FIRA Carbon Footprinting Benchmarking Launch Presentation 6 December 2011
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On Tuesday 6th December, the Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) shared the findings of a major project that has assessed the feasibility of producing product carbon footprint benchmarks for the furniture industry using a practical, low cost and consistent methodology.
Transcript of FIRA Carbon Footprinting Benchmarking Launch Presentation 6 December 2011
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Benchmarking carbon footprints of furniture products
Testing•Certification • Consultancy • Training • Equipment • Membership
Welcome
Jonny Westbrooke
Chief Operating Officer
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AGENDA
• Introduction to furniture footprinting Dr Peter Beele
• Coffee break
• Project methodology Phil Reynolds
• Results Dr Asli Tamer Vestlund
• Lunch
• Conclusions Phil Reynolds
• Panel discussion
• Networking and refreshments
Testing•Certification • Consultancy • Training • Equipment • Membership
Introduction to furniture footprinting
Dr Peter Beele
Technical Development Manager
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SUSTAINABILITY AND FISP
Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme• Environmental management systems• Waste, energy, packaging, transport management• Sustainable timber purchasing• Air emissions management• End-of-life• Nuisance / noise • Community relations• Education and training• Employment• Charity work
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CARBON FOOTPRINTING
A ‘carbon footprint’ measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly
and indirectly by a person, organisation, event or product
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CLIMATE CHANGE
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CARBON AND GREENHOUSE GASES
Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases
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FURNITURE FOOTPRINTING
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FOOTPRINTING OPTIONS
• Organisational footprints• Process footprints• Product footprints
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PRODUCT FOOTPRINTS
• Informed specification and purchasing
• Comparable
• Benchmarks
• Marketing and promotion
The Holy Grail
• Cost effective
Testing•Certification • Consultancy • Training • Equipment • Membership
Methodology
Phil Reynolds
Principal Technical Manager
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• UK furniture industry covers a broad range of company sizes, from very small to very large
• UK furniture industry covers a number of sectors including office, kitchen, domestic and non-domestic sectors manufacturing beds, chairs, tables and storage.
BACKGROUND
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FIVE KEY AIMS
To develop and critique a cost effective methodology, from which UK furniture producers could calculate the
carbon footprint of their products
OBJECTIVE 1
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FIVE KEY AIMS
To examine the viability of comparing the carbon footprint of similar furniture
products on a like for like basis
OBJECTIVE 2
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FIVE KEY AIMS
To identify furniture sectors and product categories suitable for carbon
footprint comparisons
OBJECTIVE 3
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FIVE KEY AIMS
To provide industry carbon footprint benchmarks for appropriate products
OBJECTIVE 4
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FIVE KEY AIMS
To provide advice to the UK furniture industry and furniture specifiers on the
interpretation of carbon footprint claims
OBJECTIVE 5
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UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES
Key factors to ensure take-up:
• Use established methodologies where possible
• Low cost• Easy to use
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BOUNDARIES
CRADLE TO GATE
• Incoming materials• Manufacturing activities• Sub-contracting activities• Packaging • Other company impacts
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BOUNDARIES
EXCLUSIONS
• Manufacture and maintenance of capital goods
• Office materials• Building maintenance• Staff commute• Immaterial emissions
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TEMPORAL BOUNDARIES
ONE FULL CALENDAR YEAR
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ASSUMPTIONS
The total non-material footprint is divided by the total number of
products produced, regardless of product type, to obtain an allocation
per product
ASSUMPTION 1
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ASSUMPTIONS
Incoming transport emissions only include distances from the last
supplier in the supply chain
ASSUMPTION 2
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ASSUMPTIONS
Average emissions data is representative of the embedded
carbon of materials used by the UK furniture industry
ASSUMPTION 3
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ASSUMPTIONS
Process waste not measured – a wastage factor used
ASSUMPTION 4
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ASSUMPTIONS
The methodology represents an estimate of a cradle to gate
footprint
ASSUMPTION 5
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UTILITIES
• Includes all electricity and gas• Extracted from utility bills• Excludes mains water• Excludes on site wood burners
DATA COLLECTION
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TRANSPORT
• Includes sales activities• Includes incoming components• Always assumed to be UK average
articulated lorry
DATA COLLECTION
