Hardwood flooring that purifies the air?

A Quebec-based company, Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring, has recently launched a new product that it claims will improve indoor air quality of a home. The “smart hardwood flooring” is branded Pure Genius.

“Activated by natural or artificial light and by the movement of air, the unique, high-quality intelligent flooring – which comes in a wide range of styles and finishes – continuously breaks down airborne toxins, creating a constant supply of pure air in the home,” the company says. “In fact, studies show that the air in rooms installed with Pure Genius is up to 85 per cent cleaner than spaces without the flooring.”

“Many people don’t realize the extent to which the air-tight environments in today’s homes contain pollutants and toxic contaminants, such as formaldehyde emitted from furniture, building materials and common household products,” said Nathalie Lambert, Marketing Manager of Lauzon, explaining that indoor air is often five to 10 times more polluted than outdoor air. “Poor air quality in the home causes build-up of bacteria, viruses and moulds, and may lead to allergies, fatigue and respiratory problems like asthma.”

Pure Genius is specially-formulated using a patented titanium dioxide technology that decomposes bacteria, viruses and moulds, and reduces potential carcinogens by constantly transforming toxic airborne particles into harmless water and carbon dioxide molecules, Lambert explained.

She added that, after 30 days,rooms installed with Pure Genius flooring have been shown to have a formaldehyde level of only five parts per billion (ppb), compared to 16-32.5 ppb found in a typical home. What’s more, Pure Genius helps reduce household odours such as cigarette smoke, pet urine and lingering cooking smells.

Highly washable and resistant, the flooring enables hardwood cleaners to disperse better, so “not only is the atmosphere cleaner, but the actual floor itself is cleaner,” Lambert said, adding that the technology works for as long as the finish lasts. The Pure Genius Titanium® finish has a guarantee of 30 to 35 years, depending on the collection.

“Pure Genius gives new meaning to feeling good in your home décor,” she said. “The purifying effect is so strong, that for an average 1,377-square-foot Canadian home installed with Pure Genius, it’s like having three trees in your home.”

Pure Genius flooring is available at specialty flooring retailers across Canada. The flooring retails between $5.25 to $12.75 per square foot, depending on the collection, type of flooring and style.

For more information, visit www.lauzonflooring.com