Dalton—Novalis Innovative Flooring is one of the first manufacturers to achieve the Assure Certified standard and certification for rigid core luxury vinyl tile (LVT). The standard was established to create a uniform standard of quality for all rigid core LVT, which is the fastest growing sector of resilient flooring in North America.
Certification under the standard allows manufacturers globally to demonstrate that their vinyl rigid core flooring has been manufactured to the highest standards and meets all requirements for indoor air quality, rigorous performance and heavy metals and ortho-phthalate content. The standard was developed by SCS Global Services and the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI).
“This standard is of the highest rigor that exists for ensuring uniform quality and sustainability in this type of flooring, benefiting manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, retailers, homeowners and other end users,” said Dean Thompson, president and CEO of RFCI. “It is essential, especially during this time, that we safeguard consumer confidence in products for homes and businesses by putting people’s safety and well-being first. Congratulations to the first four flooring manufacturers who participated in the pilot study that helped refine the standard.”
Certification requires rigid core products to pass performance testing outlined in ASTM3261-17, volatile organic compound emissions testing and testing for heavy metals and ortho-phthalates. It also requires flooring manufacturers to demonstrate quality control procedures through on-site audits. “With this new standard, consumers can now look for the Assure Certified logo on their rigid core LVT products to ensure they are choosing the safest, highest-quality flooring,” said Nicole Muñoz, vice president of environmental certification services at SCS.
Certifying products to the Assure standard is the latest example of Novalis’ commitment to producing flooring to the highest quality, indoor air and environmental standards, the company said. The Novalis factory incorporates sustainable practices in the production of rigid core flooring such as the reuse of production waste and water. Novalis rigid core flooring has FloorScore, Indoor Advantage Gold and GreenGuard Gold certifications, attesting to its ultra-low volatile organic compound emissions.
In addition, Novalis said it issues Health Product Declarations, Declare labels and Environmental Product Declarations for its rigid core flooring, transparently declaring its contents and environmental impact.