Randy Rubenstein
Owner, Rubenstein’s Contract Carpet, Seattle
1.
Which current trends are helping drive the commercial building market as it pertains to the hospitality sector?
“Sustainability, with accompanying accountability (such as LEED), is an important factor in today’s hospitality sector. This is due to the heightened awareness of environmental responsibility. This is universal across the various commercial sectors — not at all limited to the hospitality sector — and is important not only to owners and developers but also to their customers who use and/or occupy these spaces. The focus on sustainability includes not only materials used and energy consumed in the manufacturing of these products, but also the maintenance costs and expected life of the products beings used.”
2.
How does the specification come into play for a commercial contractor?
“It generally starts from an owner or developer directive driven down to us and through the A&D community. When it doesn’t originate from that point, we often suggest alternative options to the design professional or owner/developer that address sustainability as something which may serve their purposes and resonate with their customer base.”
3.
Which flooring categories are now being specified the most within hospitality settings?
“Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and porcelain tile, particularly with wood visuals, are prominent categories in today’s hospitality sector. They have taken market share from traditional carpeting and continue to grow in penetrating this market sector. We also see more use of woods, both engineered and solid, as well as natural stone materials getting more prominent use in these spaces.”
4.
what do these categories bring to the overall design aesthetic?
“They tend to create a more natural and organic appearance to the overall environment, creating a warmer and more casual feel than the traditional hospitality environments of the past. They also add an element of “freshness” to what their customers have come to expect in these environments, making their facilities look more current and updated in the eyes of the consumers.”
5.
What can we expect to see in the coming year in terms of sustainable flooring specifications and design in the hospitality sector?
“We don’t see any letup in the near-term demand for sustainability-driven products. We believe we will continue to see even more enter the commercial stream addressing that market. Demand is the mother of invention, so we’re likely to see more manufacturers providing more unique products to share in the increased interest in this area.”
