EGI & Mohawk Group’s Light Lab Project Contribute to Living Future Exchange, Protecting Vital Habitat in Australia

Mohawk Group, a leading commercial flooring company, teamed up with Epsten Group, who provided sustainability consulting on Mohawk’s Light Lab Design Studio in Dalton, Georgia. The renovated design studio received Petal Certification from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) Living Building Challenge™ 2.1.

Funding from Mohawk and Epsten Group was aggregated with that from other certified projects, through ILFI’s Living Future Habitat Exchange, to fund the protection of 31 acres of high value, critical habitat in Tasmania, Australia. The protected land will be an important addition to the already existing Punchbowl Reserve, which is home to at least five threatened or endangered species and many other native flora and fauna.

“The potential that the Big Punchbowl Reserve has in protecting and restoring wildlife to the Moulting Lagoon Ramsar area is astonishing. To have helped the Mohawk Group achieve Petal Certification for their Light Lab in Dalton, Georgia, was humbling enough. To know the project contributed to the Living Habitat Exchange that is responsible for funding the protection of 12.57 hectares of critical habitat in Tasmania is truly paying it forward,” said Lauren Wallace, Principal and Director of Certifications and Consulting at EGI. “These are the ‘pinch-myself-am-I-dreaming’ kind of moments we all strive for in this industry, and EGI is nothing but grateful to have been a part of the journey.”

The property has a resident population of nationally endangered Tasmanian devils, and conceals two magnificent white-bellied sea eagle nests in its coastal bays. Other threatened species include plants, such as native broom, brooklime, and the rare endemic Tasmanian velvet-bush scattered on the woodland floor.

The International Living Future Institute is a hub for visionary programs. The Institute offers global strategies for lasting sustainability, developing grounded and relevant solutions, including green building and infrastructure solutions for projects on scales ranging from small renovations to buildings or whole communities. ILFI operates the Living Future Habitat Exchange program in cooperation with reputable conservation organizations to increase the impact of individual project donations through coordinated purchases of high-value, at risk lands.

About Epsten Group
Established in Atlanta in 1991, Epsten Group is a global leader in sustainable design, consulting, commissioning, and certification. Services include architecture, interior design, LEED consulting, energy modeling, commissioning and retro-commissioning, building envelope consulting and commissioning, roofing and waterproofing consulting, and building and product certification and reviews. The firm designs and consults on projects in commercial, institutional, government, and residential markets. For more information, please visit www.epstengroup.com.

About Mohawk Group
Mohawk Group, the world’s leading producer and distributor of quality commercial flooring, delivers industry-leading style, cutting-edge innovation, unmatched service, and superior sustainability. As the commercial division of Mohawk Industries, Mohawk Group has a heritage of craftsmanship that spans more than 130 years. The company’s enduring family of brands—Mohawk, Karastan, and Durkan—are widely regarded as the most trusted names in the commercial flooring business. Together, these brands function beautifully, delivering the perfect flooring solution for all markets and price points. Rounding out its esteemed product offering, Mohawk Group also offers a full spectrum of hard surface flooring products and installation accessories that exceed the most rigorous performance standards. For additional information, visit MohawkGroup.com or call (800) 554-6637.

Contact: Heidi Blankenship, Epsten Group, Inc., 404.577.0730, hblankenship@epstengroup.com