GreenTips

A number of furniture manufacturers have made significant improvements in the environmental performance of their products. Some use recycled plastics and recycled or natural fabrics, others will only use certified sustainable sourced timber. At least one manufacturer has designed a product range that allows for disassembly and recycling.

Ensure all timber components are formaldehyde free or have the FSC or the PEFC label. If they are manufactured from native New Zealand timbers ensure that this timber has been extracted from sources covered by MAF permits or plans.

All plastics used in furniture should be clearly labelled with its plastics code for recycling.

When selecting furniture it is important to consider the service life and durability of the product. Poorly made furniture will inevitably have a short life and will require replacement with associated environmental impacts.

Choose New Zealand made furniture wherever possible as this requires less transport energy than similar imported products.

Look for furniture fabrics that are manufactured from 100% recycled materials, natural materials such as hemp or NZ wool, or that are Environmental Choice certified.

The choice of appliances can have a significant effect on the total energy used in a building. Look for energy efficiency ratings (energy star) when making you selection. A cheaper appliance may have a far higher cost over its lifetime than a more advanced, lower energy alternative.

Relative costs of running many common household appliances can be found on the New Zealand and Australian Energy Star websites.

In general, front loading washing machines use less water than top loading alternatives. However recent design improvements in the design of top loading machines have begun to close the gap.

Dishwashers are another significant water user. New smart appliances can be purchased with dramatically reduced water consumption.

Rating and labelling standards have been developed to rate water using products. The Water Services Association of Australia website has a simple to use database of rated products.

Some fridges and freezers still contain HCFCs and other ozone depleting chemicals in their refrigerants and insulation. The production of these ozone depleting substance can be reduced though consumers not selecting these products.

Greenbuild Technical Information Search

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