Desks designed for Green Building LEEDS

Desks Designed For Green Buildings

• ADHESIVES (laminates) Nontoxic water-based adhesives emit no VOCs
• EDGING Nontoxic water-based sealant
• LEGS Cold-rolled steel, 30-100% recycled content
• ADHESIVES for metal Hot melt glue: solvent and carcinogenic free, no VOCs
• LAMINATE SURFACE Kraft paper and phenolic resin; 30-40% recycled content
• DESKTOPS Wood Substrate: 100% recycled milling by-products Certified Wood: Wood fibers from "Forest Stewardship Council" certified suppliers
• METAL FINISHES Electrostatically applied polyester powder coating emits no VOCs
• PRIVACY Polyester fabric:100% recycled content

Additional elements of sustainable products design stems from the inherent durability and flexibility of our furniture. We build adjustable furniture that lasts, which prolongs its life cycle, facilitates re-use, and conserves the resources required to replace them.

Kare Products Ergonomic Office Furniture provides owners with more than a good feeling about the environmental friendliness of their furniture. Our products actually help buildings meet nationally recognized standards for sustainable design. Foremost among these is the USGBC's LEED rating system, which evaluates environmental performance and provides a definitive standard for what constitutes a "green building."

We have made great strides in utilizing environmentally safe recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible in all of of our designs. As a result, these products can help owners fulfill as many as eight LEED "Green Building" certification criteria.

For many facilities, these credits could make certification possible or facilitate the difference between basic and higher-level (i.e., platinum) certification. For customers wishing to maximize the credits accumulated in their office furnishings, our process enables the cost-effective development of specialized solutions incorporating certified, rapidly renewable, low emitting raw materials with the highest percentage of recycled/recyclable content available today.

Recycled Content: (credits available for achieving 25% and 50% content by weight)

Cold-rolled steel used in our desk supports and toecap rods has a recycled content range from 30 to 100%, primarily from automobiles. This material is 100% recyclable.

The wood fiber substrate material used in our desks and other components is 100% recycled industrial by-product from milling operations and is 100% recyclable.

The high-pressure standard-finish laminates are primarily comprised of Kraft paper, which contains approximately 40% recovered materials. Customers can specify alternative surface materials with higher recycled content.

The thermoplastic flexible PVC edging material is comprised of 10 to 15% recycled material and is 100% recyclable. Recycled PVC is used in used in siding, drain pipes, carpets, and other products.

All fabrics used in privacy screens, acoustical panels are comprised of 100% recycled polyester reclaimed from plastic bottles. This material is in turn 100% recyclable.

Customers in search of renewable content in the furniture can specify innovative materials that meet this standard. For example, the innovative use of Bamboo for work surface applications.

Mills providing processed wood fiber for low and high density substrates have been certified via Forest Stewardship Council guidelines.

The standard finish on all metal parts is electrostatically applied polyester powder coating, an inert compound that emits no VCOs.

Customer seeking to accumulate the maximum available LEED credits can specify composite wood substrates that contain no added urea-formaldehyde resins.

Our furniture delivers environmentally friendly products manufactured with sustainable and constantly improving processes. We are proud of our practices and continue to integrate new procedures that soften our impact on the environment. In all areas of the factory we have been able to "design out" hazardous and non-sustainable material and processes in favor of safer methods including:

for our laminates and fabrics

for end caps, handles, toecaps, etc- replacing mastic glues that contained carcinogens and solvents.

steam-cleaning process produces water that is reclaimed, filtered, and reused.

standard metal components are finished using an electrostatic powder coat baking process that emits no VOCs

sugar has replaced sand as a blast medium in high-pressure metal finishing processes, eliminating the discharge of toxic particles and producing an environmentally neutral dust.

basic edges designs are finished using a solvent-free and VOC free lacquer.

non-intrusive cleaning products such as Simple Green are used throughout the manufacturing facility.

products are protected in shipping with reusable blanket wrapping. Where further protection is required 100% recyclable honeycomb cardboard is used instead of foam

Green Buildings Pay Off

Green buildings pay off in productivity Investments in green buildings pay for themselves 10 times over, according to a new study for 40 California agencies.

The cost-benefit analysis study was conducted by the Capital Group, Lawrence Berkley Laboratory and participating California state agencies. With this study, the California Department of Finance has signed off on the existence of financial benefits associated with improved health productivity and lowered operations and maintenance costs in green buildings. The California Board of Regents also drew on the early findings of this study to push for all state higher education new construction to be green

This study, drawing on national data for 100 green buildings and an in-depth review of several hundred existing studies, found that sustainable buildings are a very cost-effective investment.