CONTACT: Mark Bassil,
MAiSPACE
330 Waterloo Valley Road
Mount Olive, NJ 07828
973.446.2300

DATE: January 19, 2009

MT OLIVE, NJ, January 19 – “Buyers of office furniture are adding green to the checklist of criteria used in evaluating vendors,” reports Mark Bassil, vice president and co-founder of MAiSPACE, a manufacturer of modular office furniture systems, based here. “Green applies to environmental sustainability in selecting materials of construction, in designing modular components for maximum flexibility and long service life, and in choosing environmentally friendly fabrics and finishes,” he says.

The importance of green office furniture systems is underscored in a series of guidelines issued by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA), Bassil points out. They present good practices in order to become a more sustainable company. www.bifma.org/documents/SusGdlines.pdf

“Since it was established in 1993 MAiSPACE has incorporated green office guidelines and eco-friendly materials and processes used to manufacture its line of modular office furniture systems,” Bassil says. “Our products are GREENGUARD® certified for low emitting interior building materials, furnishings, and finish systems. In addition, we follow what some term a ‘cradle to cradle’ process that focuses on manufacturing products out of parts that can be recycled several times and produced using the least environmentally harmful methods.

“For example,” he says, “MAiSPACE uses post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from ground up soda bottles as tackable/acoustical padding for tiles instead of fiberglass that doesn’t break down in landfills and is a source of airborne glass. PET is also used by one of our fabric suppliers, Guilford of Maine, while much of the steel and aluminum components used in our office workstations have also been recycled.”

Other sources of pollution are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from glues, stains and paints used during the manufacturing process and that also can be given off in the workspace. Bassil notes that “This issue is being addressed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with requirements that work surface substrates are manufactured from non-wood agricultural fiber, that water- or bio-based glues be used, and that manufacturers use non-toxic dyes and recycled materials in tiles and panels.” Further environmental and cost-saving benefits accrue when panels and other components are colored using power coating techniques rather than spray painting.

Superior Construction for Longer Service Life

Construction quality is an important criterion when interior designers and facility managers seek environmentally friendly office furniture. “The strength of basic structural framing – the ‘skeleton’ to which all other components are attached – is the prime determinant to the service life of modular office furniture system installations,” Bassil says. “Systems furniture ranging from simple cubicles through collaborative spaces, reception areas, conference rooms and board rooms must be constructed to withstand the stresses of move ins and subsequent moves, adds and changes (MACs). Anything less than our 14-gauge cold-rolled steel structural framing can suffer bends and distortions that could render components unusable,” he says. “This goes counter to the basic premise of systems furniture, which is to support ongoing changes in the workplace. By failing to do this, lower quality systems furniture quickly heads for the recycling station.”

Changing workplace layouts is further facilitated by MAiSPACE knockdown ready to assemble (RTA) framing and off module design. Workspace walls are constructed of stackable/destackable panels in heights to 14 feet. Bins, shelving, worksurfaces and returns can be placed at will instead of being dictated by less flexible structural systems.

Construction quality exemplified by the MAiSPACE line is why the company can provide a lifetime warranty and guarantee against obsolescence across its full line of systems furniture. “The green workspace concept is not supported when equipment fails due to shoddy construction or cannot be upgraded because of a locked-in design,” Bassil says. “Buyers should check vendors’ warranties and guarantees carefully to protect their investment over the lifetime of the installation.”

The modular plug-and-play voice, data and power cabling system used in MAiSPACE workspaces eliminates another environmental issue, Bassil says. “Cabling used in workspaces of other designs generally cannot be reused after MACs. Because of this a lot of cable gets thrown out, either to end up in a landfill or to have the PVC burned off to reclaim the copper. In the latter instance,” he says, “energy is consumed and toxins can be admitted to the air.

MAiSPACE cabling consolidation points quickly enable MACs without disrupting the office network. Unneeded cabling can be unplugged and reused while new workstations can be quickly connected to the network.”

Green is Good for Business

“Today, companies are going green to create a healthy work environment and increase profits,” Bassil says. “Conforming to environmental standards helps attract business as well as recruiting and retaining qualified personnel.”

He notes a study published by the Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy titled "Doing Well by Doing Good? Green Office Buildings” It found evidence that rents for green offices are about two percent higher than rents for comparable buildings located nearby. Effective rents, i.e., rents adjusted for the occupancy levels in office buildings, are about six percent higher in green buildings than in comparable office buildings nearby.

Bassil believes that people entering the workforce today are more environmentally conscious than at any point in history. “They are quick to take notice of all aspects of the office environment – from furnishings to lighting to how files are created and stored,” he says. “Similarly, customers when given a choice will likely choose products and services from companies that conform to green guidelines. Companies furnishing their workplaces with environmentally sound workspaces should make it a point to promote their progressive approach to business both in recruiting and in marketing their products and services.”

Going Green at $12 - $15 per Square Foot Installed

MAiSPACE has revolutionized the contract furniture industry with its approach to designing and manufacturing modular office furniture systems. Because it is not saddled with outmoded techniques, its price points average 40% below some of the best known names in the industry. “This means our environmentally friendly solutions are available and ready to move in starting at $12 to $15 per square foot,” Bassil says. “Pricing includes our plug-and-play voice, data and power cabling system and is not dependent upon the size of the installation or number of units ordered.”