Less Bad is Not Good Enough: the Circular Economy and Office Furniture • Chicago Recap

Not too long ago IFMA Office Evolutionaries’ Chicago HUB and Work Design Journal held an in-person occasion on the Haworth/Chicago showroom.

On this interactive dialog, panelists and attendees explored workplace furnishings from a round financial system (CE) perspective and the insights gained have been so invaluable, we’ve recapped them up right here.

In a round financial system, merchandise and supplies are stored in circulation by way of processes like upkeep, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting.

– Ellen MacArthur Basis

 In our present linear financial system mannequin, workplace furnishings is designed, manufactured, procured, and utilized with out an built-in plan for a subsequent life. Whereas decommissioning, take again and recycling applications divert some furnishings from landfills, discarded workplace furnishings continues to be a significant contributor. The US EPA estimated in 2018 that 17 billion kilos of workplace property go to landfills every year, (Peters, 2023).

For context, the diagrams under illustrate the Linear Financial system with the “take, make, waste” mannequin the place merchandise are (by lack of design) discarded after the primary or second use. And a Round Financial system method the place merchandise are designed for long-term use/re-use and re-purposing.

A View from the Workplace Furnishings Trenches

Moderated by Cynthia Milota, Director of Office Technique at Ware Malcomb, the panelists represented company actual property/JLL; a not-for-profit commerce affiliation for the enterprise furnishings producers/BIFMA; a SaaS database of inexperienced certifications/Ecomedes and a number one sustainable furnishings producer/Haworth.

The dialog started with challenges the viewers skilled with round financial system furnishings options together with:

New furnishings is simply simpler.

There’s a notion downside with remanufactured furnishings.

Inside re-use is difficult because the left hand doesn’t know what the suitable hand is doing.

Different components included extra time and coordination issues, perceived larger prices, zero inner incentives and the inertia to vary. There was appreciable thriller surrounding the best way to begin and who may also help which our professional panelists addressed.

Start with the Finish in Thoughts

Panelists supplied a method to get began. First, set up a playboook or BAU (enterprise as typical) necessities that combine CE targets with the enterprise and procurement processes. With the enlargement of company ESG (Surroundings, Social, Governance) reporting, there’s a new stage of accountability.  Second, search partnerships with group members and distributors so that every one are working towards the identical targets and metrics.  There’s an rising worth on current furnishings inventory, not solely primarily based on first price or disposal worth. Current furnishings, constructed to final, has a excessive embedded carbon rating. This new math and values-based accounting related to furnishings is being built-in into ESG planning and reporting.

Understanding your group’s targets will information in prioritizing the place to start out. Ecomedes’ Paul Shahriari supplied his high 6 checklist:

1. Return on Funding
2. Power Financial savings
3. Water Financial savings
4. Human Well being
5. Carbon Discount
6. Round Financial system

Sustaining a clear line of communications with inner and exterior stakeholders is crucial for documenting and sustaining progress. JLL’s Annalise Dum advocated for beginning the communications as early as doable. Avoiding rampant greenwashing, panelists mentioned how circularity tales primarily based on actual metrics construct belief and accountability.

Contemplating Asset Administration Software program, that are “instruments that helps organizations monitor and handle their property all through your entire asset life cycle, from acquisition to disposal,” (Novak, 2023). These allow organizations to maximise use of furnishings property. Distributors of this SaaS (software program as a service) mannequin included Rheaply and Reseat.

Furnishings as a Service (FaaS) is an rising pattern within the US.  On this mannequin, a company primarily rents furnishings at a recurring payment (usually thought of an operational expense) with the choice to return or change merchandise because the office evolves. Whereas extra prevalent in Europe, US corporations looking for materials and power effectivity, discount in supplies consumption and carbon offsetting are exploring this mannequin. Past the CE advantages, FaaS provides old style flexibility and adaptableness, with the choice to replace (learn change out) your furnishings as your small business and worker preferences evolve.

Many furnishings producers are making large strides in product-level emission reductions methods. For instance, Haworth’s Katie Chapman shared that within the case of the Haworth Cardigan lounge chair, the froth is produced utilizing a biomass-balanced course of, which replaces conventional fossil fuel-based power sources with organic gas sources throughout manufacturing. Biomass-balanced foam reduces embodied carbon within the foam manufacturing course of by 80%.

Future laws impacting the CE and furnishings is about 10 years out, as estimated by BIFMA’s Steve Kooy. His work on Capital Hill advocating for the furnishings business and particularly round sustainable options expects legal guidelines to be enacted on a state by state foundation. For instance, the eternally chemical PFAS (the chemical present in stain regardant merchandise) utilized in carpets, rugs and after-market therapies has been banned in 8 states, with extra taking motion.

The ultimate thought

Getting began will be overwhelming however panelists steered choosing only one metric per 12 months and monitor it. Make it easy, then report and have a good time it. Then subsequent 12 months add a second metric. In the end, you’ll need to construct a narrative and talk to your audiences.

Particular thanks to the Haworth group for coordinating and internet hosting this occasion and to Work Design Journal’s writer Michelle Weiss for promotion and for this follow-up article.

References

MacArthur, E. Basis, “What’s a Round Financial system,”  Retrieved from: https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/subjects/circular-economy-introduction/overview#:~:textual content=Thepercent20circularpercent20economypercent20ispercent20a,remanufacturepercent2Cpercent20recyclingpercent2Cpercent20andpercent20composting.

Novak, J., (November 2023), “5 Finest Asset Administration Software program Of 2023,” Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/enterprise/software program/best-asset-tracking-software/

Peters, A., (July 2023),  “How Workplace Furnishings Recyclers Divert a Rising Pile From Landfills,”  Retrieved from: https://www.costar.com/article/184294338/how-office-furniture-recyclers-divert-a-growing-pile-from-landfills