agendas - specifying products that are 100% carbon neutral whenever possible. Whilst the National Construction Code of Australia has set minimal obligatory requirements for energy efficiency, some industry leaders go above and beyond when it comes to lowering their carbon footprint.
Interface, a global flooring company, is one of those brands. They are leading the charge towards carbon neutrality and raising the bar for industry sustainability standards across the board.
Over the last 25 years, Interface has been working tirelessly to achieve their Mission Zero® goals to eliminate all negative impact on the environment by 2020. Lowering their carbon footprint has been one of the key commitments of Mission Zero.
Since 1996 the company has reduced the average carbon footprint of their carpet by an unprecedented 69%, making it the lowest in the industry. In addition, all of the flooring products that they sell globally (carpet, LTV and rubber) are carbon neutral for their full product lifecycle, through their Carbon Neutral Floors™ program. And they are the first global manufacturer to have announced this.
What lies at the heart of Mission Zero’s continuous success? To begin with, Interface has made measuring their progress a part of the wider philosophy. In 1994, the company created the EcoMetrics™ measurement system to ensure they could track their progress against their stated sustainability goals. The metrics are designed to quantify how much raw material and energy is used, how much product is made and how much waste is created. These third party verified metrics are reported annually.
Through EcoMetrics™, Interface has been able to further their commitment to eliminating any negative impact on the environment - and get closer to sourcing 100% of their energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.
On a global average, Interface’s manufacturing facilities use 100% renewable electricity and operate on 89% total renewable energy. Since 1996, Interface has accomplished a 46% decrease in total energy use per product by implementing various energy efficiency measures in their factories. These include the use of real-time energy monitoring system; replacing and upgrading equipment with more efficient alternatives; and maximising daylight use through installation of skylights and solar energy to reduce the need for electricity altogether.
With a priority placed in the continual reduction of Interface’s overall carbon footprint, they introduced Carbon Neutral Floors™ in 2018. First they reduced the carbon footprint across the whole product lifecycle by more than 60% and they zero out the remainder by retiring verified carbon offsets that support projects such as renewable energy, fuel switching and reforestation.
However, Interface’s ambition doesn’t stop here. From the commitment to creating no harm to the environment with Mission Zero, to becoming restorative to the planet and creating a climate fit for life with their new initiative Climate Take Back®, there’s no doubt Interface is a top choice for all industry professionals who want to achieve all rounded goals of using purposeful products that are designed for the benefit of the people and the planet.
Interface is a proud sponsor of the 2019 Sustainability Awards, to be held at The Star in Sydney on 7th November 2019. Learn more about Interface’s selection of 100% carbon neutral flooring products here.
