| I know that green is in these days, and I don’t | | | | place to live and work." |
| mean the color, but living green as in environmentally | | | | LEED looks at five key areas of human and |
| friendly. For those of us who thought doing | | | | environmental health, and one of those categories is |
| something good for the environment meant recycling | | | | indoor environmental quality, and this includes how |
| our milk cartons, cereal boxes and tomato sauce | | | | the building is furnished. There are more ways that |
| cans and riding our bike occasionally, the extent of | | | | your modular office furniture can be environmentally |
| the "green" industry may be a bit of a surprise. Not | | | | friendly that you may realize. LEED looks at the |
| only can you build your home to be "green", but you | | | | materials and resources of the furniture. This includes: |
| can also get "green furniture". There are even | | | | - The amount of packing material used to deliver the |
| companies who use "green" modular office furniture. | | | | items to the site. Is each piece individually boxed, or |
| As a matter of fact, Canada has a Sustainable | | | | is it delivered in a large truck wrapped in blankets? |
| Building Task Force that finalized groundbreaking | | | | - How much recycled content is in you modular office |
| environmental specs for modular office furniture | | | | furniture? |
| purchased under state contract. Several modular | | | | - Is it regionally manufactured (i.e. - within 500 miles |
| furniture manufacturers bid on the contract, which | | | | of the job site to cut down on gas transmissions)? |
| goes to show that companies did not find the idea | | | | - Are renewable materials used in the furniture? |
| outlandish and many of them had used sustainable | | | | Products made from plants that mature in 10 years |
| practices for decades. A three year contract, from | | | | or less decreases the impact on forests and longer |
| 2001 to 2004 was awarded to a US company, with | | | | life cycle plants. |
| the idea to reevaluate and upgrade the contract | | | | - Are the adhesives and finishes used on the modular |
| after that time. | | | | office furniture nontoxic? This helps to reduce |
| So what was Canada looking for in their sustainable | | | | harmful VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) |
| modular office furniture? Well, among other | | | | from the office. |
| requirements, some specifications included a high level | | | | Many companies find that with a little effort, they |
| of recycled content in components and packaging, no | | | | can start to take steps to make their furniture more |
| CFCs and HCFCs used in foam production, and | | | | environmentally friendly. After all, the environment is |
| energy efficient lighting in the work stations. | | | | not improved by one person or company doing great |
| Modular office furniture and other items in the green | | | | things, but everybody doing a little bit. |
| building industry are rated. The Leadership in Energy | | | | Now, you may be wondering what this type of |
| and Environmental Design (LEED) has a Green Building | | | | modular office furniture looks like, after all, cubicles |
| Rating System. This is a nationally accepted | | | | can already look and feel like a box! But you would |
| benchmark for design, construction and operation of | | | | be surprised. Overall, most people wouldn’t even |
| green buildings. According to the LEED web site: | | | | know that your furniture is sustainably manufactured |
| "LEED certification provides independent, third-party | | | | or made from partially recycled materials. Often |
| verification that a building project meets the highest | | | | times, items that have been remanufactured cost |
| green building and performance measures. All certified | | | | less, and some is quite modern and chic. I bet most |
| projects receive a LEED plaque, which is the nationally | | | | people would be impressed and wonder where they |
| recognized symbol demonstrating that a building is | | | | could get some too! |
| environmentally responsible, profitable and a healthy | | | | |