Sustainability leader aims for LEED Gold certification and supports the World Interior Design Congress in Dubai

Dubai, UAE, 10th November 2009:  InterfaceFLOR, a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of environmentally responsible modular floor coverings and who has been present within the region for more than 30 years, has opened its new regional headquarters in Dubai while celebrating 15 years on the path to Mission Zero - the company's bid to achieve a zero environmental footprint and become the world's first sustainable business by 2020.

The new 250 square metre workspace will serve as the company's regional headquarters. The office space together with a cutting edge design showroom incorporates many sustainable elements including InterfaceFLOR's newest range of carpet tiles using Convert - a yarn system which offers a high level of post consumer recycled content on the surface, lighting controls with daylight censors and occupancy control, water consumption reduction measures such as low flow fixtures and furniture with the highest content of recycled material available.

The company, which produces innovative, fashionable and sustainable carpet tiles, is now over halfway in completing Mission Zero, and has made significant progress towards reaching the 2020 goal.

Neel Bradham, Senior Vice President of InterfaceFLOR Europe, Middle East, Africa and India, said, "Mission Zero - the vision of the company's founder Ray Anderson during the mid-nineties, is a central part of the organisation's ethos and culture.

"Fifteen years ago Interface was one of the first companies to publicly commit to sustainability, and Mission Zero continues to underpin every dimension of our company, from process, products and profits, to people and places.

"A waste reduction programme has allowed us to generate over US$405 million in avoided costs, energy efficiency programmes have resulted in a 67 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 1996, and a commitment to renewable energy and changes to the production process have allowed for 100 per cent of renewable electricity in manufacturing processes throughout Europe."

Bradham added, "the new showroom and workspace in Dubai is a true demonstration to our customers of leading edge design and the commitment we have in providing beautiful and sustainable products in the right environment.''

InterfaceFLOR is aiming for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification for its new workspace in Dubai. The LEED recognition, which InterfaceFLOR has also earned for other premises throughout the world including America, Thailand, China, and India, will add to their impressive commitment to sustainability and Mission Zero.

As a founding member of Emirates Green Building Council and leader in the sustainability field, InterfaceFLOR can assist clients in choosing the most sustainable carpet tiles from their wide product portfolio and meet the criteria in different Green Building Rating Systems, such as LEED, BREEAM or Estidama - both consensus-based standards for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. 

Coinciding with the launch of InterfaceFLOR's new workspace and regional headquarters, the company is showing strong industry support by sponsoring the World Interior Design Congress, from 6-11 November in Dubai. Taking place in the Middle East for the first time, the congress will attract over 800 interior designers from 45 countries to discuss opportunities and challenges facing the industry. On Wednesday 11th November, Neel Bradham will be taking part in a panel discussion about 'The Impact of Sustainability on Design and Innovation'. 

InterfaceFLOR has been present in the Middle East for 30 years and has a long-standing partnership with UAE distributors Ofis in Dubai and Thani Murshid Est in Abu Dhabi.  The new regional headquarters and showroom will provide support for distributors in the other Gulf countries, as well as in Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Pakistan, Turkey and the Africa region and further cement the company's commitment in the region and the emerging markets .

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InterfaceFLOR is committed to becoming a fully sustainable company, leaving a zero footprint by 2020. Mission Zero is InterfaceFLOR's promise to eliminate any negative impact the company may have on the environment by considering the impact of every creative, manufacturing and building decision it makes. 

Specialising in the design, manufacture and supply of carpet tiles for the commercial and residential markets, the company invented the concept of the carpet tile over  50 years ago, and has been systematically developing it ever since.Having won many significant awards for sustainability as well as product design , Interface has recently been voted as number one on the world as being committed to the environment - ahead of major companies such as Toyota, BP, Shell and General Electric - by The SustainAbility Survey of leading global environmentalists. 

With a Gulf regional office in Dubai, the company has a network of distributors across the Middle East, including M H Baluchi & Sons in Bahrain, Business Machine Co in Kuwait, Sharikat Fanniya Omaniya in Oman, Rafco in Qatar, Riyadh House Est in Saudi Arabia and Thani Murshid Est and Ofis in the UAE. 

Ray Anderson, Founder and Chairman of Interface Inc has recently published a new book charting the organizations progress up Mount Sustainability, called 'Confessions of a Radical Industrialist' for more information about this try www.rayanderson.com 

For more information about InterfaceFLOR visit: www.interfaceflor.eu/mea

For further press information please contact:
Danielle Fanning
Total Communications
Tel: + 971 4 336 9909
Fax: + 971 4 336 9905
Email: danielle@totalcompr.ae

Ana Elisa Seixas,
Director of Marketing, 
MEA & India
InterfaceFLOR
Tel:  +971 4 3996934
Email: Ana.Seixas@interfaceflor.eu

© Press Release 2009