Welcome to the office of the future

By way of comparison, this roughly corresponds to the noise level of rustling leaves. A fully occupied office can generate up to 70 decibels, which is equivalent to a vacuum cleaner or the noise of traffic. The consequences include the release of stress hormones, hypertension and a change in muscle tone.

So what can planners and architects do to reduce the burden of noise? Carpeted floors are an important element. They not only absorb the noise but also provide a warm, pleasant atmosphere. Two good reasons why Freudenberg Real Estate decided to use carpet tiles for its latest large-scale building project at the Weinheim industrial park.

A total of 9,000 square meters of carpet tiles were laid in the office and relaxation areas. The office areas were fitted with low-tufted-carpet while the so-called “think tanks” were given a high-pile-version. Both types were specially developed for modern office environments to absorb sound and create a living room feeling. But there was something else that convinced the decision-makers:

“Alongside noise reduction, the flooring needed to be extremely easy to maintain and flexible. At the same time, it had to be durable and sustainably produced to protect our environment.”

Sascha Schäfer
Head of Strategic Portfolio Management, Freudenberg Real Estate, Weinheim, Germany

The solution to these challenges was found in the products of US manufacturer Interface. The modular carpet tiles of the global market leader are individually interchangeable as required and thus a real plus in terms of quality and service life. Indispensable in achieving these characteristics is the carpet backing – in this case, a spunbonded nonwoven, into which the carpet yarn is subsequently incorporated. As exclusive supplier and working in close collaboration with Interface, Freudenberg Performance Materials designed a particularly soft backing with a very flexible structure. In the process, PET granulate derived from recycled material is spun into a very homogeneous nonwoven and then thermally bonded. As a result, the backing material provides the carpet loops with a good hold and also allows more complex carpet compositions. A further plus for customers is that the products are quickly available thanks to European-wide production and meet their strict requirements in terms of sustainability.

“By 2020, we want to make our entire value chain completely climate- neutral: from raw materials through production, right up to customer use and subsequent recycling. Our suppliers must also achieve a clearly defined requirement profile. Freudenberg Performance Materials is the right partner for us to realize our 100% sustainable concept together.”

Nils Rödenbeck,
Vice President and General Manager D/A/CH, Interface Germany, Krefeld

“We are delighted to be able to work with Interface on this project, which is currently still unique. The challenge for us is now to adapt our entire value chain to meet the needs of the sustainable carpet backing and Interface’s demanding catalogue of requirements.”

Matthias Göttel,
Technical Service Manager Tuft, Freudenberg Performance Materials, Weinheim, Germany

“Carpets need to withstand heavy loads. As well people walking on them, they have to deal with items being rolled across them as well as the occasional spillage. In contrast to large-scale rolled carpeting, the modularity of the tiles saves us enormous renovation costs while the attractive appearance is very long lasting.”

Nicole Gahai,
Senior Project Manager, Freudenberg Real Estate, Weinheim, Germany