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Frequently Asked
   Environmental
Questions

Q:

 What is The HON Company doing to address concerns about the environment?

A:

 Since our early days The HON Company has been making good decisions about effective use of raw materials and natural resources — because it is the right thing to do AND makes good financial sense.  Today, Environmental Management is firmly embedded in all HON manufacturing processes, and life cycle considerations are a significant part of our product development efforts.  At The HON Company, individual responsibility is fundamental.  As member/owners, HON employees understand that each individual can make an impact on the environment every day. Our goal is to move beyond what is required and focus instead on what we are capable of.


Q:

 What is Rapid Continuous Improvement?

A:

 Implemented by The HON Company in 1992, RCI empowers employees to develop more efficient production processes and eliminate waste, thereby benefiting the environment and the bottom line.


Q:

 What is LEED?

A:

 LEED is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  It was developed by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as a roadmap for environmentally conscientious decisions.  Currently, there are five sections dealing with building and space management.  LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) is where furniture can make the biggest contribution.


Q:

 How can HON office furniture contribute toward LEED-CI credits?

A:

 Most HON products can contribute toward one or more LEED-CI credits.  For example, because of initiatives such as Nature Core™, Comold and bulk packing we are able to address Materials and Resources credit areas.  Our efforts to certify our product to the SCS Indoor Advantage™ certification program, the most rigorous criteria for indoor air quality in the U.S., allow us to address Environmental Quality credit areas.
Learn more about our contribution to LEED. >>


Q:

 What is Nature Core?

A:

 Nature Core is an alternative construction material offered in HON Initiate panel systems made primarily from a natural fiber, kenaf, which can be spun into coarse, strong threads and is second only to cotton in the volume grown around the world. The kenaf fibers are combined with a synthetic fiber and processed into roll goods. These roll goods are then treated with patented smoke and flame-retardant applications and are processed into rigid board stock.


Q:

 What is the environmental benefit of Nature Core?

A:

 The natural fibers are an annually renewable crop and the fire retardant materials are natural and nonbrominated.  Additionally, there is no formaldehyde added to the product.


Q:

 What is Comold?

A:

 Comold is compression molded wood.  It is comprised of postconsumer wood waste that is combined with a binding agent and molded into structural components used in many HON chairs.


Q:

 What is the environmental benefit of the Comold?

A:

 The HON Company's utilization of Comold allows for nearly 10,000 tons of postconsumer wood waste to be diverted from landfills every year.  Consequently, this eliminates the need to cut down 5,000 acres of virgin forest every year.


Q:

 How can bulk packing help with Construction Waste Management?

A:

 Over 136 million tons of construction and demolition debris is generated by the U.S. Construction Industry. The HON Company's bulk packing efforts allow us to reduce the amount of packing material that is delivered to the site, which in turn assists in diverting construction debris from landfills.


Q:

 What are the Indoor Advantage certification programs?

A:

 The Indoor Advantage (IAQ) certification programs, developed by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), test and certify compliance with specific indoor air quality emission requirements.

Indoor Advantage certifies conformance with LEED-CI criteria for EQ4.5, as well as BIFMA X7.1
Low-Emitting Furniture and Seating.

Indoor Advantage Gold certifies additional conformance with California 01350 Special Environmental
Requirements and Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS).

Learn more about which HON products are IAQ Certified. >>


Q:

 What is the benefit of the Indoor Advantage certification programs over alternative certification programs?

A:

 Products achieving Indoor Advantage Gold have met what is widely considered the most rigorous criteria for indoor air quality in the United States.  Additionally, Indoor Advantage testing methods can be applied to individual components as well as complete assemblies, making it possible to work with component suppliers to reduce the environmental impacts of materials they sell to The HON Company.  Older certification programs use a simple pass/fail test which provides little opportunity to understand where improvements can be made.  A major benefit of HON's use of the Indoor Advantage programs is that supplier improvements made for The HON Company benefit all other users, whether or not they test their products.


Q:

 Which HON products are certified to the Indoor Advantage programs?

A:

SCS-CERTIFIED PRODUCT LIST

Indoor Advantage Gold Certified Products:
Cubicals
- Initiate® Panel Systems - Initiate® workstations constructed with Nature CoreTM fiberboard and low emitting worksurfaces, qualify for Indoor AdvantageTM Gold level certification.

Files & Storage
- All Metal Storage and Files

Chairs
- 1080 Series Stacking Chairs
- 24 Hour Chairs (77X4 Series)
- 4051 Multi-Purpose Chair
- 5400 Series Seating
- 7700 Series Seating
- 7700 Series Seating 
- 7800 Series Seating
- Alaris™ Seating (4220 Series)
- Allure™ Seating (3300 Series)
- ComforTask® (5900 Series)
- Convergence® Contemporary Seating (4900 series)
- Every-Day® Chair (7900 Series)
- F3™ Series Seating
- Gamut® Seating (2070 Series)
- GuestStacker® (4030 Series)
- High Density Olson Stacker® (4040 Series)
- Olson Series
- Pagoda® (4070 Series)
- Park Avenue Collection® Seating (5020 Series, 5060 Series)
- Perpetual® Seating (4300 Series, 4320 Series, PN Series)
- Pillow-Soft™ Seating (2090 Series)
- Proficiency™ 4-Leg Chairs (H101X Series)
- Pyramid™ Seating (3500 Series)
- Resolution® Seating (6200 Series)
- Sensible Seating® (6000 Seating)
- Solutions Seating® (4000 Series)
- Teacher/Student Shell Seating (TS Series)
- Tiempo® Seating (4600 Series)
- Unanimous® (7600 Series)
- ValuTask® (5831 Series)
 
Education
- AccomplishTM Classroom Furniture 
 

Indoor Advantage Certified Products:
Laminate Casegoods Workstations
- Park Avenue Collection®
- ValidoTM Series 
- 10500 Series
- 10600 Series
- 10700 Series
- 94000 Series

Wood Chairs
- 370 Series
- 2400 Series
- 2900 Series
- 6540 Series
- 6550 Series
- Invitation® Guest Wood Seating (2110 Series)
- Jackson Traditional Wood Seating (6570 Series)
- Meadowbrook® Traditional Wood Seating (6500 Series)
- Park Avenue Collection® Seating (5000 Series)
- Pillow-Soft®Executive Wood Seating (2191 Series)


It is the goal of The HON Company to have all existing products meet Indoor Advantage and move all to Indoor Advantage Gold. All new products target Indoor Advantage Gold as part of the development process.


Q:

 How is The HON Company being recognized for its environmental initiatives?

A:

 The environmental benefits of The HON Company's dedication to excellence are widely recognized.  In 2004, The HON Company was awarded the General Services Administration’s Evergreen Furniture and Furnishings Award and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) Pollution Prevention Award.  In 2005, the company was recognized for contributions to USEPA's Lean and the Environment Tool Kit.  In 2006, the company was recognized as the first furniture company to have its products certified by the SCS Indoor Advantage program in accordance with the recently released BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association) X 7.1 furniture emissions standards.