As a business unit of Kimball International, Kimball Office continues a heritage of environmental stewardship begun nearly half a century ago. It uses DfE (Design for the Environment protocols and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards to constantly improve the environmental performance of its new furniture solutions.
“We take seriously our responsibility to minimize the ecological impact of our products,” explains Douglas Prickett, Director of Sustainable Design, Kimball Office. “Recycled content, recyclability, clean materials and plant efficiency all factor into our design and manufacturing strategies.”
“Hum. Minds at Work.™,” the new workspace solution that Kimball Office is launching this year, is a good example of its DfE focus. Hum meets emission standards for indoor air quality, per the environmental standard for LEED – as do many of the company’s major lines of systems furniture, office seating, tables and storage products. Hum is manufactured using significant recycled content, including steel with post-consumer recycle content of 30%, aluminum with post-consumer recycle content of 30%, and MDF made from 100% post-industrial (pre-consumer) waste. Hum also incorporates rapidly renewable materials, such as premium wool felt. Additionally, Hum is free of PVC, chrome and CFCs; features LED lighting, which produces no heat and is 80% more energy efficient than other lighting options; and is designed for easy disassembly for end-of-life recycling.
Kimball Office is also introducing Pura™, a new ultraviolet (UV) wood finish that has virtually no VOCs and is more energy efficient than conventional finishing processes. This new finish will allow Kimball Office to secure indoor air quality certification for the full range of its wood product offerings, an industry challenge.
Kimball Office also strives to act responsibly throughout its manufacturing operations. All of the company’s factories are certified to ISO 14001 standards for energy use, emissions and waste. ISO 14001 is the international specification for an environmental management system (EMS). ISO 14001 specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects and impacts of products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation and operation of programs to meet objectives and targets, checking and corrective action, and management review. Of specific focus are energy use, global warming potential, hazardous materials and waste, as well as material and natural resource consumption, reclamation and recycling.
Kimball Office’s transport fleet has earned SmartWay certification from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for transportation initiatives that increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. Kimball Office has also received SmartWay certification as a shipper, which includes the company’s contract carriers. Additionally, Kimball Office partners with suppliers who share its commitment to sustainability. To that end, the company is part of the EPA Green Supplier Network.
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