Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

New Floor Helps Keep Libraries Quiet

  • 10/01/18
Nora flooring

McMaster University was able to cut down on noise in learning environments by replacing their vinyl tile with nora rubber flooring.

Students at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, can hear the difference rubber flooring makes. Thanks to the acoustic properties of norament grano, they enjoy quiet libraries and a better learning environment. Officials love the floor’s versatility, selecting it for heavily trafficked stairwells, laboratories, cafeterias, and offices.

“We love the versatility of the product—you can put it into a research facility, a wet lab where chemicals are present, a library, a cafeteria, an elevator or in an office,” says Craig MacDonald, director of maintenance and facility services. “It’s environmentally friendly, easy to care for, sustainable, and it provides good slip resistance.”

After testing nora premium rubber flooring in a heavily trafficked stairwell in one of the school’s busiest building, the university began using nora in other areas.

“There is a stairwell right by the road that receives most of the foot traffic into the building. The landings were previously VCT (vinyl tile) and didn’t stand up. The floor was hard to maintain; stripping and waxing was required. It was not effective,” MacDonald says. “We replaced it with full noraplan stair treads and tiles on the landings. Thousands of students walk up and down those staircases every day—and they still look fantastic.”

Since testing, the university has used nora in as many areas as possible. MacDonald says, “We’ve installed it in our student health services area and are currently using it in laboratory renovations. We’ve installed it in our three largest libraries.”

Ideal for the most demanding environments, norament grano has proven strength under pressure. It stands up to the toughest workplace conditions without sacrificing style, combining resilient form with supportive function in a palette of over 30 colors that range from cool, calming neutrals to bold, vibrant tones.

www.nora.com

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.