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Can Companies Benefit in Green Rating Systems by Using Recycled Furniture?
Carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability continue to dominate the new green movement. Governments have put in place strict carbon policies in recent years in an attempt to reduce our reliance on the burning of fossil fuels. The aim is to significantly cut national carbon emissions by 2050, and businesses are expected to play a role in these plans.
The U.S. Green Building Council (usgbc.org) are helping to drive this ambition forward. They have created the LEED rating system as a way to quantify and manage the environmental impact of any building. The certificates when issued are then verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (gbci.org). Their system covers both businesses and residential properties and the rating system has categories for everything from the initial construction of the building through to the furniture and fittings.
Using Recycled Furniture To Score Extra Points
The LEED rating system scale has a maximum of 110 points. For a company to be certified it must be awarded at least 40 points (homes need to earn 45 points from a maximum of 136 points).
Businesses are rated as follows:
- Certified 40–49 points
- Silver 50–59 points
- Gold 60–79 points
- Platinum 80 points and above
There are 8 categories that are rated in the LEED system (maximum points for each category in brackets):
- Energy and Atmosphere (35)
- Sustainable Sites (26)
- Indoor Environmental Quality (15)
- Materials and Resources (14)
- Water Efficiency (10)
- Innovation in Design (6)
- Regional “Bonus” Credits (4)
Most of these categories need to be addressed during the planning and construction phases for a new business site. However, Materials and Resources includes furniture and appliances. The Materials and Resources category covers:
- Waste source reduction, reuse and recycling;
- Acknowledges material that are sustainably grown, produced and transported.
If a business makes good use of recycled office furniture and also sources new furniture from sustainable resources it may be able to score more points in the Materials and Resources category. The rules of the categories are reviewed every year, and while the currently emphasis is on construction materials, furnishings may start to play a more important role in the future.
BREEAM
Another rating system is BREEAM. BREEAM is short for Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method. It was developed in the UK, and like LEED it is a voluntary rating system that has now been adopted in many countries.
Unlike LEED, BREEAM can specifically be used in refurbishment projects. The use of locally sourced materials and responsible waste management are central to the BREEAM system, so furnishing an office with sustainable and reclaimed furniture can help you to score some extra points.
BREEAM recommend that clients consult a BREEAM assessor prior to starting an office refurbishment to ensure that their plans will provide certification. BREEAM are happy to assist in these circumstances.
How Can LEED / BREEAM Benefit Your Business?
Attract New Business
Many businesses wish to operate in a more sustainable and responsible way, and one of the easiest ways to achieve this is to do business with companies that have already proven themselves to be green. Certification really can be good for business, although you do have to work on promoting your green credentials.
Cost Efficiency
By reducing your carbon footprint your business can reduce utility bills. Heating or air conditioning are two of the biggests costs for any business that employs many staff in an office environment. By improving insulation with improved building materials you can save money in the long term.
Marketing
Some businesses have used LEED to their commercial advantage. Over the last year it has become almost common practice for any business that has been awarded a LEED Green Building Certificate to issue a press release. Press releases are often picked up by local media and can be a good way for a business to reach out to a wider audience. In July 2012 the USGBC announced that LEED Certified building stock had risen to 2 billion square feet globally. Each month more countries are adopting the system and sustainability in the workplace, which is not only good for the environment, it is also great for marketing. Only last month (September 2012) Skanska was in the news as it became the first company in Poland to be awarded the highest rating, the LEED Platinum certificate.
Which Is Best?
BREEAM is still dominant in the UK, mostly because it is well adapted to UK legislation, whereas LEED is certainly expanding internationally at a great rate. Both systems provide a good framework for building a sustainable and carbon neutral business, although both still put more emphasis in the initial construction rather than the longer term management of the building.
As both systems charge for applications it is important to first consult each body to check that your plans will provide you with additional points.
Donald Parfew works with LAM Office, a Portsmouth-based used office furniture recycler and supplier, to help businesses reduce their carbon footprint whilst saving money.
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