Tahké - StructuredWeb

Sustainability
Tahké™
Jhane Barnes
Jofco collaborated with
celebrated designer Jhane
Barnes to create a completely
green casegoods solution.
Every detail – glue, veneer
and wood species is
sustainable. “It is our
responsibility to regard the
issues of sustainability at all
levels,” says Jhane Barnes. “In
designing Tahké™, I selected
materials that reflect that
responsibility.”
The most important material
element of Tahké™ is
bamboo. To ensure
sustainable practices were
used in creating the bamboo
plywood for Tahké™, Jhane
and Jofco partnered with
Plyboo™, a company fully
committed to environmentally
sound practices. The bamboo
plywood incorporated in
Tahké™ is a no added urea
formaldehyde product, and
offers hardness and durability
qualities similar to oak.
1 All exterior surfaces of Tahké™
are comprised of bamboo
plywood. Bamboo is rapidly
renewable, taking only five to six
years to mature. It is selfregenerative, requiring no
planting, pesticides, or fertilizers.
Only fully mature stalks are
harvested, not the entire plant,
leaving the forest intact through a
naturally sustainable cycle.
4 Desk end panels are 1 C” thick and
comprised of two 3-ply panels with
exposed edge grain. Using the panels in
this state creates interest while
conserving the energy normally expended
in the creation of edge details.
5 Pedestal backs are comprised of
fiberboard with no added formaldehyde.
The bamboo plywood of Tahké is
produced using strong adhesives
which are formaldehyde free.
9
Two colors available for Tahké™
casegoods: natural and amber.
The slightly darker amber color is
created through a heat-transfer
process. As a result of using
natural colors, not stains, tone
variations will occur.
3 Cases are constructed with a
dowel assembly and reinforced
with bolts in certain joint areas.
Dowels are pretreated with a fast
activating water-based glue to
ensure proper adhesion. Pedestal
backs employ tongue and groove
construction.
1
4
8
6 Hardware is fabricated buffed steel with a
satin nickel finish recyclable after use.
7 Standard drawers are C” natural edge
grain bamboo plywood.
2
2 Work surfaces are 1“ thick 5
cross-ply bamboo with exposed
edge grain. Using the panels in
this state create interest while
conserving the energy normally
expended in the creation of edge
details.
Work surfaces are coated in a
UV-cured, water-based finish for
extreme durability. All other
surfaces are finished using a
water-based sealer and top coat.
5
8 To eliminate the need for additional
materials, optional round grommets are
produced from C” edge grain bamboo
and given a crescent shape cut-out for
wire pass through.
3
Tahké™ incorporates bamboo with no added urea
formaldehyde. Low-emitting adhesives and sealants
are used throughout the product manufacturing.
Approximately 95% of the materials used in Tahké™
are environmentally preferable and can be recycled or
reused after use.
7
10
6
9 The eco-balanced linoleum bulletin board
is made from ecologically responsible
materials, consumes very little energy in
the manufacturing process, and is
adhered to an emission-free particle
board substrate.
10 Lighting is achieved with a highly efficient
electronic ballast and four compact
fluorescent puck lights. The same output
of halogen lights is achieved using only a
third of the wattage.
Environmental Statement
Jofco is committed to cultivating environmentally sound practices in all aspects of its operations while
continuing to produce high quality office furniture.
We at Jofco feel it is our duty to leave the earth in the same condition as we found it. However, it is our goal to
leave it in a better state. Although the journey to reach our goal is challenging, our environmental foundation
is good and we’re continuously building upon it.
Jofco’s Mission Statement
Jofco will always provide well-designed, quality products at an exceptional value in a timely fashion. We will
meet or exceed the expectations of all customers with regard to the products and services we offer. Jofco
recognizes its role as steward and will employ practices that protect the environment and our natural
resources and do so in a socially responsible manner.
Supplied Materials
To be certain of the environmental soundness of the products coming out of Jofco, one needs to be aware of
the raw materials going in. Jofco continues to question current suppliers regarding the environmental
impact of the materials supplied to them in an effort to accurately convey its position in the green marketplace. Furthermore, we are making it standard practice to learn this information before beginning a
relationship with any new suppliers. By doing so, we hope to help spread the importance of environmental
issues and push the need for industry-wide standards by which companies can concretely evaluate their
efforts.
Jofco produces casegoods of solid wood, solid bamboo, wood veneer, particleboard and medium density
fiberboard. Lumber is obtained from sawmills and producers that are members of the National Hardwood
Lumber Association and diligently follow its stewardship rules. The company through which we purchase the
lumber follows all guidelines as established by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Our core material, the largest portion of our product, has been certified by the Composite Panel Association
(CPA) as an Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP). All EPP-certified products must contain 100% recycled
or recovered fiber content.
Jofco purchases a variety of metal parts with recycled content. The amount varies per product line.
Air Quality
Air quality, specifically the reduction of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) and Volatile Organic Chemicals
(VOCs) used to apply adhesives and coatings, is an important factor in environmental soundness. To protect
the general public from exposure to airborne contaminants, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
established National Emissions Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP). While complying with the
regulations of its NESHAP air permit, Jofco is also examining and applying methods to further reduce air-borne
contaminates. For example, Jofco has switched to water-based rather than VOC-based adhesives where
possible. We are also evaluating the effectiveness of a new type of adhesive application. In 2006, VOCs were
reduced 8% from the previous year.
