i + D - March/April 2020 - 36

Commercial Commitments - By Robert Nieminen

Emeco's iconic chair has
proven for decades that
sustainable design can
look good in any setting.
(Image: Emeco)

All Emeco products, like the
famed Navy chair, are 100 percent
recyclable, and the company's
processes and facilities have the
environment front of mind.
(Image: Dirk Weiblen)

"Certification is a good thing
because it supports something
that we believe is positive."
-GREGG BUCHBINDER, EMECO

Emeco's commitment to
the environment extends
beyond the products
it manufactures to its
factories and offices, as
well as to the new studio
and showroom space in
Southern California.
(Image: Miro Zagnoli)

In its sustainably designed facility, Emeco recycles used materials
whenever possible in order to eliminate the company's environmental
impact and reduce its carbon footprint. It also recycles post-consumer
and post-industrial waste that would otherwise be discarded and
uses it to produce new chairs that are intended to last for decades.
Among its manufacturing processes designed with the environment
in mind are the use of welding machines with internal cooling systems
to reduce water consumption by 15 percent; advanced lighting
technologies installed throughout manufacturing operations, resulting
in a 24 percent annual reduction in electrical consumption rate; and
the use of at least 80 percent recycled aluminum in all products, which
leads to 95 percent less energy consumption than the use of virgin
aluminum would. All Emeco products are 100 percent reclyclable
as well.
But the commitment doesn't halt at the manufacturing facility. David
Saik Studio was brought in to lead the renovation of the company's
existing warehouse in Venice Beach to create the Emeco House: a
studio and showroom, plus exhibition and garden spaces, combined
with two apartments with interconnected living and dining areas
for short-term stays of staff and guests. The Emeco House is in
the process of attaining LEED certification, and while the company
is proud the project is targeting Gold status, Buchbinder notes the
company isn't interested in simply chasing points.
"We didn't design the facilities for certifications, but we do think
that certification is a good thing because it supports something that
we believe is positive," Buchbinder says. He notes they chose to
leave the concrete floors exposed in the studio rather than specifying
eco-friendly carpet, which could have earned additional points,
because it wasn't necessary. They also opted for lime plastering
because of its long life and breathability, which helps prevent mold.
"We're making decisions on every single material, no matter where
it is, mainly because they're really good materials; they're energy
efficient," he says. "We're shooting to have a zero-energy project as
opposed to a massive amount of points."

36

i+D - March/April 2020

Already LEED
certified, the Rayside
Labossière office
seeks to upgrade to
Platinum status and
to achieve net zero
carbon as well.
(Image: Saul Rosales/
Rayside Labossière)
i + D - March/April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of i + D - March/April 2020
