06/2017 ABOUT THE EN VIR ON MENT

Transcription

1 06/2017 ABOUT THE EN VIR ON MENT

2 Environmental performance is the impact of the product life-cycle stages. Although design is crucial, all stages from the cradle to the grave selection of raw materials [...] to end-of-life - contribute to the total resources used and emissions generated. ARPER AND THE ENVIRONMENT TEXT: LEO BREEDVELD How can we bring together creativity and sustainability? How can we reconcile the freedom of the former with the limits imposed by the latter in elegant functional solutions? We need new visions and crossover innovation, an ability to see limits as opportunities rather than obstacles. The environmental performance of a product is the impact of its single life-cycle stages. Although design is crucial, all stages from the cradle to the grave selection of raw materials, production, transport, use, end-of-life contribute to the total resources used and emissions generated. Life Cycle Assessment is a process that analyses the environmental impact of a product or a service over its entire life-cycle, making it possible to take steps to increase the efficiency of each stage and improve overall environmental performance. The road to improvement is a process that involves the entire supply chain and end customers, fostering the exchange of ideas and collaboration between all stakeholders. Arper recognizes the importance of sustainability and has steadily increased its efforts in this area. In 2006, Arper adopted the ISO environmental management system and in 2007 it introduced the use of the LCA tool, subsequently obtaining product certification detailing the various aspects of the results obtained. Use of LCA allowed Arper to attain EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), an ecolabel requiring an LCA and conformance with a set of Product Category Rules. The company s awareness of environmental issues also emerges in its attainment of a series of other certificates including Greenguard, the indoor air quality standard based on rigorous impartial analyses and tests. Greenguard also satisfies the credit requirements of LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors). LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed and managed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the most well-known green building certification in the world. The system involves the assignment of credits in six main areas site sustainability, design and innovation, materials and resources, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and energy - with certification levels that vary according to the number of credits attained. Most of Arper s chairs already comply with the similar Green Star system used by the Australian Green Building Council.

3 ARPER S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY Arper s quest for excellence and dedication to its stakeholders resulted in the adoption of a specific environmental policy taking the shape of a Product Stewardship programme. This principle ensures that all parties involved in a product s life cycle share responsibility for the health and environmental impacts resulting from the management of its production process, use and end-of-life stages. The company s adoption of this policy was mainly motivated by its quest for excellence extending to every aspect of its products, every detail of processes and involving all its stakeholders. The first steps taken in this direction involved Technological Research Health and Safety in the Workplace (OH SAS 18001) Development of Staff Skills and Know-How within the Company Flow Optimisation (Including Transport, Packaging, Waste) ISO 9001, ISO and OH SAS certification. ISO 9001, obtained in 1997, allowed Arper to successfully apply a quality system monitoring corporate processes aimed at improving organization efficiency and effectiveness as well as customer satisfaction. ISO 14001, obtained in 2009, laid the foundations for an effective environmental management system enabling the sustainable design of new products and promoting a continuous improvement process. OH SAS certification, obtained in 2009, certifies the company careful attention to occupational health and safety and its respect for the quality of every product development process: from design to production. Research into Recyclable and Recycled Materials Reduction of Environmental Impact in All Stages of the Production Process Some of the ways in which Arper supports its pursuit of product and service quality.

4 THE ABC OF ENVIRONMENTAL PHILOSOPHY: PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP Arper s environmental programme involves three key areas: A. Environmental management (ISO 14001) B. Ecodesign incorporating life cycle assessment (LCA Life Cycle Assessment) C. EPD, Environmental Product Declaration. CEPD, Environmental Product Declaration A Environmental Management (ISO 14001) B Ecodesign Incorporating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA Life Cycle Assessment)

