MILLERKNOLL, INC. Herman Miller, Inc., today announced it is making a new tool available to help interior designers, their customers, and related professionals obtain sustainability information on select products. The information, contained in what is known as an Environmental Product Declaration, or EPD, has been verified by an independent third-party organization. It is designed to help in making purchase decisions and supporting applications for sustainability certifications, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
"Issuing these EPDs is another step in our ongoing journey to sustainability," said Gabe Wing, Herman Miller Director of Safety and Sustainability. "Issuing EPDs now," added Wing, "well before a new rule goes into effect that requires them, is another example of Herman Miller's leadership in embracing new ways of being more sustainable and more transparent, just as we've done throughout our history."
Transparency in sharing environmental information is the foundation of the EPDs. They meet the requirements of the BIFMA PCR (Product Category Rule), which will take effect in 2015. The rule seeks to give quantified environmental information through a globally recognized system approach. "Providing EPDs is right in line with the Earthright strategy we embarked on earlier this year," explained Wing. "Earthright is built on more than 50 years of Herman Miller's environmental learning and commitment to sustainability."
What is an EPD?
An EPD is a verified Environmental Product Declaration, which reports environmental data of products based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) and in accordance with the international ISO 14025 (Type III Environmental Declarations.)
Why a new environmental document?
Customers are increasingly asking for quantified environmental information that takes a globally recognized approach. The overall goal of the document is to provide relevant, verified environmental information. At the same time, EPDs can reflect the continuous environmental improvement of products and services over time and are able to communicate relevant environmental information along a product's supply chain.
How will customers benefit from this new environmental initiative?
EPDs can help people make better decisions by understanding where any environmental hot spots may exist in a product. In addition, Environmental Product Declarations can contribute to new Material and Resource credits in LEED V4. Another benefit for customers is Herman Miller's work with its supply chain to find new and existing materials that can positively affect the environmental footprint of our products. The company's product development team has also prioritized finding more sustainable material choices for new products now in development.
Another benefit for our customers is our own work underway with our supply chain to find new and existing materials that can positively impact the environmental footprint of our products. Our product development team has also prioritized finding more sustainable material choices as we bring new products to market.
What products are the new documents available for?
Currently Herman Miller will provide Environmental Product Declarations for the following products upon request:
- Aeron Chair
- Embody Chair
- Mirra 2 Chair
- Celle Chair
- Caper Stacking Chair
- SAYL Chair
- Setu Chair
To learn more about Environmental Product Declarations, please email environmentalaffairsgroup@hermanmiller.com.
About Herman Miller, Inc.
Herman Miller's inspiring designs, inventive technologies and strategic services help people do great things and organizations to perform at their best. The company's award-winning products and services generated approximately $1.9 billion in revenue in fiscal 2014.A past recipient of the Smithsonian Institution's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award, Herman Miller designs can be found in the permanent collections of museums worldwide. Innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have also helped establish Herman Miller as a recognized global leader. In 2013, Herman Miller again received the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's top rating in its annual Corporate Equality Index and was named among the 50 Best U.S. Manufacturers by Industry Week. Herman Miller is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.
|
distributed by
|