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MATERIALS
• Derived from Bill of Materials• Where necessary components
were weighed• Assumptions made for composite
materials and complex components
DATA COLLECTION
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PACKAGING
• Derived from Bill of Materials• Where necessary packaging was
weighed• Reusable packaging not considered
DATA COLLECTION
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• Low cost on line tool• Simple drag and drop operation• Powered by Best Foot Forward
PROJECT TOOL
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• Materials, plus• Incoming transport, plus• Processing and
outsourcing, plus• Percentage of company
impact, plus• Percentage of utilities
CALCULATION
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• Methodology needed to be easy to use and low cost
• Applicable across all sectors• Cradle to gate assessment selected• A number of assumptions used to
simplify data gathering exercise
SUMMARY
Testing•Certification • Consultancy • Training • Equipment • Membership
Results
Dr. Asli Tamer Vestlund
Deputy Technical Manager
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FURNITURE SECTORS
• Bedding•
Upholstery
• Chairs• Storage• Desks
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KITCHENS
1000mm kitchen wall unit(5 products & 4 manufacturers)
500mm wall unit(9 products & 7 manufacturers
1000mm drawer line unit(4 products & 3 manufacturers)
500mm drawer line unit(8 products & 6 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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DOMESTIC - BEDDING
Double Mattress(19 products & 4 manufacturers)
Double Divans(6 products & 3 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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DOMESTIC - UPHOLSTERY
Sofa(11 products & 3 manufacturers)
Armchair(5 products & 3 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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OFFICE - CHAIRS
Task Chair(13 products & 6 manufacturers)
Visitor Chair(3 products & 3 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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OFFICE - STORAGE
Desk High Pedestal (7 products & 5 manufacturers)
Bookcase(3 products & 3 manufacturers
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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OFFICE DESKS1600mm x 1800mm Rectangular Desk
(8 products, 6 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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CONTRACT
Dining Table(7 products & 5 manufacturers)
Dining Chair(3 products & 3 manufacturers)
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CARBON FOOTPRINT ANALYSIS
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DATA VARIATION ANALYSIS
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KEY FINDINGS
• Embodied carbon in the raw materials - most significant contributor
• The carbon impact of utility usage and transport - limited impact
Testing•Certification • Consultancy • Training • Equipment • Membership
Conclusions
Phil Reynolds
Principal Technical Manager
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KEY FINDINGS
Embedded carbon in materials is the key constituent of product footprints
Intelligent use of materials, in terms of type and quantity can have a significant impact on a products
carbon footprint
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KEY FINDINGS
Utilities have a measurable impact on a footprint.
There is scope for significant carbon, and cost savings from optimising
utility usage.
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Methodology produced• Simplification sometimes at odds
with accuracy• Even simple process still requires
investment
To develop and critique a cost effective methodology
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Design plays an important part• Excludes durability and end of life
Examine the viability of like for like comparisons
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FOOTPRINT VARIATION
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Varies across sectors• Kitchens are designed around set
format• One size fits all probably not
appropriate
Identify products/sectors suitable for comparison
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Not appropriate at current time• Cradle to Gate has limitations• Wider sustainability issues need to
be considered
Provide benchmarks
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ANEC
A static Product Carbon Footprint stand-alone label providing a total CO2 footprint on products does not
make sense and is not very relevant for consumer decision making
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Understand footprints• Use materials effectively• Optimise utility usage• Continuous improvement• ‘Green the supply chain’
Advice to manufacturers
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FIVE KEY AIMS
• Consider supplier committed to reducing carbon impact
• Consider ISO 14001/FISP• Consider wider sustainability issues
Advice to specifiers
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CONCLUSIONS
The benchmarking of product carbon footprints in the furniture industry is not
recommended based on the methodology and findings of this study
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CONCLUSIONS
Carbon footprinting is a very useful tool for the furniture industry. The more the
furniture industry understands the make up of its products footprints the more it
can look to reduce it in targeted, intelligent and innovative ways
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PANEL DISCUSSION
ANY QUESTIONS?
