Flooring Sustainability Summit Reveals Speaker Lineup
ARLINGTON, VA -- The Flooring Sustainability Summit, taking place July 15 and 16, 2026, in Washington, DC, will give participants an inside look at the latest sustainability strategies and frameworks shaping the built environment. Summit Education, supported by Schluter Systems, will include discussions and workshops on material health transparency, circularity, specification tools and supply chain alignment. To support deeper engagement, a July 14th Pre-Summit Primer sponsored by Coverings and led by WAP Sustainability, International Living Future Institute, mindful MATERIALS, USGBC, and American Institute of Architects (AIA), will prepare attendees for the event’s in-depth panel discussions, many of which have been approved as Health, Safety and Welfare (HSW) continuing education courses by the AIA, offering a total of seven learning units.
In addition to keynote speakers George Bandy, Jr., who has led sustainability initiatives at Andersen Corporation, Amazon, Mohawk and Interface, and Cheryl Durst -- CEO of the International Interior Design Association -- influential voices from architecture, green building, manufacturing, distribution and government will share valuable perspectives on the future of sustainability within the flooring industry.
High-level briefings will be provided by:
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce — Chuck Chaitovitz
- Confindustria Ceramica, on the EU — Marco Caselli
- ASTM International — Andy Kireta
- Grace Farms/Design for Freedom — Nora Rizzo
- Green Building Initiative — Jenna Hamilton
- U.S. Green Building Council — Lana Crouse
- American Society of Interior Designers — Lindsey Koren
The program also includes panel sessions and discussions, as well as a pre-summit primer on July 14th:
Pre-Summit Primer: Getting Up to Speed on Today’s Green Building Standards and Initiatives Affecting the Flooring Industry (2.5 AIA HSW CEU)
Speakers:
- Jon Smieja, WAP Sustainability
- Mike Johnson, International Living Future Institute
- Anthony Guerrero, mindful MATERIALS
- Abby Campillo, U.S. Green Building Council
- Melanie De Cola, American Institute of Architects
Inside the Architect’s Studio: Sustainable Flooring Decisions, Decoded
Leading architects discuss how they select flooring and architectural surfaces, sharing the sustainability data, green building standards, tools and frameworks that guide their decisions, as well as product transparency challenges and how better collaboration between designers and the flooring industry can advance health, safety and sustainability goals.
Speakers:
- Scott Conwell, IMI (Moderator)
- Mike Johnson, Hickok Cole
- Eleanor Choi, SmithGroup
- Jason deChambeau, KCCT
- Allison Smith, HKS
Flooring Manufacturers’ Voyage: Navigating Sustainability in Carpet, Ceramic, Laminate, Stone, Vinyl, Wood and Other Surface Coverings
Representatives from across flooring categories will discuss how their industries are advancing sustainability while meeting evolving design, performance and marketplace expectations. Topics include embodied carbon, recycled content, recyclability, circular design, durability and health and equity considerations, along with current priorities around transparency, standards conformance, climate, and social goals. Attendees will gain insight into the shared challenges and opportunities shaping flooring sustainability and potential areas for industry collaboration.
Speakers:
- William Paddock, WAP Sustainability (Moderator)
- Kirk Roberts, Bona
- Dan Marvin, Schluter Systems
- Sarah Gregg, Natural Stone Institute
- Tim Cole, Windmoeller Inc.
- Jamie Shaw, Karndean
- Shane Totten, Mannington
- Justin Hicks, Mohawk
The LCA Tool Sandbox: Understanding Tools for LCAs, EPDs, Material Databases and Specifications
This session will demystify the complex ecosystem of sustainability software, databases and platforms used to create, manage and apply LCA and EPD data. Panelists will explain how data flows from foundational datasets into assessment tools, product transparency platforms and specification resources, while clarifying where tools overlap and where they differ. Designed as an interactive open forum, the discussion will help manufacturers, designers and specifiers better understand how these systems support informed decision-making and effective industry engagement.
Speakers:
- Dr. Eleazar Resurreccion, Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Moderator)
- Anthony Guerrero, mindful MATERIALS
- Paul Shahriari, Ecomedes
- Alison Kinn, Building Transparency
- Spencer Jarrett, OneClick LCA
- William Paddock, WAP Sustainability
Bridging the Gap: A Panel-Led Open Forum Bringing Manufacturers, Distributors, Retailers and Installers Together to Strategize Next Steps
This interactive capstone session explores how stronger collaboration across the flooring supply chain can advance sustainability goals from specification through installation. Representatives from manufacturing, distribution, retail, contracting and installation will discuss communication gaps, operational challenges and opportunities to better align sustainability priorities, including embodied carbon, circularity, health and equity with real-world project delivery. Audience participation will drive practical conversation toward actionable solutions and stronger industry alignment.
Speakers:
- Ian Heptonstall, Supply Chain School
- Chris Walker, David Allen Company, Inc. (representing installers)
- Bill Griese, Tile Council of North America (representing manufacturers)
- Nelson Russom, Turner Construction (representing general contractors)
- Scott Levy, Ceramic Tile Distributors Association (representing distributors)
- Adam Davies, Floor&Decor (representing retailers)
- Jonathan North, Mohawk (representing manufacturers)
Additional program details and registration information can be found at: www.FlooringSummit.com.
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