A project on which we are working has site-built desks and work surfaces. New chairs will be purchased for all desks and work surfaces. Will the project be able to earn this credit based solely on the use of qualifying chairs?
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Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
June 24, 2010 - 11:00 pm
Yes, there's no minimum quantity or type of furniture needed to qualify for this credit, so yes.My only question is whether the furniture built on-site should also be subject to the credit requirements. I don't feel confident giving an answer one way or the other. Were you planning to exclude them, and if so, on what basis?
Jim McCarty
Senior Project ManagerCatalyst Partners
43 thumbs up
June 25, 2010 - 8:33 am
This is for a NC LEED assessment for a protoype store, and we are identifying potential ID credits; in this case, using CI's IEQc4.5. All the work surfaces will be either shop-built or site-built, carrel-style; but they don't meet the definition of 'systems' furniture in the CI Reference Guide. It will be easy to specify AUFR-free substrates and low-voc adhesives for their construction, but we see them as outside of CI's IEQc4.5 scope.
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11474 thumbs up
June 25, 2010 - 2:26 pm
I am curious what your reasoning is for how they don't meet the definition of systems furniture? I was just looking at the definition and it seems both very specific and also fairly vague and general at the same time!
Jim McCarty
Senior Project ManagerCatalyst Partners
43 thumbs up
June 25, 2010 - 3:15 pm
The anticipated work surfaces are not panel-based, nor are they free-standing. They are custom-built by the project carpentry staff after the walls are completed. They are closer to being part of the base building than to being furniture. If the owner decides to use modular components such as hang-on drawers and files, those components would also be compliant with the credit requirements.
Seema Pandya
Sustainability ConsultantSLP
150 thumbs up
July 1, 2010 - 1:07 pm
This is a tricky one. The definition of furniture according to the EQc4.5 is
"Systems furniture is defined as either a panel-based workstation comprising modular, interconnecting panels, hang-on components and drawer and filing components, or a freestanding grouping of furniture items and their components that have been designed to work in concert. Furniture other than systems furniture and task and guest chairs used with systems furniture is defined as occasional furniture and is excluded from the credit requirements."
On the one hand, site built custom free standing desks could fall under that category. On the other hand, EQc4.5 is asking that these items be Green Guard or equivalent certified. It may be difficult to certify a custom made mill worked piece of furniture and may be better suited to follow the intent of EQc4.4 for no urea formaldehyde in the composite wood or laminate adhesives.