Page 35 - College Planning & Management, October 2018

Case Histories REAL-WORLD SOLUTIONS
SNew Floor Helps Keep Libraries Quiet
TUDENTS AT McMaster university began using nora in other areas. University in Hamilton, Ontario, “There is a stairwell right by the road Canada, can hear the difference that receives most of the foot traffic into
rubber flooring makes. Thanks to the acoustic properties of norament grano, they enjoy quiet libraries and a better learning environment. Officials love the floor’s versatility, selecting it for heavily trafficked stairwells, laboratories, cafete- rias, and offices.
“We love the versatility of the product— you can put it into a research facility, a wet lab where chemicals are present, a library,
a cafeteria, an elevator or in an office,” says Craig MacDonald, director of maintenance and facility services. “It’s environmentally friendly, easy to care for, sustainable, and it provides good slip resistance.”
After testing nora premium rubber flooring in a heavily trafficked stairwell in one of the school’s busiest building, the
the building. The landings were previously VCT (vinyl tile) and didn’t stand up. The floor was hard to maintain; stripping and waxing was required. It was not effective,” MacDonald says. “We replaced it with
full noraplan stair treads and tiles on the landings. Thousands of students walk up and down those staircases every day—and they still look fantastic.”
Since testing, the university has used nora in as many areas as possible. Mac- Donald says, “We’ve installed it in our stu- dent health services area and are currently using it in laboratory renovations. We’ve installed it in our three largest libraries.”
Ideal for the most demanding envi- ronments, norament grano has proven strength under pressure. It stands up to
McMaster University was able to cut down on noise in learning environments by replacing their vinyl tile with nora rubber flooring.
the toughest workplace conditions without sacrificing style, combining resilient form with supportive function in a palette of over 30 colors that range from cool, calm- ing neutrals to bold, vibrant tones.
PAenn State Meets Sustainability Goals
S SUSTAINABILITY initia- wasting time to charge up.
tives on college campuses Penn State needed a vehicle with continue to evolve, vehicles features much more comparable to an
www.nora.com
Penn State campuses use GEM vehicles to achieve sustainability.
GEM is a testament to the practicality of a low speed, street legal, electric option. Its perfect mix of versatility and power helps Penn State achieve its sustainability goals, without increasing budget requirements or sacrificing productivity—all while ensur- ing campus is running smoothly. CPM
www.gem.polaris.com
with sustainable power sources, street- legal status, and small vehicle footprints provide a flexible solution to meet campus transportation and maintenance needs. Pennsylvania State University is no excep- tion. Across its vast campus, Penn State relies on GEM to transport passengers, haul equipment, and assist with landscape management.
According to Bruce Cifelli, Penn State’s equipment management and services administrator, finding an electric vehicle with long battery life was key. Any-
thing less than eight hours a day simply wouldn’t provide enough range to get the job done. GEM’s array of battery options gave Penn State the ability to select a bat- tery system that does just that, without
automotive truck. GEM’s design flexibility enabled Penn State to pick and choose the extra features it required—truckbacks, flat beds, and ladder racks—to match a variety of different campus uses. While still street legal, GEM’s compact footprint allows users to easily maneuver where large trucks cannot.
In the business of campus maintenance, time is money. Vehicles must be at peak performance to maintain efficiency and get jobs done. Since adding GEM to their fleet of utility vehicles, Cifelli says his team has already noticed a difference in reliability, and downtime has been reduced. These time and cost savings go directly to the bottom line and give a lower total cost of ownership than trucks.
OCTOBER 2018 / COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 35