TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--To kick off Earth Month (April), Envirotech, one of the largest remanufactured office furniture dealers in North America, is bringing awareness to the importance of a circular economy by opening a showroom to display its curated selection of sustainable office furniture in Toronto. Envirotech, which stands at the forefront of sustainable interior solutions, is responding to the urgent need to decarbonize office buildings by offering a comprehensive furniture service that blends remanufactured, certified pre-owned, and new pieces, a critical solution when hybrid working left a surplus of furniture in downtown office buildings.
Up to 30 per cent of a typical office building's embodied greenhouse gas emissions come from its furniture (source: Embodied energy analysis of fixtures, fittings and furniture in office buildings). Since launching in 1996, Envirotech has diverted 30 million pounds of waste from landfills, but its model extends beyond diverting waste. By prioritizing remanufacturing, the company significantly cuts down on the extraction of raw materials—the most carbon-intensive phase of furniture production—by 85 percent.
“The office furniture industry has a considerable impact on our environment,” said Andy Delisi, Vice President, Envirotech. “The most sustainable product is the one that already exists. With our showroom, we aim to educate companies and designers that the fusion of certified pre-owned, remanufactured, and new office furniture is not just a trend – it's a crucial strategy for decarbonizing our workplaces and steering us towards net-zero ambitions.”
Recently, Envirotech worked with interior design firm Syllable Design to outfit Kraft-Heinz’s 55,000-square-foot Toronto headquarters with certified pre-owned and remanufactured furniture. The result was a 50 per cent reduction in embodied carbon emissions and nearly $1,000,000 in savings compared to a traditional new furniture build-out.
“Our approach for Kraft-Heinz was to think outside of traditional design norms, taking a hybrid approach by integrating remanufactured, certified pre-owned, and new office furniture,” said Tatiana Soldatova, Principal, Strategic Design, Syllable Inc. “Through financial foresight, design excellence, and environmental sustainability, this project is an example of how the next generation of offices can be more friendly to the planet without compromising design.”
QUICK STATS:
- By most estimates, less than 10% of office furniture is used beyond the first office it inhabits.
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates up to 17 million pounds of office furniture ends up in landfills in the United States annually (Source: Cleantechnica.com)
- The average desk chair generates 72 kilos of CO2 emissions per year; the equivalent of driving 283 km in an average passenger vehicle (Source: FIRA: Benchmarking Carbon Footprints of Furniture Products)
- An average 30-storey office tower generates approximately 3,420 tonnes of CO2 per year in tenant fit-outs alone. The same tenant fit-outs create 1,386 tonnes of waste per year, enough to fill an entire office floor every 12 months. If office towers were unable to dispose of waste from interior fit-outs they would become vertical landfills in just under 30 years. (Source: RESET Embodied Carbon & Circularity in Office Interiors)
Envirotech’s Toronto showroom is located at 461 King St West, Suite 301. If you are interested in booking a tour, please contact Andy Delisi (adelisi@envoff.com). For media inquiries, see the contact below. To learn more about Envirotech and the showroom, watch this video.
About Envirotech Office Systems Inc
Established in 1996, Envirotech Office Systems Inc. is one of the largest remanufactured office furniture dealers in North America and a recognized leader in building sustainable and engaging work environments. Located in Mississauga, Ontario, Envirotech has been bringing inspiring workspaces to life throughout Canada and the US for over 28 years. The goal of the company is to help businesses reinvent their spaces while saving them time and money and reducing their environmental impact.
