Trends to Watch

Magic Fresh Carpet from Beaulieu of America

1. Odor-Fighting Carpet | Beaulieu of America

Solutions 7 & 8 are the newest offerings for multifamily properties. This durable commercial-grade carpet is designed for high-traffic common areas such as corridors, lobbies and clubhouses in popular colors. All Beaulieu Property Management Solutions carpets feature Beaulieu’s exclusive Magic Fresh built-in treatment that reduces odors from pets, cooking or smoking. Also noteworthy are Solutions 5 & 6—these carpets are made with PET Solution Dyed Polyester fiber, meaning the color never fades. They can be cleaned with a 50 percent bleach solution. And the fiber is made with 50 percent recycled content—recycled plastic water and soft drink bottles.

2. Automated Parking Systems | Boomerang

Designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S., Boomerang automated parking saves valuable space. Twice as space-efficient as conventional parking, it frees up space for other valuable uses or fits twice the number of cars in the same space. Boomerang also eliminates carbon emissions from cars driving up ramps, preserves open space, uses less construction materials and significantly reduces electricity needed for lighting and ventilation. An omni-directional robot moves laterally underneath cars, which results in fast retrievals.

3. Repaired and Patched Floors | Level Plus, Level Pro

Level Plus and Level Pro have a resilient fiberglass base that is double encapsulated by PVC layers. Easy to install over existing full spread floors, Level Plus and Level Pro eliminate the expense of tearing out old floors. Rather than pulling toilets, cutting material around toilet bases and eliminating additional plumbing costs, Level Plus and Level Pro are easy to repair and patch with left-over scrap material. There is no need to replace floors due to small damaged areas.

4. Lower Water Bills | Niagara’s Stealth System

Niagara’s ultra-high-efficiency (UHET) Stealth toilet, which is EPA Water Sense-certified, can achieve a powerful, quiet flush using just 0.8 gallons of water. The three-part Stealth System includes the Tri-Max three setting showerhead and aerator—the combination of these three products can save up to 40,000 gallons of water per year and as much as $600 off utility/water bills per unit.

5. Environmentally Friendly Cabinetry | EcoDesign

Eco-friendly cabinets are constructed with FSC-certified wood fronts and drawer boxes, as well as renewable, formaldehyde-free Wheatboard with thermally bonded melamine. Water-based stains emit no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and adhesives used for manufacturing wood components are low-emitting or contain no VOCs. EcoDesign cabinetry can qualify apartment properties for up to seven LEED points, 25 NAHB points and nine EarthCraft points.

6. Energy-Efficient White Surfaces | DecTec’s CoolStep

Just as the name implies, CoolStep stays cool to walk on in bare feet, even under extreme, full-exposure sun. Unlike typical deck products, the color and composition properties of CoolStep will actually reduce the interior temperature in areas located beneath it, lowering the energy consumption needed for air conditioning. This is achieved by the product’s ability to reflect the sun’s rays and emit the heat back into the sky, instead of absorbing it and transferring it downward into the building below.