Green Statement And Leed Information

Environmental concern and responsible stewardship of our state, nation and planet resources compels the employees and ownership of Custom Desk and Hardwood Visuals to act with integrity and obligation to our community when dealing with the byproducts of our economic activity. For this reason, we are committed to business practices that support sustainability, recycling and air quality.

Sustainability
Wood is a natural biodegradable material of low toxicity and unmatched natural beauty. Alternative materials used as wood substitutes often incur environmental impacts of even greater consequence than those posed by wood, whether certified¹ or not. We seek and encourage suppliers who are environmentally responsible by their offering certified forest products for our use.

Most of Custom Desk and Hardwood Visuals production materials are a 90-95% particleboard composition that is sourced from foresters participating in the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (a program of the American Forest and Paper Association)² and 100% composed of pre-consumer recycled and recovered wood fibers.

Custom Desk is a member of the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI, http://www.awinet.org), and supports with AWI the goals of sustainable management and renewability for the world’s forests, as well as endorsing the various forest certification programs currently evolving.

Recycling
All waste dust, fiber, scraps and cardboard is collected for recycling and energy recovery. Moreover, as each job is made to order, with the majority of materials specified by individual project, gross waste is deliberately minimized by design.

Air Quality
Finish materials are carefully measured to reduce overage for each application, and thereby minimize possible release of Volatile Organic Constituents (VOCs) into the air. All overage, waste and excess finish materials are regularly reclaimed and safely disposed in compliance with all State and Federal regulations without further environmental degradation.

We can also specify and quote construction in which panels used are virtually formaldehyde-free, with certification as required.

Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Depending on the project goals and corresponding specification needs, LEED credits may be achieved with furniture certified as to Materials/Resources or Environmental Quality standards. Potential credits may be achieved via recycled or renewable content and or use of low emitting materials. Custom Desk and Hardwood Visuals may indirectly contribute to a LEED re-use credit by our unique ability to match or complement discontinued office furnishings that contribute to project re-use/refurbishment goals.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are retained on file for all standard material panels used in production fabrication. Also, certification is available for custom specified green materials as developed over time by materials suppliers.

• Green Statement (custom_desk_green_statement.pdf 36KB)
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¹ Certification of forests is a means of protecting forests by promoting responsible forestry practices and by way of an independent third-party assurance, identify products as coming from well-managed, ecologically sound sources.
² The AF&PA (http://www.afandpa.org/) program is overseen by the Sustainable Forestry Board, which is 2/3 composed of members from non-industry interests. For more information on this and other programs and initiatives, please see Metafore, http://www.metafore.org or (503) 224-2205.