The First Facility Management Blog

Wright Line, a manufacturer of enclosures and airflow management systems for data centers, as well as command and control consoles and other furniture for technology-intensive work applications, has announced that a number of its products have been certified to meet the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) standards for products from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). Through this designation, Wright Line is giving its customers the ability to create healthier environments while bringing them closer to achieving Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) points.

The Profile® Advanced Console System is GREENGUARD certified.

Wright Line’s Compass™, LINX®, LMS™, Optimedia®, Profile®, TechBench™ and TechCart™ product lines now hold the GREENGUARD Certification. The process to attain the third-party GREENGUARD Certification stamp of approval requires rigorous testing to determine if the individual components that make up the final products consist of low-emitting materials. (Shown here is the Profile® Advanced Console System.)

“Green has become a key in product selection and we are thrilled to have attained this designation from the GEI. As we work with business owners, as well as specifying members of the architect, design and engineering communities, on new construction projects we will certainly tout this important certification,” stated Wright Line CEO, Ed Bednarcik. The 75 year old company is headquartered in Worcester, MA.

Said Dr. Marilyn Black, Founder of GEI, “The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute applauds Wright Line on its commitment to furthering our mission of improving indoor air quality. When certified Wright Line products are integrated into any facility, building owners can be assured that the products they are purchasing are healthy for their indoor environments.”

For a complete listing of certified Wright Line models, view the GREENGUARD Online Product Guide and search for Wright Line. Each product is linked to a printable certificate that verifies GREENGUARD Certification, which is approved by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for LEED project submission.

The Jasper, IN manufacturer received the certification for products in its Promise, Centennial, Revolutions, and Madera desk and casegoods lines. The products have also been found to meet the BIFMA standards for low-emitting office furniture systems and earn points for LEED Credit 4.5. (Seen here is a part of the Promises casegoods line.)

“We are pleased to welcome Indiana Furniture as a participating manufacturer in the GREENGUARD Certification Program,” stated Marilyn Black, founder of GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. “By attaining this certification, Indiana Furniture continues to show its leadership in addressing concerns of the community.”

According to the company, once cured by UV light, the finish on the products won’t emit toxins, formaldehyde, or solvents into the air. “Our investment in UV advantage is part of Indiana Furniture’s continued interest in using leading edge technology in pursuit of responsible environmental practices,” says Rich Slayton, president and CEO.

Beyond being earth friendly, adds Slayton, the UV advantage finish is earning kudos for durability—earning a 5 out of 5 rating in durability testing. It’s extremely hard—practically impervious to scratches, water stains, and most chemicals. And the finish won’t darken or yellow with age.

With the GREENGUARD certification in place, the company will expand its offering of the environmentally safe finish to further product lines. “We want to make it simple and affordable to specify products that contribute to creating more healthful places for people to work,” says Slayton.

New York-based Turner Construction recently conducted a study with Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC to gauge the scheduling–and therefore financial–benefits of using Dens™ Brand paperless, moisture-resistant gypsum products.

Paperless gypsum panels are designed as a replacement for paper-faced panels in commercial and residential buildings. Dens Brand panels from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum have fiberglass mats front and back that provide superior moisture and mold resistance compared to traditional paper-faced panels.

In the study, Turner used advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) software to model an assisted living facility in the Northeast to identify and show how significant efficiencies in the sequence and construction process can benefit architects, general contractors and building owners. Model construction of the $90 million commercial project showed that installing moisture- and mold-resistant DensArmor Plus® interior drywall from Georgia-Pacific Gypsum accelerated the construction process by up to 10 weeks. The potential savings in both time and money were a result of being able to install the gypsum panels earlier in the construction cycle before a structure is fully enclosed, allowing crews to work simultaneously and compressing schedules.

“Because of their overall durability and resistance to moisture, using Dens products in specific applications before the building has been dried in has proven to help accelerate the completion time of the project and without the fear of moisture damage that is seen with regular drywall,” said Edward V. McNeill, senior vice president, operations, Turner Construction.

“The results show benefits for all parties involved in the construction process,” said Leo Bissonnette, general manager for Georgia-Pacific Gypsum. “By building from the inside out with these moisture-resistant gypsum products, general contractors potentially can complete projects ahead of schedule, and building owners have an opportunity to generate faster cash flow by moving paying occupants in more quickly.”

“BIM helps everyone involved visualize the value of paperless gypsum products, from the architect to the owner,” continues Bissonnette. “Our products can make a difference in the development, construction and the life of a building. That not every project will realize such significant results and costs savings will vary by project.”

Ultimately, the facility will be constructed with two Dens Brand products, including the flagship DensGlass Gold® exterior sheathing, which now features a 12-month weather exposure limited warranty, and DensArmor Plus interior drywall, which has a six-month weather exposure limited warranty.

DensArmor Plus interior drywall is also the only drywall product in the industry to be GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® and GREENGUARD Children & Schoolssm Certified. These prestigious certifications, from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, recognize indoor products that have low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). DensArmor Plus is also listed as a GREENGUARD microbial-resistant product.

DENSGLASS GOLD and DENSARMOR PLUS are trademarks of Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.

The Green Bay, WI-based company received GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification® for low emitting products by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) for recent introductions.

Added to the list of KI’s already GREENGUARD certified products:
Two classroom seating collections, Dorsal® and Intellect Wave™; two lines of tables, Inquire® and Athens®; storage collection, Smart Touch™; and the new Strive® Seating Collection.

GREENGUARD Certification is a referenced standard for furniture and other interior product manufacturers specified in projects based upon the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System.

“As more facility managers seek LEED certification, they need environmentally friendly products that can help them achieve it,” said Norman Nance, IIDA, AP, vice president-marketing, KI. “KI is continuing to design furniture that encompasses customers’ needs for products that are safe, aesthetically pleasing, affordable, and help earn points toward LEED certification.”

To achieve GREENGUARD Certification, each product passed a series of demanding tests required by GEI that determined the products have low chemical emissions. GEI will monitor these products each quarter to ensure it maintains low emitting status.

GEI’s methodology for testing and certifying furniture was developed and validated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Technology Verification Program. Realistic, worst-case configurations of a product’s components and materials are developed and placed in the environmental testing chambers.