Sustainability in your facilities

meeting room

“Re-use of furniture is urgent and there is no eco-label that can be applied that includes re-used furniture. There is no certification system at all that can be applied to interior space projects.”

– Kjell-Arne Larsson in Grönt Samhällsbyggande

Background

There are a large number of eco-labels. Some are well-established, such as Requirements, while others are more unknown. For individual pieces of furniture there are labels such as Svanen or Möbelfakta, and for buildings there are certifications that include fixed furnishings. Although the interior design industry has expanded significantly and furniture consumption has increased over the last ten years, there is no label that assesses entire interior design projects.

With this project, we want to create an environmental certification for interior design projects and a tool for working sustainably with interior projects. This is urgent as there are currently strict requirements for buildings but hardly any requirements at all when it comes to interior projects. The lack of requirements and access to relevant information makes it difficult to control and determine the environmental impact of interior design projects. For example, an eco-certified property may be furnished with furniture that has been shipped long distances, made from materials that are not traceable and treated with toxic flame retardants and antifoulants. In addition, furnishings are often replaced every ten years, contributing to a high environmental impact.

Studies also show that there are significant environmental gains to be made, both in terms of carbon dioxide and waste, by reusing furniture and furnishing products. Nevertheless, there is no possibility to eco-label an interior with recycled furniture. A study by IVL (no. C 339) estimates that at least 21 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide can be saved per year in Sweden by recycling loose furnishings. Environmental certification of interior design projects will disseminate information and knowledge and act as an incentive to design more sustainably. The aim of Sustainable Interiors is to provide a tool to facilitate sustainable interior purchases and a certification to ensure that an interior project has been carried out in a sustainable way.

A collaborative project

The project has received support from Vinnova in stages 1 and 2 through the Challenge-driven innovation programme and is a collaborative project with 23 project partners. The constellation of actors represents the entire value chain and reflects the breadth and expertise required to address the complexity of the societal challenge. Stage 2 ended in August 2022 and the application for a stage 3 is due at the end of September.

lounge area
entrance, gathering place