BIFMA International, the trade association for the commercial
furniture industry, has announced the premier of the product
certification program, level™.
Level will verify conformance to the first fully transparent,
multi-attribute furniture sustainability standard addressing
material utilization, energy and atmosphere impacts, human and
ecosystem health and social responsibility. Manufacturers
evaluating products to the BIFMA e3 sustainability standard and
undergoing an independent, third-party certification process can
achieve the level conformance mark. NSF International and
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) are the first third-party
certification bodies to be recognized under the level certification
program. The standard is modeled after LEED with specific
prerequisites, optional credits, and three conformance levels, with
level 3 certification being the highest.
"For the past three years we have been following the ANSI process,
working with stakeholders and experts from inside and outside the
industry to create a standard that can be used by all furniture
producers," says Tom Reardon, BIFMA executive director. "We also
understand the importance of an independent evaluation and
conformance verification process and invite additional
certification bodies to participate in the program. We have to give
our customers a simple and comprehensive way to understand how
products contribute to green buildings and sustainability as a
whole," he adds.
BIFMA member firms Allsteel, Gunlocke, HON Company, Herman Miller,
Kimball Office, National Office Furniture and Steelcase have
products that meet the standard's requirements and have received
third party certification by either NSF or SCS. Each firm will be
showcasing their level certified products at NeoCon® this
year.
For more information, visit
www.levelcertified.org
ChetanBIFMA Launches "level" Certification Program for Furniture Sustainability Standard
June 1, 2009
BIFMA International, the trade association for the commercial furniture industry, has announced the premier of the product certification program, level™.
Level will verify conformance to the first fully transparent, multi-attribute furniture sustainability standard addressing material utilization, energy and atmosphere impacts, human and ecosystem health and social responsibility. Manufacturers evaluating products to the BIFMA e3 sustainability standard and undergoing an independent, third-party certification process can achieve the level conformance mark. NSF International and Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) are the first third-party certification bodies to be recognized under the level certification program. The standard is modeled after LEED with specific prerequisites, optional credits, and three conformance levels, with level 3 certification being the highest.
"For the past three years we have been following the ANSI process, working with stakeholders and experts from inside and outside the industry to create a standard that can be used by all furniture producers," says Tom Reardon, BIFMA executive director. "We also understand the importance of an independent evaluation and conformance verification process and invite additional certification bodies to participate in the program. We have to give our customers a simple and comprehensive way to understand how products contribute to green buildings and sustainability as a whole," he adds.
BIFMA member firms Allsteel, Gunlocke, HON Company, Herman Miller, Kimball Office, National Office Furniture and Steelcase have products that meet the standard's requirements and have received third party certification by either NSF or SCS. Each firm will be showcasing their level certified products at NeoCon® this year.
For more information, visit
www.levelcertified.org