The myriad of options in flooring for healthcare facilities continues to grow as technology allows for new advancements in manufacturing, installation and maintenance.
And while there is a general trend in commercial building toward sustainability and green options, the decision to choose one product over another generally still comes down to cost, durability and aesthetics. In a healthcare setting, that decision is then compounded by additional concerns, such as how it affects patient care, safety, indoor air quality and infection control.
There have been new trends in healthcare flooring over the past few years, as well as studies to determine how those trends are being implemented and to what effect. Here are a few resources for the latest on healthcare flooring options:
1) In the article “Covering new ground: Industry experts discuss healthcare facility flooring options, innovations,” Healthcare Construction & Operations interviews several flooring manufacturers on the current trends in healthcare floorcoverings and what the future is likely to bring.
2) Healthcare Design magazine contributing editors Richard L. Peck and Shannon Powers-Jones interview an architect, an engineer and a building owner in “The basics of flooring” to get a big-picture view of the design, specification and construction processes involved in healthcare flooring.
3) In the story “Gaining traction: New resilient flooring products contribute to hospital design trends,” Health Facilities Management magazine examines the results of a 2010 sustainable flooring study by the Georgia Institute of Technology. The study had nearly 700 survey respondents (including facility managers and specifiers) who shared their perceptions and experiences with sustainable, resilient flooring options.
4) Some of the latest product offerings, including the growing popularity of rubber as a nonporous, low-maintenance option, are discussed in Health Facilities Management’s “Floored! Latest products respond to health care trends”
5) And Building Operating Management’s “Resilient flooring options: Improved design appeal and performance” offers insight into mixing and matching products to get the best results for a facility.
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