Sustainability

LEED Statement
The SMARTdesks® organization is focused on principles of sustainability. We strive
continually to use and manage natural resources responsibly, conserve energy in our daily
operations and minimize material waste in the production of our products. Our policy is to
divert waste from the manufacturing process such that waste is either eliminated or
recycled or disposed of safely and responsibly within the scope of existing local and state
requirements and recommendations. We are dedicated to assisting our customers in
meeting the goals of sustainable-design projects and those adhering to LEED certification
guidelines.
American Steel or Metal and Sheet components used in all FlipIT Products and
accessories have 40% recycled content.
Primary materials used in the manufacture of SMARTdesks® products include
particleboard (PB) and medium density fiberboard (MDF), which are manufactured to strict
quality control standards with recycled and recovered wood fiber. These products1 may
contribute towards specific credits under the US Green Building Council (USGBC)
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) criteria.
The following credits are recognized under the LEED Green Building Rating System for
New Construction & Major Renovations, Version 2.2, October, 2005:
• Materials & Resources, Recycled Content, Credits 4.1 and 4.2.
All PB/MDF products are manufactured from 100% recycled and/or recovered fiber.
• Materials & Resources, Regional Materials, Credits 5.1 and 5.2.
PB/MDF products are manufactured in eight locations in North America: New Brunswick
and Ontario, Canada; Oregon, Arkansas, Louisiana, and South Carolina, USA. Nearly all
of the wood fiber used is recycled or recovered from within a 100 mile radius of the
manufacturing facilities. These facilities are within 500 miles of a significant portion of the
US population.
• Materials & Resources, Certified Wood, Credit 7
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified (SW-COC-000444) particleboard and MDF
products are used. The FSC standards represent the world's strongest system for guiding
forest management toward sustainable outcomes. Like the forestry profession itself, the
FSC system includes stakeholders with a diverse array of perspectives on what
represents a well-managed and sustainable forest. While the discussion continues, the
FSC standards for forest management have now been applied in over 57 countries around
the world.
• Indoor Environmental Quality, Low-Emitting Materials: Composite Wood, Credit 4.4.
IEQ Credit 4.4 requires “no added urea-formaldehyde resin”. Most PB/MDF products are
manufactured with urea-formaldehyde resin that meets the formaldehyde emission
requirements of the American National Standards Institute. However, VESTA and VESTAFR Particleboard, MDF and VESTA TFM panels (thermally-fused melamine) have no ureaformaldehyde
resin added during the manufacturing process and are currently the only
products capable of gaining this credit. Please specify Vesta materials are required to gain
credit 4.4 Additionally, our PB meets the emission requirements of the US Department of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD). There are no VOC limits established for
Composite Wood in the LEED Green Building Rating System.
1 Products include FR, MR, specialty grades and TFM, paint and paper overlay finished
panels.