Herman Miller's presence at the Greenbuild 2008 Conference and Expo will include an array of environmental achievements that reflect its event theme, "A Better World Around You." Emphasizing its socially responsible practices and environmentally sustainable products, the company will demonstrate how its achievements impact how individuals live, work, and learn.
The U.S. Green Building Council's seventh annual Greenbuild conference will attract over 20,000 attendees who share an interest in environmentally friendly building practices. The event will be located at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from November 19-21, 2008.
Where you live
Perfect Vision
Herman Miller's dedication to sustainability is most visible through its Perfect Vision plan, a strategy introduced in 2004 to achieve a wide range of sustainability targets by the year 2020, including zero waste to landfills and zero hazardous waste generation.
As of its fiscal year end in May 2008, the company has reduced air emissions by 87 percent, hazardous waste by 91 percent, landfill waste by 84 percent, and process water use by 70 percent. Additionally, 63 percent of all the electrical energy is from renewable sources, such as wind power and biomass. Overall, the company has decreased its operational footprint by 79 percent.
"Since first establishing corporate environmental goals in 1989, our employee-driven Environmental Quality Action Team has demonstrated an unmatched enthusiasm for becoming a 100 percent sustainable company. Our Perfect Vision progress proves that this enthusiasm has never waned," said Paul Murray, Herman Miller's Director of Environmental Health and Safety.
The Perfect Vision plan also mandates company building projects be constructed to a minimum LEED Silver certification. It recently obtained LEED-CI Gold certification for its B-West space within the company's Main Site headquarters facility in Zeeland, Michigan, and Convia headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, which increase the company total to 13 LEED certified facilities.
A Better World
Herman Miller also will release its third annual corporate social responsibility report at Greenbuild. Entitled "A Better World," the report measures the company's achievements in environmental advocacy, community service, inclusiveness and diversity, and individual health and well-being.
Herman Miller's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Michael Ramirez notes that the 2008 report includes the first measured results of its inclusiveness and diversity scorecard.
"Measuring inclusiveness and diversity initiatives will enable us to better understand the needs of our workforce, customers, community, and shareholders," he says. "Overall, we will better align ourselves to become a successful global organization that appeals to all individuals and cultures."
"A Better World" is based on the company's 2008 fiscal year, which includes June 2007 through May 2008, and focuses primarily on its North American operations.
Where you work
Herman Miller carries an array of environmentally friendly products developed to meet its rigorous Design for the Environment protocol, which emphasizes safe materials, recyclability, and ease of disassembly.
"Our Perfect Vision goals include achieving 100 percent of sales from our Design for Environment (DfE) approved products, but we don't stop there," says Murray. "We also seek McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) certification and GREENGUARD certification for these products, which provide added validation of our commitment to the environment."
The company will display its most recent DfE achievements at Greenbuild, including:
Programmable Environments also will be displayed to demonstrate the possibilities that exist with occupancy sensing to trigger automated environmental responses, such as lighting and HVAC activation. It is a platform designed to provide facility managers a more accurate system for measuring, reporting, and controlling energy consumption at the building and workstation level. Programmable Environments also may be utilized with Convia Sustainable Infrastructure to optimize its capabilities.
Where you learn
High Performance School of the Future, Today
Herman Miller will participate as a sponsor of a special learning space exhibit at Greenbuild, which will highlight the company's knowledge, experience, and environmentally friendly products in higher education space planning. Called "High Performance School of the Future, Today," the exhibit will include a fully functional, interactive learning space that showcases advanced technologies and systems that are in use throughout forward-thinking higher education institutions.
Designed to demonstrate the impact of LEED criteria on higher education facility performance, the space also will be studied to evaluate the relationship between building products and individual learning.
Murray concluded, "Whether it includes the community, workplace, or learning space, we consider the needs of the environment, and the spaces we furnish, through problem solving initiatives and solutions. With those challenges also comes the reward of contributing to a better world, which is what we strive for everyday."