5 WHAT IS ISO 14001? ISO is an international standard developed about 10 years ago and recognized worldwide describing how to develop an effective environmental management system. ISO certification is a voluntary scheme adopted by companies wishing to establish, implement, maintain and improve their own environmental management systems. ISO certification shows that the Improve A Establish Maintain certified organization is capable of controlling the environmental impact of its activities and of adopting a systematic approach to achieving consistent, effective and sustainable improvements. Since 2006, Arper has met these requirements for the design, development and manufacture (throughout the assembly and control stages) of its chairs, tables and furnishings. Implement

6 Use Distribution WHY CARRY OUT LCA LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT? 1. To assess the environmental impact of products throughout their entire life cycle by carrying out an in-depth analysis of each stage of the process. This involved raw materials, extraction and treatment of the materials used, transportation, assembly of the chairs, packaging, distribution, use and end-of-life; B End-of-Life Packaging Raw Materials Chair Assembly Material Extraction and Processing Transport 2. To compare the environmental performances of different products life-cycle; 3. To highlight the most significant environmental impacts of a product and evaluate actions needed to improve its environmental performances.

7 EPD CERTIFICATION EPD, like all Type III (ISO 14025) ecolabels, is a document that allows companies to provide information on the environmental performance of its products on the basis of pre-determined criteria in a fair and understandable manner. The reliability and accuracy of the information is guaranteed by external certification and registration by the body responsible. Arper was the first Italian company to request and obtain from a third-party organization the environmental certification for chairs. Catifa 53, Catifa 46 (trestle base and chromed 4 leg base models, made of single- and bi-color polypropylene) and Babar obtained the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) under the Norwegian NHO system. All Ginger tables and Team chairs (versions with sled, 4-leg oval and round base, painted or chrome, with polypropylene shell) obtained the International EPD System under the Swedish Environmental Management Council. This was another tangible result attained by Arper since its adoption of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an instrument for environmental improvement. C TYPE I = ISO TYPE II = ISO TIPO III = ISO It contains quantified environmental information about a product, in accordance with preset parameters. It is a transparent declaration on the environmental impacts of a product calculated by an analysis of its life cycle. Arper decides for ecolabel Type III NHO External Certification Registration EPD Environmental Product Environmental Declaration Product Declaration

8 Assessment (LCA) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) score products across the following impact categories: 1. Global warming; 2. Ozone layer depletivo; 3. Acidification; 4. Eutrophication; 5. Photochemical oxidation; Photochemical oxidation Eutrophication Acidification The results are based on a life-expectancy of 15 years (life span laid down by the EPD requirements). The following table about EPD illustrates the key environmental impacts across the product life-cycle according to the 5 categories of environmental impact defined by the PCA (Product Category Rules). The table refers to the Catifa 46, 4 leg base. Raw materials Transport Use Material processing Production Disposal Product Packaging materials Distribution Disposal packaging Ozone layer depletion Global warming 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0%

9 The following tables (Table 1, 2 and 3) illustrate the key results of the environmental impact of each product life-cycle: 1. Establishing the carbon footprint; 2. Energy consumption; 3. Percentage of recycled and recyclable material; The results are based on a product lifeexpectancy of 15 years. TABLE 1 CATIFA 46 4 legs 18,7kg 433MJ Percentage of recycled 41% Percentage of recyclable 99% CATIFA 46 Trestle 29,4kg 633MJ Percentage of recycled 52% Percentage of recyclable >99% CATIFA 53 4 legs 22,5kg 517MJ Percentage of recycled 30% Percentage of recyclable >99% CATIFA 53 Trestle 32,8kg 710,6MJ Percentage of recycled 48% Percentage of recyclable >99% BABAR Global warming: 59,4kg 1147MJ Percentage of recycled 55% Percentage of recyclable 92% *data calculated by Arper SPA

