Office Comforts

Office furniture is a $10 billion business in the United States.  Many of the manufacturing components, such as glues and materials used in construction, emit toxic fumes.

In offices, air pollution can be two to five times higher than normal, owing to materials like pressed wood, binding agents like formaldehyde, paints and finishes, and other solvents.

Add to this the concern about the impact to the environment when lumber is cleared from small areas, resulting in soil erosion and harm to wildlife, and you’ll realize why “going green” makes sense.

To mitigate this effect on our environment, you should consider buying furniture from a well-managed forest.  A list of these is available at www.certifiedwood.org.

Here’s what to look for:

What you should know about pricing for office furniture:

Buying new furniture:

The price of new cubicles ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 per cubicle, depending on components, the quality of the materials and the ergonomics.  It's important when buying new cubicles to look at the long term picture. It's not unusual for cubicles to last two decades, so paying a few hundreds dollars more for new cubicles could give you a much better return on your investment.

In addition, newer furniture can make a big difference to an employee’s comfort, particularly when it includes accessories such as adjustable tables, better lighting, and modular panels.

Look for a three-year minimum guarantee on new furniture. When requesting a quote, the more specific the breakdown, the better. Because these systems are modular, it's easy to add or subtract components, which impacts the price. Be ready to negotiate.

Buying pre-owned furniture:

When buying pre-owned furniture, it's best to stick to well-known brands, like Herman Miller, Haworth, Knoll and Tekion, for the simple reason that it’s easier to find components.