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Long-Term Thinking

Terrazzo Floors That Save Money and Energy

“Terrazzo offers a lot of assets that are both fiscally and environmentally friendly,” said Robyn Toth of TCA Architects, who led its specification in three Maryland schools. Working with the school district, she highlighted terrazzo’s long-term cost advantage and life-cycle savings, showing that in high-traffic, high-visibility school environments, terrazzo outperforms alternatives like VCT while supporting sustainable, budget-conscious design decisions.

These qualities—durability, low maintenance, and energy efficiency—translate beyond schools. Terrazzo lowers operating costs, conserves energy, and simplifies maintenance, supporting long-term sustainability goals. According to Tarkett’s Flooring Life Cycle Cost Analysis Tool (LCCA), the national average for terrazzo maintenance costs is estimated at $0.56 per square foot annually, compared with $1.35 for VCT. For a 25,000-square-foot floor, that equates to $14,000 annually for terrazzo versus $33,700 for VCT.

Guilford Park High School

Over a 30-year lifespan, total life-cycle costs for terrazzo amount to about $747,200, while VCT reaches $1 million. Factoring in maintenance, break-even with VCT occurs in roughly 12.6 years—around the time a high-traffic VCT floor may already require replacement.

Polished terrazzo also reflects natural light and may help reduce reliance on artificial lighting, while terrazzo over concrete provides thermal mass, absorbing and gradually releasing heat to stabilize indoor temperatures and reduce HVAC loads. These energy benefits, combined with durability and low maintenance, make terrazzo a fiscally and environmentally responsible flooring choice for long-term operational efficiency and sustainability.

Hanover Elementary
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