Sustainable Choices in Workplace Furniture

When designing for sustainability, we need to consider the characteristics of the materials we use. How can we reduce environmental impact through materials? Selecting recycled materials, seeking out long warranties, avoiding harmful components, and choosing local manufacturers and suppliers all have a positive impact on the carbon footprint of our furnishing choices.

Popular Sustainable Materials

The natural world is miraculous, and combined with innovations in environmentally considerate material production, we have access to some incredible green furniture materials that are strong, durable, aesthetically pleasing, and highly sustainable. Identifying these materials is the first step in sustainable workplace furnishing.

Why do these sustainable materials make good choices for furniture manufacture?

• Bamboo can grow up to 91cm within 24 hours, making it one of the fastest-growing plants in the world and excellent for high-volume furniture production.

• Bamboo absorbs five times more carbon dioxide than the equivalent volume in trees and releases 35% more oxygen, making it excellent for carbon sequestration.

• Harvesting bamboo does not kill the plant when done correctly, meaning it can remain in a continuous cycle of growth and harvesting.

• One cubic metre of wood can store roughly one tonne of CO2 making wood furniture an excellent carbon sink—meaning it’s capable of storing carbon absorbed during the growth of the source trees.

• Over 90% of end-of-life steel is recycled making it one of the most recyclable materials. It can be recycled infinitely without losing its properties.

• When recycled, steel saves up to 74% of the energy otherwise required to produce new steel from raw materials.

• Roughly 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use today due to its high recyclability rate.

• When recycled, aluminium saves 95% of the energy otherwise required to make it new from scratch.

When developing a furnishing concept, we always start by focusing on reuse, repurposing, recycling, and recovering to minimise the effects of our work on energy usage.

Innovations in Sustainable Materials

Advocates for environmental stewardship are always creating new, ingenious materials that protect our environment and communities and present incredible benefits to workplace designers.

It’s our responsibility as furniture consultants to stay informed and abreast of the continuous developments in sustainable materials innovation so we can always offer the best, most effective solutions.

Creating furniture that stands the test of time, in a busy office, used by multiple different team members over the years, surviving office refurbishments, and providing the same level of quality for a long time, means fewer repairs and replacements. Fewer repairs and replacements mean less demand for materials and energy-consuming processes, for green alternatives in workplace furniture.

We favour this approach of investing in high-quality, highly suitable pieces of furniture that will set a business up for years to come. So, how does this support sustainability initiatives?

1. Reducing the need for frequent replacements reduces the demand for raw materials to manufacture new furniture.

2. Better-made furniture lasts longer because it depletes in quality more slowly. This means fewer parts replacements and less demand to produce components.

3. Longer-lasting furniture means less waste as items don’t need to be discarded for a long time, reducing the volume of material that ends up in landfills.

4. By investing in potentially a higher cost early on, the need for more frequent later purchases is eliminated, and this supports sustainable consumer behaviour.

5. A reduction in demand for raw materials reduces disruption to natural ecosystems due to activities like mining and resource extraction.

6. Sustainable furniture built for longevity is usually made from materials that can be recycled and recovered, reducing that which leaves the material lifecycle.

The design stage determines 80% of the environmental impacts of a product, so it’s vital sustainability is established early on. It’s also critical we, as furniture consultants, can identify products that are truly a good fit for sustainability in workplace design.

How is carbon footprint measured?

1. Define the scope: determine whether the assessment is cradle-to-grave, cradle-to-gate, or cradle-to-cradle.

2. Conduct a lifecycle assessment

   1. Setting objectives and defining parameters

   2. Collecting data on inputs and emissions

   3. Evaluating environmental impacts

   4. Analysing results and interpretation

3. Data collection, which considers:

   1. Raw material use

   2. Manufacturing processes

   3. Transportation

   4. Use of end product

   5. End of life (disposal)

4. Converting data into greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with standardised measurements

5. Cross-check the assessment against recognised standards

   1. ISO 14040 and ISO 14044: International standards for conducting lifecycle assessments

   2. PAS 2050: A specification for the assessment of the life cycle GHG emissions of goods and services

   3. Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Provides guidelines for GHG accounting and reporting

6. Third-party verification for credibility

How do furniture consultants assess items to reliably choose those with the smallest carbon footprint? There are certain indicators we need to look out for.

Ultimately, a furniture consultant needs to be able to seek out, identify, and source furniture that aligns with sustainability responsibilities. This is the promise we make to our clients and the value we bring to workplaces that prioritise environmental stewardship. Read more about how we approach sustainability through workplace furnishing in our blog.