Passmore Elementary School - Mohawk Group

d e s
it’s all about performance
i g n design + performance + service
PASSING TEST AFTER TEST
FOR 30+ YEARS.

30+ YEARS
PASSMORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
FACULTY II
Faculty II withstood three decades
of daily punishment from elementary
students and continued to maintain
it’s original appearance.
When Lees ® introduced Faculty II ® with our Unibond ® backing system, we knew it was a carpet that
had lasting performance. In this case, more than thirty years of lasting performance. That’s how long
Faculty II performed at Passmore Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas. Installed in 1972, the carpet
withstood millions of foot traffics. And yet it still retained the appearance of a new carpet.
This incredible story begins more than thirty years ago. In order to complete their
new elementary school, officials at the Northside Independent School District needed just one last thing:
a carpet they could rely on. The carpet would be installed throughout the entire school, including
classrooms, corridors, the library, and administrative areas. The District’s requirements for the carpet were
that it would not ravel or delaminate once installed, be easy to maintain, hide soiling, withstand the daily
rigors and punishment of elementary school-age students, and retain its original appearance for a
minimum of 10 years.
Lees gave them more than thirty.
Selected primarily to enhance the design and other interior features of the school, Faculty II’s
minimalist, heathered multilevel loop texture achieved the school’s design requirements of a subtle yet
appealing carpet that would still be able to perform optimally for many years.

PERFORMANCE BACKED WITH HISTORY
1971
The Unibond ® backing system is one of the major reasons for the incredible performance of Faculty II ® . Introduced more than 30 years ago, Unibond is still the best
selling high-performance backing system in the world. Its unique thermoplastic construction prevents water from negatively affecting the backing’s performance. Seam
sealers are not necessary for edge ravel resistance. And, since Unibond is a completely synthetic material, it does not act as a food source or promote the growth of mold.
Introduced as the first high-performance thermoplastic backing, Unibond has continued to offer industry-leading performance as it has evolved into an
environmentally sustainable product. It’s no wonder this revolutionary backing system is specified more often than any other – since 1971, more than 300 million
yards of carpet featuring Unibond backing have been installed. Additionally, Unibond has won numerous environmental and pollution prevention awards, making it
the clear leader in performance and sustainability.
INDEPENDENT LABORATORY TEST RESULTS
-ASTM Test method D1335-03, standard test method for wet and dry tuft bind-
After more than 30 years of use the Faculty II carpet was removed and replaced with Faculty IV ® . The Faculty II that was removed from the school was sent
to an independent laboratory, Commercial Testing Company, to determine the current state of the Unibond backing system’s structural integrity. More than
30 years later and after millions of foot traffics, countless spills and hot water extractions, the Unibond backing on the Faculty II removed
from Passmore Elementary retained a tuft bind strength of more than 21 pounds in a wet or dry state. The tests prove that Unibond’s
thermoplastic construction did not degrade after more than 30 years of use. This time-tested, proven performance gives Lees the
confidence to offer our exclusive, non-prorated, lifetime warranty.
UNIBOND
backing
introduced
as the 1st
high-performance
thermoplastic
backing system
“The carpet was installed in the school more
than 30 years ago, and today it looks as new
as it did when it was first installed.”
Vince Flores,
Maintenance Supervisor
for the Northside
Independent School District
DURACOLOR
1977
Lees offers
10-year
non-prorated performance
warranty
Lees ® offers
5-year
non-prorated
performance
warranty
1982
1984
Surpassed
100 million
square
yards
installed
1987
Lees offers
Lifetime
non-prorated
performance
warranty
Surpassed 200
million square
yards installed
Since 1991, Lees has significantly improved the performance of all our carpets with Duracolor, the industry’s only patented, permanent stain resistance system.
This unique technology is not a mere topical treatment, but an actual change in the ionic polarity of each carpet fiber – a change that repels 96% of all staining
agents. Duracolor will never wash or wear away. If Passmore Elementary can enjoy more than 30 years of like-new appearance
from a Lees carpet without this stain resistance technology, just imagine the performance you’ll enjoy from a new Lees carpet with
the permanent stain resistance that only Duracolor delivers.
1991
Duracolor ®
stain resistance
system
introduced
1993
1995
Carpet and
Rug Institute
Green Label
approval
1999
UNIBOND
backing
converted to
renewable
resource,
reduces use of
petrochemicals
by 10 million
pounds
annually
Surpassed
300 million
square
yards
installed
2000
2001
UNIBOND
backing receives
Businesses for
the Bay
Honorable
Mention—
Large Business
Pollution
Prevention
Award
2002
SCS Certified
to contain at
least 20%
post-consumer
recycled content
by total
product weight