Jofco is currently taking steps to reduce VOCs in its adhesives and coatings as part of a bigger plan to certify
products based on BIFMA’s recently developed Furniture Emissions Standards (FES), which meets California
1350 as well as LEED requirements.
Another method of reducing VOCs is proper employee training and quality standards. A side-draft spray
booth is used to keep spraying surfaces free from settling debris which would cause an item to fail quality
inspections therefore making it necessary to refinish or remanufacture the item.
As past president and current member of the BIFMA board, our president and CEO also served on the advisory
board to help develop the ANSI/BIFMA furniture emissions standards for indoor air quality.
Jofco Products
Long-lasting products, such as the furniture manufactured by Jofco, are generally better for the
environment than those which frequently need updating or replaced. The quality built into a piece of Jofco
furniture has been a source of pride for our employees since 1922.
Jofco brand products are 100% manufactured at our plant in Jasper, Indiana. A very small percentage of our
component parts are imported from outside North America. We have an exclusive distribution agreement with
Frezza, an Italian manufacturer which has achieved ISO 14001 certification.
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
The “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle” principle is applied to all aspects of the company. The reduction of raw and
hazardous materials is not only good for the environment; it is simply a smart, cost-effective way to do
business. Reusing certain elements cut costs while keeping them out of landfills.
Recycling is embedded in Jofco’s core values. Employees are updated on the company’s efforts and are
reminded regularly of the items eligible for recycling and the means by which they can be recycled at Jofco.
Approximated recycling totals are as follows:
3,810 pounds of cardboard
3,820 pounds of scrap metal
3,415 pounds of white paper
2,571 pounds of mixed paper
810 pounds of newspaper
520 pounds of magazines
1,575 pounds of leather pieces
1,450 pounds of fabric pieces
550 fluorescent light bulbs
200 gallons of air compressor oil
In addition, we utilize all of our scrap wood from our manufacturing processes to heat our facilities which
minimizes our need to burn coal or natural gas. This amounts to approximately 3,000,000 pounds per year.
Our product is packed in cardboard boxes with recycled content, plastic bags, and wood runners. All of
these items can be recycled. The majority of our product is wood or wood by-product which would allow it to
be recycled as wood chips.
Hardware is easily removable and can be made available for recycling or reuse.
Employee Safety
In 2006, Jofco changed its finish process to eliminate the need for employees to wipe filler on product. While
our current finish color and durability meet our high standards, we have reduced the generation of soiled rags
by 80%. Last year, we completely eliminated the need for transportation of waste deemed hazardous.
Employee Well-Being
Jofco’s number one priority is the well-being of its employees. Many precautions taken on behalf of our
employees, such as proper ways to handle potentially harmful materials, protect the environment as well.
Our safety and environmental manager works with OSHA and proactively monitors all work areas for
possible health risks, corrects immediate problems, and distributes weekly topics based on his findings.
U.S. Green Building Council
Jofco is a member of the US Green Building Council.
Continuous Improvement
Jofco endeavors to use all reasonable steps to improve its environmental performance on a continual basis.
We will do this by educating ourselves on environmental issues, applying the knowledge to our everyday
practices and reporting our progress openly and candidly.
LEED Points
We are often asked about our contribution to LEED points. Jofco’s manufactures casegoods, conference,
meeting and occasional tables as well as seating products. The answers are very general considering we are
not addressing specific products. Call Jofco for more information.
LEED credit 6 – Tahké™ is produced in solid 3 and 5-ply bamboo which is harvested at maturity every 5 or 6
years from an FSC certified indigenous forest.
LEED credit 7 - Jofco is currently seeking FSC certification and should receive a chain of custody number midyear 2008.
LEED credits 4.1 and 4.2 - Our core material is certified by the Composite Panel Association as an
Environmentally Preferable Product for 100% recycled or recovered fiber content. The core material comprises
the largest part of most items.
LEED credit 5.1 - Offices within 500 miles of Jasper, IN benefit from this credit. The distance includes Chicago,
Milwaukee, Detroit, St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburg, and Atlanta among many others.
LEED credit 4.4 - Due to unique construction methods and intricate details, our finish process is specialized.
Jofco is researching and prototyping several low-emission options to enhance the quality product for which we
are known. We have narrowed our focus to two methods we feel will satisfy the needs of our customers.
LEED credit 4.5 - On solid wood seating, we have found a low-emitting material which has passed testing on
similar products. We are in the early stages of the testing process.
Tahké™ Casegoods
When exploring ways in which Jofco could
contribute to the environment, we were given
an amazing opportunity to partner with Jhane
Barnes, a celebrated designer with a life-long
passion for sustainable living. Jhane, in the
midst of moving offices, realized there was a
lack of sustainable casegoods in the
marketplace. Reusing casegoods is a
fantastic step toward sustainability; however,
there are so many limits with sizes and
functionality. Jhane's vision was a completely
environmental product which gives the
specifier more flexibility. While it has been a
challenging project, Jofco found rapidly
renewable, low-emitting and recyclable
materials from reputable sources which Jhane
could design her first casegoods.
The series is named Tahké™, Japanese for ‘bamboo’.
P.O. Box 71
Jasper, Indiana 47547-0071
800-23-jofco
Tel: 812-482-5154
Fax: 812-634-2392
www.jofco.com