ROOS INTERNATIONAL'S FAMILY OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WALLCOVERINGS

Roos International has been pioneering environmentally responsible wallcoverings since 1986, long before “green” was fashionable. Through these innovations, the company has set a new standard for sustainable wallcoverings that promotes a healthy building environment to maximize occupant productivity and minimize environmental impact.

The Roos line of eco-friendly wallcoverings are PVC free, contain recycled content and are made from rapidly renewable resources. Their collections appeal to all markets from hospitality to healthcare and even commercial offices to retail store design.

Although Roos offers a wide variety of products for every possible application, its three best selling lines – Texturglas, EnVision and Yahgi – are especially suited for projects seeking a sustainable certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Program, the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes Program or any other national or international green initiative.

Specific environmentally friendly details of these three Roos collections are as follows:

Texturglas® is durable wall finish system with a life cycle of over 30 years. When installed with a quality VOC-free paint and adhesive, it offers a high perm rating and breathability, allowing moisture to pass through the wallcovering and significantly reduce the risk of mold and mildew.  This contributes to a favorable indoor air quality and a healthy and safe environment.

Repair and maintenance of a Texturglas surface are simple and straightforward, increasing the life cycle of the wall finish system. As an alternative to replacement, the wall finish system is repaintable and can be returned to the manufacturer for recycling at the end of its life, so no materials end up in a landfill.

EnVision® combines the innovative use of a textural, non woven natural fibrous polyester cellulose substrate with clean, contemporary colors and designs. The result is a PVC free wallcovering combining aesthetics, Type I and Type II performance, and earth friendly characteristics all-in-one. Sustainable attributes include recycled content, FSC certified wood content and material reuse/recyclability.

The EnVision Collection of wallcoverings is made from a non-woven polyester-cellulose blend. These breathable wall coverings have a protective, scrubbable finish and are designed expressly as an alternative to vinyl wall covering. EnVision is produced with water-based inks, is Class A fire rated and conforms to ASTM F793-98 Wall Covering by Durability Characteristics Category IV, and V.

Yahgi™ is an elegant collection featuring rapidly renewable natural fibers like jute, sisal and other crop fibers. This is the most environmentally friendly collection offered by Roos because it utilizes only natural fibers, vegetable dyes and water based inks. All components are biodegradable and, when applied with low-VOC adhesives, offer an elegant and healthy interior environment.

It is important to understand that Roos International heartily endorses and recommends their extensive collections of non-vinyl, sustainable wallcovering products.  The company believes that, through their growing demand, they represent the future of the industry.  However, it is unfortunate that everyone doesn’t embrace “green.”  Whether it be budget constraints, the need for high durability, or some other reason, there will always be a market for traditional vinyl wallcoverings. And in its role as a leading supplier to the industry, Roos must continue to offer a vinyl alternative to those customers seeking it.

SUMMARY OF POTENTIAL LEED POINTS

Although there are a number of national, regional and private-sector initiatives in place to measure sustainability and environmental responsibility, the current leading standard is the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Rating System. This program has gained popularity among architects, designers, building owners, municipalities and school systems. This is why Roos has chosen LEED to be the sustainability benchmark for its Texturglas, EnVision and Yahgi lines of sustainable wall coverings.

In reviewing this evaluation, understand that LEED rates projects, not products. LEED credits are earned when a product or a series of products are combined to achieve a specific end result (lower energy use, collective recycled content, etc.). It is rare when a single product can be utilized to earn credit points. The total number of available credits varies in each category. In addition to available credits, each of the categories also contains one or more prerequisites which MUST be met in order for the project to achieve LEED certification. Examples of these prerequisites include minimum energy performance standards, the collection of recyclables, and requirements for smoke control within the building.

A summary of possible points contributed in a LEED certified project are as follows: