Allsteel has received Indoor AdvantageTM Gold Certification from Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) for its Reach, Get Set, Concensys, and Sum products. These products were tested under SCS’s highest level of indoor air quality certification—Indoor Advantage Gold, which demonstrates conformance with two levels of emissions standards:
* USGBC LEED-CI Credit EQ4.5 Option B (systems furniture and seating) and BIFMA x 7.1 low-emitting office furniture and seating; and
* the State of California 01350 Special Environmental Requirements and the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS). California 01350/CHPS represent the most stringent standard in North America.
For TFM’s coverage of green purchasing, see “Green Buying Guidelines.”
Allsteel says it selected SCS, a third-party, independent organization for certifying environmental achievement in product manufacturing, because its program certifies results for individual product components in addition to fully assembled products. It also provides detailed analysis of a comprehensive range of chemicals rather than a simple pass/fail for only the most common. Allsteel notes that this level of detail enables the company to identify opportunities to work with its suppliers to improve enviromental performance along the entire supply chain.
“We looked at other certification programs before making the decision to move ahead with SCS’s Indoor Advantage,” said Scott Lesnet, Allsteel environmental affairs manager. “This certification employs the most comprehensive test protocols, and its component-based testing provides us with exceptional flexibility in designing environmentally responsible products. It’s much more effective to build in low emitting materials up front than replace problem materials at the end of the deelopment process.”
“It also allows us to help designers and clients earlier in the design process, while they’re evaluating products and finishes to specify,” says Jan Johnson, Allsteel vice president marketing. “Because we have component data, we can model the probable total emission rate of any unique combination of components and finishes while designers and clients are still deciding parts, pieces and finishes during the specification process.”
“This new testing approach allows designers and clients to select products that meet and/or exceed the most rigorous indoor air quality requirements and support the health and well-being of those who occupy work environments,” adds Lesnet.
