Sustainable Sports Flooring Built to Perform
Build a High-Performance Floor That Performs for the Planet
Learn About Our Sustainability EffortsSustainability Starts in the Forest
Responsibly Managed Northern Hardwood Forests
Connor® Sports maple sports flooring begins in sustainably managed North American forests, where regeneration consistently exceeds harvest. According to MFMA research northern hardwood forests supplying sports flooring prioritize long-term forest health, biodiversity, and responsible yield management.
Unlike extractive or petrochemical-based flooring systems, maple hardwood is renewable, biodegradable, and regionally sourced, reducing transportation emissions while supporting domestic forestry economies. These forests are managed to ensure continuous regrowth, resulting in net-zero or better carbon outcomes over time
Aligned With Industry Sustainability Leadership
Connor® Sports sustainability principles align with the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association (MFMA) and peer-reviewed forestry and lifecycle research, including the MFMA Sustainability Initiative, USDA Forest Service hardwood lifecycle studies, and American Hardwood Export Council LCA tools.
This ensures Connor® Sports floors meet not just performance expectations, but science-based environmental benchmarks. By grounding sustainability claims in independently developed research and transparent assessment frameworks, Connor® Sports provides project teams with confidence that environmental goals are supported by verified data, not marketing assumptions. This alignment helps facilities make informed material selections that balance athletic performance, durability, and long-term environmental responsibility.
Carbon Storage That Outperforms Alternatives
Maple Flooring as a Carbon Sink
Hard maple sports flooring does more than reduce emissions, it actively stores carbon.. MFMA data shows the average maple sports floor stores approximately 51 metric tons of CO₂, keeping carbon locked out of the atmosphere for the life of the floor and beyond.
In contrast, synthetic athletic flooring alternatives rely on fossil-fuel-derived materials that emit carbon during production and disposal, with no long-term sequestration benefit. Maple hardwood retains up to 80% of its stored carbon over its service life, often exceeding 75 years.
Verified Environmental Product Declarations
Connor® Sports aligns with industry-recognized Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) developed in accordance with ISO 14025 and ISO 21930 standards. Independent LCAs evaluate impacts from cradle-to-grave, including:
Raw material extraction
Manufacturing and transportation
Installation and use phase
The industry-average engineered wood flooring EPD demonstrates lower global warming potential (GWP) and non-renewable energy use compared to non-wood alternatives over a 75-year reference service life
Durability Is Sustainability
Longevity That Reduces Replacement Cycles
True sustainability includes how long a floor performs. Maple sports floors are routinely refinished, not replaced—extending useful life beyond 75 years in many facilities. Fewer replacement cycles mean:
Less material waste
Reduced embodied carbon over time
Lower total cost of ownership
Synthetic alternatives often require full replacement after 15–25 years, increasing landfill impact and lifecycle emissions. Longevity remains one of maple’s most overlooked sustainability advantages
Healthier Indoor Athletic Environments
Natural Materials, Reduced Chemical Exposure
Maple sports flooring does not contain toxic organochlorines or PVC-based compounds commonly found in synthetic athletic surfaces. This contributes to improved indoor air quality in gymnasiums, fieldhouses, and multipurpose athletic spaces.
Natural wood systems reduce long-term chemical off-gassing concerns and align with child- and athlete-focused facility standards where health, safety, and performance intersect.