10 TABLE 2 GINGER Rounded top Painted aluminum structure h 50 63,30 kg h 74 68,20 kg h ,40 kg h MJ h MJ h MJ Recyclable h 50 13,1 kg h 74 13,4 kg h ,9 kg GINGER Rounded top Polished aluminum structure h 50 62,50 kg h 74 67,20 kg h ,10 kg h MJ h MJ h MJ Recyclable h 50 13,1 kg h 74 13,4 kg h ,9 kg GINGER Squared top Painted aluminum structure h 50 70,30 kg h 74 75,20 kg h ,40 kg h MJ h MJ h MJ Recyclable h 50 14,3 kg h 74 14,7 kg h ,2 kg GINGER Sqaured top Polished aluminum structure h 50 69,40 kg h 74 74,10 kg h ,10 kg h MJ h MJ h MJ Recyclable h 50 14,3 kg h 74 14,7 kg h ,2 kg *data calculated by Arper SPA

11 TABLE 3 TEAM 4 legs round section Carbon footprint 22,6 kg 485,6 MJ Recyclable 6,26 Kg TEAM Sled Home Carbon footprint 27,8 kg (chromed base) 562,9 MJ Recyclable 7,61 Kg *data calculated by Arper SPA

12 GREENGUARD CERTIFICATION Greenguard is a voluntary certification program developed in the U.S.A. by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) to control indoor emissions. The main purpose of the Greenguard program is protecting human health by improving air quality and reducing people s exposure to chemicals and/or pollutants. Greenguard is a mark recognized by international programs and rating systems such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a building certification system implemented in over 140 countries all over the world in order to assist architects, interior designers and their clients in making conscious choices and designing according to environmental sustainability criteria. Arper obtained the GreenGuard certification for the seating of collections Aava, Aston, Babar, Catifa 46, Catifa 53, Catifa 60, Catifa 70, Catifa 80, Catifa Sensit, Colina, Duna 02, Kinesit, Leaf, Loop, Masai, Norma, Palm, Pix, Saari, Saya, Sean, Zinta. LEED-CI are available upon request, contact: environment@arper.com

13 GECA CERTIFICATION GECA, Good Environmental Choice Australia, is an internationally recognized Austrialian certification body whose aim is to encourage manufacturers to reduce the environmental impact of their products and consumers to buy ecofriendly products. Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) runs Australia s only independent, not-forprofit, multi-sector ecolabelling program and is the only Australian member of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN). Companies are awarded certification by an independent auditing body that issues the Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) to products meeting the scheme s environmental, quality and social standards. Standards are developed following ISO (Type I international ecolabel standard) principles for global best practice in ecolabelling. In July 2009 Arper obtained Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) environmental product certification for various models in the following chair collections: Leaf, Duna, Palm (polyethylene shell versions), Catifa 53 and Catifa 46 (polypropylene shell versions). In 2014 also Saya, Juno, Ginger, Gher, Team and Aava have passed their audits to achieve Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification (only for polypropylene, polyethylene and wood shell versions with aluminum and painted bases). GREEN STAR products with GECA certification are automatically awarded credits for the Green Building Council of Australia s Green Star, the assessment scheme measuring the environmental impact of buildings from their design to their construction and maintenance.

14 ARPER S GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT Arper s environmental policy is shared company-wide and is aimed at minimizing the company s environmental impact through programmes involving every stage of its operations. Underpinning the company s longterm project is a strong sense of responsibility that will lead to the discovery of new environmentally-friendly solutions. The aim is to set off a virtuous cycle involving and benefitting everyone working with Arper all North America EPD International System GREENGUARD South America Europe Africa ARP-2009 GECA Furniture and Fittings around the world. As well as the studies that led to Norwegian EPD and the Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) for some models, Arper has also obtained the International EPD System under the Swedish Environmental Management Council for all Ginger tables and some versions of Team chairs and the US Greenguard certification for all its chairs. GECA EPD NORGE Asia Oceania

15 The corporate and product certifications obtained by Arper are the first step in an environmentally-friendly product development process that will take into account environmental issues from the design phase. For more information and to request a LEED-CI contact: environment@arper.com