Construction waste is a market builders can capitalize on.
Today’s homeowners are more eco-conscious than ever. They care not only about energy efficiency and low-carbon materials but also about what happens to those materials at the end of their life. Homeowners are increasingly thinking long term, considering the full life cycle of their homes rather than just immediate impacts.
One of the most tangible areas where this matters is flooring. Millions of homeowners replace carpet, vinyl, and hardwood every year and how that old flooring is disposed of has a major environmental impact.
According to COGNITION Smart Data, 72% of homeowners say they would be more likely to purchase flooring if a take-back program were offered.
Builders can use this to their advantage. By partnering with manufacturers that offer take-back programs, builders can align with sustainability trends and capture the ever-growing segment of environmentally aware homeowners.
Consider carpet as a case study. Many homeowners dream of upgrading from outdated carpet to LVP or hardwood but what happens to the old carpet?
According to the most recent data available from the EPA, in 2018 310,000 tons of carpet fiber, backing, and padding were recycled, out of 3.4 million tons generated. That is just 9.2% recycled, 17.8% combusted for energy recovery, and a staggering 73% sent to landfills. And this is just one year. Think of the millions of tons of carpet that continue to end up in landfills each and every year.
California’s CARE program reaffirms the COGNITION Smart Data trend that homeowners want and will participate in recycling when programs are made available.
Helping homeowners close the loop on their flooring is not just responsible, it is good business. Builders who integrate take-back or recycling programs can turn sustainability into a competitive advantage, appealing to eco-conscious homeowners while also tapping into a market willing to invest in full life-cycle solutions.
Like this COGNITION Hot Take? We have more! Unlock the data driving the industry’s sustainability transformation to build smarter and sell faster. Subscribe to COGNITION Smart Data.
Victoria Muharsky is an ESG specialist at Green Builder Media, where she leads the ESG for Building Working Group. Under her guidance, the group has successfully overseen the release of the groundbreaking ESG Defining Principles. Crafted collaboratively by industry experts, these guidelines are revolutionizing the homebuilding sector's approach to ESG and sustainability.
Closing the Loop on Flooring
Construction waste is a market builders can capitalize on.
One of the most tangible areas where this matters is flooring. Millions of homeowners replace carpet, vinyl, and hardwood every year and how that old flooring is disposed of has a major environmental impact.
According to COGNITION Smart Data, 72% of homeowners say they would be more likely to purchase flooring if a take-back program were offered.
Builders can use this to their advantage. By partnering with manufacturers that offer take-back programs, builders can align with sustainability trends and capture the ever-growing segment of environmentally aware homeowners.
Consider carpet as a case study. Many homeowners dream of upgrading from outdated carpet to LVP or hardwood but what happens to the old carpet?
According to the most recent data available from the EPA, in 2018 310,000 tons of carpet fiber, backing, and padding were recycled, out of 3.4 million tons generated. That is just 9.2% recycled, 17.8% combusted for energy recovery, and a staggering 73% sent to landfills. And this is just one year. Think of the millions of tons of carpet that continue to end up in landfills each and every year.
Federal regulations provide minimal oversight to limit carpet waste, while at the state level, only California has enacted carpet recycling legislation. Under California’s CARE program, recycling rates have steadily increased, rising from 14% in 2017 to 38.5% in 2024.
California’s CARE program reaffirms the COGNITION Smart Data trend that homeowners want and will participate in recycling when programs are made available.
Helping homeowners close the loop on their flooring is not just responsible, it is good business. Builders who integrate take-back or recycling programs can turn sustainability into a competitive advantage, appealing to eco-conscious homeowners while also tapping into a market willing to invest in full life-cycle solutions.
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Like this COGNITION Hot Take? We have more! Unlock the data driving the industry’s sustainability transformation to build smarter and sell faster. Subscribe to COGNITION Smart Data.
By Victoria Muharsky
Victoria Muharsky is an ESG specialist at Green Builder Media, where she leads the ESG for Building Working Group. Under her guidance, the group has successfully overseen the release of the groundbreaking ESG Defining Principles. Crafted collaboratively by industry experts, these guidelines are revolutionizing the homebuilding sector's approach to ESG and sustainability.Also Read