The New Census Bureau Headquarters Office Building has purchased its officer furniture from Knoll, Inc. whose system furniture is certified by GREENGUARD. The materials specified and utilized for the assembly of the office furniture are environmental sound furniture which includes high recycled content, local/regionally manufacture materials, and local/regionally extracted materials. The design strategies were based on the following life cycle analysis: Low impact materials, clean manufacturing, healthy workplace/indoor air quality, waste reduction/efficient use of resources, durability/extended product life, reuse and refurbishment, ease of disassembly and material product recyclability. INTENT: Reduce the use of materials and finishes assemblies that may release indoor air contaminates that are odorous or potentially irritating and might be deleterious to the installer and occupant health, comfort, and well being. REQUIREMENTS: - Use office furnishings whose components meet the LEED version 2.1 requirements. - Eliminate toxins from the manufacturing process. Lead, heavy metals and hazardous chlorinated compound are completely eliminated from the manufacturing processes. - VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are eliminated from the manufacturing processes. - Water bases paints and adhesives are used for the assembly of office furniture. - 100% percent recyclable fabric is used on all furniture. - All furniture used is GREENGUARD certified. - GREENGUARD certified products will help reduce indoor air pollution and create a healthier interior environment.
The applicant is presenting a potential innovation credit for low-emitting furniture. Although innovation credits are not awarded through the CIR process, low emitting furniture can be applied toward an innovation credit following the criteria of LEED-CI EQ Credit 4.5, as noted in Admin CIR ruling dated 1/21/2003 and IDc1.1 rulings dated 10/23/2006 and 12/1/2003. Please note that under LEED-CI EQc4.5, all systems furniture and seating introduced into the project space that has been manufactured, refurbished or refinished within one year prior to occupancy must be considered in order to earn the credit. Systems furniture is defined as either a panel-based workstation comprised of modular interconnecting panels, hang-on components and drawer/filing components or a free-standing grouping of furniture items and their components that have been designed to work in concert. Seating is defined as task as desk chairs used with systems furniture. Applicable Internationally.