Definition of Systems Furniture

Carrie, I would say that if you look around the office and see desks, cabinets, etc. being used in a system, ven if they came from different sources, they qualify under the credit.

Might be a stupid question - however does a VP's freestanding and lone desk in a private office cell manufactured by Haworth/Herman Miller/Steelcase/Knoll equivalent counts as "system furniture?" In a way it is part of greater system when purchased from same vendor and installed together with the usual adjacent workstation clusters but physically it is not interconnected...Yes or No?

Yes, a freestanding desk would be considered "system furniture" under the definition in EQc4.5, as it can be considered part of "...a freestanding grouping of furniture items designed to work in concert." The confusion seems to stem from people thinking of panel-based furniture systems (Steelcase Answer, Herman Miller Action Office, etc.) as systems furniture. However, in this context a casegoods furniture line made up of freestanding desks, credenzas, file cabinets, bookshelves, etc. is also considered a "system" of furniture.

However, demonstrating compliance under LEED 2009 for a single desk is not clearly defined in the current credit. Option 1 requires Greenguard certification, however Greenguard has different requirements for a whole workstation than they do for a single desk. I believe the original credit was written thinking of an entire workstation meeting the requirements (e.g., 50 ppb formaldehyde or less under standard conditions). However, Greenguard arbitrarily created requirements for a single desk that allow up to 25 ppb formaldehyde, and requirements for a single bookcase that allow up to 25 ppb formaldehyde, and requirements for a single file cabinet that allow up to 25 ppb formaldehyde, etc. So, a manufacturer could Greenguard certify these items separately, and the combination could create a workstation that would not meet the workstation requirements. Greenguard certificates do not state how the product was evaluated (i.e, as part of a system, or as an individual component).

Option 2, the ETV option, has been eliminated as it was "broken" and was never used successfully on any project.

Option 3 specifies the ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 and X7.1-2007 standards. These define requirements for whole workstations and whole seating units. After 2007, the committee responsible for these standards defined requirements for single desks, tables, bookcases, file cabinets, etc. that require each item to meet their respective fraction of the total emissions allowed for a workstation. Therefore, if a single desk, file cabinet, bookcase, etc. is evaluated for compliance as a stand-alone item, it will also meet the workstation requirements when combined with other items that have also been found compliant alone.

These ANSI/BIFMA requirements for individual furniture items are currently defined in the BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard and in the new revisions of the ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 and X7.1 standards that are nearing ANSI approval. So today, individual furniture products that are level(TM) certified and meet the emissions credit (Section 7.6.1 in BIFMA e3) are compliant to these new requirements.

The proposed EQc4 low-emitting interiors credit that is out for public comment between now and Dec 31 requires compliance with the BIFMA e3 furniture emissions requirements, and specifically applies to individual furniture items, not just workstations. You can read more about this on LEEDuser under Pilot Credit 21, which is the same as the newly proposed EQc4 credit.

Thank you Randy,

I need further clarity here. Are you telling me Opt 2 is no longer an option per se? Where in LEED reference does it say that?

Previous projects we just go for Greenguard certified systems, but in one project before us, Client has a preference for a non-Greenguard system, so we need to do the test option.

The project is in China. I just wanted to know what does it take to meet this credit. Approximately how long and how much is the test for a single freestanding desking system? I suppose we need to get it done in USA?

Is there a less painful approach here? You mentioned about an alternative compliant path - BIFMA e3 and level (TM) whatever that is. Please elaborate more...

The ETV option in this credit (IEQc4.5) was eliminated by an addenda published in July 2010, available here: http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=8458

That is not a problem, because the ANSI/BIFMA option essentially replaced the ETV option. Independent testing of representative product is required per the ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 test method. You do not have to conduct the tests in the U.S., as there are labs in Europe and the Asia Pacific region that offer the test. You will have to contact laboratories for pricing. A partial list of laboratories that conduct the test is available here: http://www.bifma.org/standards/testlabs.html

BIFMA e3 is a multi-attribute sustainability standard that is to furniture as LEED is to buildings. It contains prerequisites and 90 total, possible points that address product, facilities, or the manufacturing company, in a wide range of sustainability criteria (GHG reduction, recycled content, materials chemistry, energy efficiency, water conservation, LCA, etc.).

