Beyond Clean: Designing for Health, Starting at the Base

It is a well established fact that every design choice profoundly impacts healthcare environments. Annually, over 1.7 million individuals in the U.S. acquire infections during hospital stays. This statistic often highlights not the quality of care provided, but rather the significant impact of the built environment itself.

Architects and designers frequently discuss vital elements such as daylighting, accessibility, and patient flow. Yet the truth remains, every material specified plays a crucial role in public health, particularly in healthcare settings where surfaces must not only perform but actively protect. And one of the most frequently overlooked surfaces is the floor.

From the air patients breathe to the microscopic bacteria present, flooring forms the very foundation of a healthy indoor environment. It is imperative that it is treated with the significance it truly deserves.

What to Look for When Specifying Healthcare Flooring

Not all floors are created equal. In hospitals, clinics, and wellness spaces, flooring decisions carry exceptionally high stakes. Factors like clean-ability, material composition, lifecycle, and adaptability directly impact patient safety, staff wellbeing, and long term performance.

For those designing for health, here are the essential questions to ask before making the next specification:

1. Is it Zero VOC and Free from Harmful Additives?

Volatile organic compounds and synthetic binders can compromise indoor air quality for years. Even trace chemical emissions can significantly affect respiratory health and recovery outcomes.

Prioritize:

• Flooring with Health Product Declarations (HPDs)
• Products free from VOCs, resins, epoxies, or PFAS
• Surfaces that are health grade certified and meet clinical grade performance standards
• Use of non toxic materials that support healthcare compliant specifications
• Compliance with WELL, LEED, or mindful MATERIALS standards

2. Does it Address the Floor to Wall Transition?

The junction where the floor meets the wall is notoriously challenging to keep clean and critically important for preventing microbial buildup. A 90 degree corner invites grime, whereas a smooth curved radius helps eliminate it.

Prioritize:

• Preformed cove base systems
• Seamless curved transitions that eliminate dirt trapping angles
• Modular formats that reduce potential failure points and chemical dependency

3. How Is It Cleaned and With What?

If a material relies on waxes, sealants, or harsh disinfectants to maintain cleanliness, it is working against the health of the environment. The most effective surfaces require less effort and fewer chemicals to remain safe.

Prioritize:

• Stain and chemical resistant materials
• Surfaces that support neutral pH cleaning
• No need for waxes, stripping, or aggressive solvents
• Materials that align with infection control protocols and reduce chemical exposure

4. Is It Designed with Circularity in Mind?

Sustainability in healthcare extends beyond just recycled content. It is about intelligent circular materials and low impact systems built to last. Flooring should be responsibly sourced, modular, and recyclable wherever possible.

Prioritize:

• Materials with pre consumer recycled content
• Low carbon flooring with minimal embodied energy
• Repairable and replaceable formats that reduce future waste
• End of life transparency or reusability

5. Will It Adapt as the Facility Evolves?

Healthcare environments are dynamic. Rooms change, use shifts, and systems age. Flooring should support this evolution, not hinder it.

Prioritize:

• Modular tiles or panels that allow for targeted repair
• Cove base options that integrate seamlessly across various space types
• Finishes and formats that evolve with spatial demands and aesthetics

Eco Terr Terrazzo Sanitary Cove BaseThe Smart Solution: Eco Terr Terrazzo Sanitary Cove Base

At CoveringsETC, we believe even the smallest architectural details should serve a larger purpose by supporting health, sustainability, and enduring design. This conviction led to the development of the Eco Terr Terrazzo Sanitary Cove Base, a seamless circular solution engineered for today's most demanding environments.

This is not merely a trim piece. It is a high performance transition system that brings the durability of terrazzo and the logic of hygienic design to every corner.

Why It Matters:

• Seamless Hygiene and Elegant Curves The integrated concave profile eliminates 90 degree junctions where dirt, moisture, and bacteria typically accumulate. This supports superior sanitation standards in healthcare, food service, laboratories, and public restrooms.
• Terrazzo Durability Built to Last Crafted from CoveringsETC’s proprietary Eco Terr mix, this cove base resists impact, stains, and chemicals. It performs exceptionally well under heavy foot traffic and rigorous cleaning protocols.
• Sustainably Designed Contains up to 100 percent recycled content Zero VOC formulation for better indoor air quality PFAS free, fully recyclable, and part of CoveringsETC’s Circular Economy strategy Uses circular materials to reduce extraction and waste Contributes to LEED and WELL certification pathways Designed to lower embodied carbon and support low carbon flooring goals
• Visual Continuity Designed to match or complement CoveringsETC’s Eco Terr tile and slab collections, the Eco Terr Terrazzo Sanitary Cove Base provides a unified aesthetic across projects, including the striking Silverado Black finish or other custom tones.

This is more than just a flooring accessory. It is a complete system designed for the highest standards of hygiene and the future of sustainable design.

It Is Time to Specify Differently

The goal extends beyond merely meeting code. It is about designing environments that actively support healing, improve air quality, and deliver long term performance.

Eco Terr Cove Base makes this possible by uniting form, function, and environmental responsibility in one clean curved line. Better materials make better spaces. Better spaces support better outcomes.

Explore Eco Terr Cove Base and Eco Terr Tile in Silverado Black to transform your next healthcare project www.coveringsetc.com