MORE THAN THIRTY YEARS AND THE SAME CARPET LATER
Faculty II ® exceeded the school district’s requirements because it was engineered with the best backing system and fiber system
available. Antron ® Legacy Nylon is the premiere fiber system for long-term performance. The major fiber problems associated with
carpet in high traffic schools: soiling, crushing, matting and premature wear, were eliminated because of the Antron Legacy Nylon.
Antron Legacy has been engineered to be more resilient, to resist crushing and to release soil easier than all other nylons. The carpet at
the Passmore school was also easier and less expensive to maintain due to the unique four-hole hollow filament Antron Legacy Nylon.
The microphotographs show the superior performance of the Antron Legacy Type 6.6 Nylon compared to cheaper mill extruded
type 6 nylons. While the mill extruded nylon is cheaper to purchase, it retains much more soil, making it more
expensive to maintain. Mill extruded nylons are also less resilient to wear, causing premature traffic patterns.
ACTUAL LIFE CYCLE COSTS FOR PASSMORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
-Lees Faculty II compared to typical carpet-
The figures below are based on a 10,000-yard installation of typical carpet, with an average replacement cycle of five-to-seven
years, compared to Lees Faculty II, which performed for more than 30 years at Passmore Elementary School in San Antonio, Texas.
Faculty II is a high performance carpet, constructed with Unibond ® and Antron Legacy Nylon. Antron Legacy Nylon is less
expensive to maintain than all other nylons. This gives Lees Faculty II an average maintenance cost of $1.15 per square yard
compared to $1.40 per square yard for typical carpet.
*Even though the initial investment for Lees Faculty II carpet was 15% more than typical carpet, typical carpet
is 81% more expensive to own than Faculty II. Lees Faculty II saved Passmore Elementary School $667, 500.
LEES FACULTY II Year 1 Years 2-30 Year 31 SubTotal
Purchase $150,000 $0 $150,000 $300,000
Removal Disposal $30,000 $0 $30,000 $60,000
Installation $50,000 $0 $50,000 $100,000
Maintenance $11,500 $333,500 $11,500 $356,500
US Headquarters Toll-Free: 800 523-5647
European Headquarters: U.K. 44 1480-471471, Toll-Free: 44 0800-515673
3330 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, NC 27410
www.leescarpets.com
©2004 Lees Carpets A Division of Mowhawk Industries, Inc. 7453 - 1/04 - 10,000
Antron ® Legacy Nylon
4-Hole Hollow Filament
1,023M traffics
Vacuumed
(Note soil releaseability
and fiber integrity)
Total Cost of
Ownership:
Lees Faculty II
$816,500
TYPICAL CARPET Year 1 Year 7 Year 14 Year 21 Year 28 SubTotal
Purchase $130,000 $130,000 $130,000 $130,000 $130,000 $650,000
Removal Disposal $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $150,000
Installation $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 $250,000
Mill Extruded Type 6 Nylon
Trilobal Filament
1,023M traffics
Vacuumed
(Note extreme
soil trapment and
fiber degradation)
Years 1-7 Years 8-14 Years 15-21 Years 22-28 Years 29-31 Maintenance Cost
Maintenance $98,000 $98,000 $98,000 $98,000 $42,000 $ $434,000
Total Cost of
Ownership:
Typical Carpet
$1,484,000*