One of these points (e3 Section 7.6.1) is available for low-emitting furniture compliance per ANSI/BIFMA M7.1 and X7.1 (just like the option in this LEED credit). Level(TM) certification is third-party certification to the BIFMA e3 standard by one of six independent certifiers. Therefore a level certified product that earns the point from Section 7.6.1 is also compliant to this LEED credit under the ANSI/BIFMA option. See www.levelcertified.org for more information.

What about meeting room furniture? Is this system furniture?
Same question about furniture waiting rooms and lunchrooms?
I could understand such furniture as "a free-standing grouping of furniture items designed to work in concert." Correct?

Nicole,

Unfortunately I don't think there has ever been a consistent answer with the LEED reviewers. I have seen tables that are used in someone's cubicle be required because it is 'part of the system', but then if someone is using the same table and claiming that it is used in conference rooms, it does not need to meet the credit.

If I had to do a review, I would say that dining tables are not included per the credit language, but thankfully there are options that can meet this credit and normally the furniture isn't more expensive - so it would be a good idea to at least look for these types of low-emitting products for the indoor air quality.

The CI project I'm working on includes monitor arms and desk accessories (letter trays, pencil box, binder holder) manufactured by Steelcase which are not certified.
My reading of the definition of systems furniture is that monitor arms would not be included; however the Steelcase products could be construed as "hang on components" as some of them can be attached to the "orgarail" or attached to the desk. Would we be better just purchasing similar items at the local stationary store so that it is clear they are desk accessories and not part of the furniture?

Michael,

Are you sure that the accessories don't meet at least one of the requirements in EQ 4.5? While GREENGUARD Certification is the first option, it isn't the only option. Steelcase normally has a good deal of their products able to meet these requirements. If you ask your Steelcase rep, they should be able to assist you in finding products that meet these requirements that way you don't have a mishmash of components.

The information that the products proposed do not meet the requirements comes from the Steelcase rep.

Steelcase options are likely to be more limited anyway - the project is in Zambia and supplied from Steelcase in Europe. Everything else is Indoor Advantage or IA Gold.

Desk accessories (letter trays, pencil holders, binder holders, etc.) and monitor arms are NOT included within the scope of EQc4.5.

With respect to EQc4.5, the 2009 edition of the LEED interiors reference guide states in part: "Work tools often attached to systems furniture are not included in the credit requirement."

In addition, for LEED-CI 2009, furniture is significantly limited in scope to "systems furniture and seating". Even when the the scope for furniture is expanded to include "all furniture and furnishings" for LEED v4 (per all four public comment versions), desk accessories and work tools are still not included.

The LEED 2012 (v4) glossary as of May 2012 includes this definition:

"Furniture and Furnishings - The stand-alone furniture items purchased for the project, including individual and group seating; open-plan and private office workstations; desks and tables; storage units, credenzas, bookshelves, filing cabinets, and other case goods; wall-mounted visual-display products (e.g., marker boards and tack boards, excluding electronic displays); and miscellaneous items, such as easels, mobile carts, freestanding screens, installed fabrics, and movable partitions. Movable partitions include office furniture system cubicle panels that are typically integrated with work surfaces, desks, and storage furniture. Hospitality furniture is included as applicable to the project. [EMPHASIS ADDED HERE FOR NEXT SENTENCE] Office accessories, such as desktop blotters, trays, tape dispensers, waste baskets, and all electrical items such as lighting and small appliances are excluded."

The LEED 2012 (v4) low-emitting interiors credit solely uses the ANSI/BIFMA M7.1-2011 test method for measuring VOC emissions from furniture and furnishings, which contains additional definitions and detail.

Michael, if you have additional questions specific to Steelcase products you can contact me directly at rcarter1@steelcase.com.

I hope this is helpful.