FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment) includes everything that does not have permanent fixture to the structure of the building. More than this, FF&E involves layering the various elements of a design to completely transform a space. Following on from our previous blog, we want to explain the sustainability guarantees that come with Pinnacle FF&E Consultancy. We are different to other FF&E Consultants because we are also a manufacturer. This gives us direct control over the entire manufacturing process and enables us to significantly impact the sustainability of both the product and the process including reducing waste and actively recycling.
Pinnacle are members of FIRA (The Furniture Industry Research Association) which gives our clients confidence that our products are safe, legal, and fit for purpose and tested to applicable standards.
FSC
A lot of furniture is at least partially or entirely constructed from wooden material as such the FSC is particularly important in FF&E consultancy. FSC is also important in modular builds for projects. MMC modules that leave construction factories must be FSC certified so when FF&E is installed it is a very important criteria to meet. We are working towards FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody Certification so that all our products we supply can be sourced with FSC in mind. This is a critical step for BREEAM and other certifications. The FSC system allows businesses and consumers to identify, purchase and use wood, paper and other forest products made with materials from well-managed forests and recycled sources.
BREEAM: (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method)
Through Pinnacle’s design and specification knowledge and experience, we can help specify the right FF&E for BREEAM credits. This is a relatively complex area as specialist equipment is required for technical Science Laboratories and Design & Technology spaces. The equipment must comply to BREEAM credits and be suitable for educational use, so specialist knowledge is required. BREEAM is the world’s longest established method of assessing, rating, and certifying the sustainability of buildings which work to enhance the wellbeing of people who live and work in sustainable environments, help protect natural resources and create attractive property investments. One of the biggest factors in BREEAM is water usage which is calculated using WAT01. The aim is to reduce the consumption of potable water for sanitary use in new buildings from all sources. To meet this requirement, our taps can be fitted with flow rate regulators to reduce water usage and increase sustainability. We also adhere to BREEAM’s ‘excellent’ standard for all lighting solutions used in our fit-outs and EnergyStar® equipment is specified for all inbuilt monitors. The environmental impacts of all our activities are entered into the “Impact Records” chart with almost all our activities currently evaluated as Low impact. We are committed to preventing pollution and complying with all relevant environmental legislation for a more sustainable future.
Manufacturing
We manufacture entirely in the UK, which offers considerable environmental advantages when compared to suppliers who import. Most of our raw materials are made in the UK as well, ensuring that furniture has travelled the minimal distance reducing our carbon footprint. Any key furniture manufacturing partners are committed to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and any organisation that we work with must have an established track record in environmental standards, quality, service, delivery reliability, standards of support to us, and aftersales and warranty commitments.
Legacy furniture
Pinnacle always ensure that we provide several suitable options for the ethical and responsible recycling of any unwanted legacy furniture. If the legacy furniture that we are replacing with new furniture is still in good enough condition to be reused, Pinnacle will donate it to one of the many charitable organisations we partner with. There may also be the opportunity for it to be refurbished or repaired.
Pinnacle provide legacy surveys and assessments. This enables as much furniture as possible to be repurposed either within the new build for the client saving carbon footprint, manufacturing costs and carbon expenditure. If it cannot fit in the scheme, we will refurbish through charity organization we partner with to repurpose, refurbish, or repair but the maximum amount of furniture is kept in use through upcycling.
Recycling
We manufacture a wide variety of furniture that has recycled content like task chairs that have 20% recycled materials and make sure that most materials used are 95% + recyclable. We only manufacture and specify furniture that complies with BS EN Standards for low volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions so that the furniture has no harmful off-gassing, minimising indoor air pollution. Also, we ensure that the fabric we select for upholstery is sustainable and we promote natural wool based fabric wherever possible.
All packaging materials from furniture that has been delivered to site are removed for recycling once the furniture has been installed to prevent a build-up of packaging during installation. Our facility at Gatwick contains a recycling sorting area, where the packaging is sorted into the relevant bins, such as cardboard, wood and plastic, ready for collection. Furthermore, we do not repackage delivered materials but continue to use the original packaging, as delivered by the manufacturer, for as long as possible and do not re-package unnecessarily.
Therefore, as evidenced above, Pinnacle work hard to ensure that multiple sustainability measures are successfully followed in our FF&E projects so you can be sure that you are working with an environmentally conscious business. We constantly look for new ways to reduce our environmental impact and hope to achieve even more in the future.
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