Varia is produced by 3form, a great company to look into for many of your green interior design needs.  They produce a wide range of materials and for each of those materials, such as Varia, the application potential is practically endless.  If you can dream it, you can probably make it happen with one of their products.  Varia, or Ecoresin as it’s also called, is made of 40% post-industrial re-grind content and is GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified, making it a good option for LEED credits.  This is the most diverse product in terms of color, pattern, texture, and application options that I have found on the green market. 

There are, by the way, over 210 color, pattern, and texture options.  On top of that, there are additional finish options such as patent or patina.   Patterns include jacquard prints and hand-dyed capiz shells and glass suspended between layers of Ecoresin.  My favorite is the Organics collection with options that include bamboo patterns, leaves, grass and even rocks, some of which actually contain those materials with the layers.  Varia also comes in a variety of thicknesses which allows it to be even more versatile.  Possible uses for this material include backsplashes, countertops, wall coverings, flooring, cabinet doors, ceiling panels, door panels, and canopies.

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I really like Haworth.  In short, Haworth is a leader in office furniture and architectural interiors.  They do everything with a commitment to appealing aesthetics, thoughtful ergonomics, and sustainability.  I came in contact with some Haworth employees when I was finishing my JD/MBA program in Dallas, and they gave me a personal tour of the super-stylish Dallas showroom (a commercial interiors office display built to LEED-CI Gold standards).  Now, Haworth is working on a major, award-winning overhaul of their Holland, Michigan Headquarters.  The 300,000 sf renovation was designed to meet LEED-NC Gold standards; some of the building’s green features include the following:

• The new facade will have a sun-filled atrium and vegetated green roof, blending the boundary between the structure and natural environment;
• All of the interior 830 workstations will have access to daylight views;
• Over 99% of the existing materials collected during deconstruction and recovery are being recycled; and
• Although the footprint of the building will increase by 20%, energy use will remain at pre-renovation levels due to sustainability improvements. 

Of the green headquarters, Haworth Chairman Dick Haworth said, "The new Haworth Center will be a leading example of change. We’re not just building a better building … we’re building a better future."

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Recently, I’ve run across the work of an environmentally friendly Thai architect named Singh Intrachooto.  Singh saw a problem in the industry and decided to do something to close the loop.  If you’ve ever been involved with construction of any form, you know there’s tons of wasted materials.  That’s where Singh comes in.  He takes left over scrap from construction sites and designs furniture with them, each piece being different depending on the size and shape of the materials that get salvaged.  Now, Singh’s furniture has exploded and is on display in Los Angeles and Paris.   

Singh sells the furniture via his website, OSISU, but I’m not necessarily advocating the purchase of his work.  It’s incredible and inspiring, but we have our own construction waste here in the U.S.  We have tons of it.  And it’s going straight to the landfill.  Why not find value in that trash?  Let’s close the loop and put good materials to use.  With Singh, it was just about 18 months ago that he decided to start making this furniture, and in his words, "people thought he was crazy."  Now it’s getting big-time coverage all over the media.  All it takes is asking the construction workers to set aside scraps like wood, steel, and concrete.  The pieces pictured were made from reclaimed teak morsels.  Via reuters. 

Answer.  Thoughtfully flexible.  It’s about time for a new installment to the Green Office segment.  So far, I’ve mentioned the Leap + Think chairs, the Liege Desk, and office supplies from The Green Office.  Enter:  the MBDC Silver Cradle to Cradle Certified, GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified Steelcase Answer®.  The Steelcase Answer panel workstation is the first C2C Certified powered workstation for the contract furniture industry.  First, Answer uses responsible materials.  Workstation components consist of panels, wood work surfaces, overhead storage and floor-based storage.  There is absolutely no PVC used in its construction.  Second, Cradle to Cradle certification requires product design that contemplates what happens when the product is not longer useful for its intended purpose.  There’s a focus on being able to recycle or safely compost the materials.  Adhesives are eliminated, where possible, and recyclable parts are clearly marked.  This is a big deal considering Answer is one of the best selling systems products in the world.  I bet you could get the Answer workstation penciled into your tenant improvements agreement, right?  Via PRNewswire.

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In the last "Green Office" segment here on Jetson Green, I talked about the merits of investing in a Think chair from Steelcase for your office.  Need a desk?  Some of you may shut down purely at the price tag ($2,200), but there’s a price premium for style + sustainability.  You can find the Liege Desk, designed by Jeffrey Bernett + Nicholas Dodziuk, exclusively at Design Within Reach.  The desk uses sustainable chestnut or oak veneers and the stainless steel is finish-free.  The wood varnish is non-toxic and low in volatile organic compounds.  Measuring H 30" x W 60" x D 30", the Liege Desk accommodates storage that can be placed on the right or left, depending on your orientation.  It’s a pretty good looking desk solution and would definitely go well with the Think chair.  Via Collin Dunn at Treehugger.