Embracing Sustainability

NO LONGER AN INDUSTRY BUZZWORD, SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES ARE HERE TO STAY.

BY JENNIFER WILLIAMS

Designers and industry professionals hesitate to use the word “trend” when discussing the use of sustainable materials in the industry.

Instead, the movement towards sustainability has become more of a constant — what is expected from companies all across the globe.

The recent Ligna and interzum shows each held their first in-person events since 2019, focusing on sustainability in many of their presentations. Exhibitors touted not only their latest products, but also spotlighted how they are minimizing their environmental impact and carbon footprint.

And the Environmental Protection Agency just proposed amendments to the 2020 National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Plywood and Composite Wood Products (PCWP) to further protect air quality and public health by reducing emissions of hazardous air pollutants [see sidebar, page 24].

The surface & panel industry constantly faces challenges including changing customer demands, increasing competition, rising costs, environmental regulations, and quality standards.

To overcome these challenges and gain a competitive edge, companies understand the need to embrace sustainability as a strategic priority and a source of innovation. Sustainability is not only about reducing the environmental impact of the production process and the products, but also about creating value for customers, businesses and society.

Greater Transparency And Regulation

Customers and regulators are increasingly demanding more information and accountability from the surface & panel industry regarding the environmental and social aspects of their products and operations. The industry as a whole must comply with various standards and certifications that measure and verify their sustainability performance, such as EPEAT, EcoVadis, FSC, PEFC, and others. These efforts must then be communicated to both stakeholders and customers through means such as reports, labels and websites.

Reducing Carbon Footprints

Delivery is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in most industries. Companies are looking to optimize their delivery methods and routes to reduce their fuel consumption and emissions. Companies also continue to explore alternative modes of transportation that are more efficient and eco-friendly, including electric vehicles and rail transport, which can also result in costsavings for the company, as well.

Rise Of The Circular Economy

RIGHT: THE HOTEL DOS REIS BY THE BEAUTIQUE HOTELS USES ONE OF VICAIMA’S MOST EXCLUSIVE SOLUTIONS: VICAIMA INFINITY. THE COMPANY’S INNOVATIVE APPROACH PROVIDES A HARMONIOUS INTEGRATION OF VARIOUS ELEMENTS, INCLUDING DOORS, PANELS, WARDROBES AND FURNITURE PIECES, USING ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE CUSTOMIZED DESIGNS AND FINISHES. VICAIMA HAS A CONSTANT CONCERN FOR SUSTAINABILITY, BEING THE FIRST PORTUGUESE COMPANY IN THE SECTOR TO OBTAIN FSC (FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL) CERTIFICATION. CONTINUED ON

The circular economy is a concept that aims to eliminate waste and extend the life cycle of materials and products by reusing, repairing, remanufacturing, recycling, or composting them. Many companies are looking to adopt circular economy principles in their design and production processes to reduce their material usage and waste

ABOVE: UNIBOARD: THE IMPRESSION OF WHITE OAK EMBELLISHED WITH TEXTURES SUCH AS RATTAN AND LINEN IS A GOOD CHOICE OF MATERIALS TO CREATE THE SOUGHT-AFTER JAPANDI ATMOSPHERE. HERE, UNIBOARD’S K97 – ZINC IS PRIZED FOR ITS LINEAR WOOD GRAIN, CREATING AN UP-TO-DATE SPACE WITH A CHOICE OF SUSTAINABLE, ORGANIC MATERIALS IN HARMONY WITH NATURE THAT WILL BE AT THE TEST OF TIME.

‹ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 generation. Another facet of this could extend to customers through take-back programs, refurbishment services and others.

Using Ai And Data

Data and artificial intelligence (AI) are technologies that can help improve a company’s sustainability performance by analyzing large amounts of data, identifying patterns and trends, making predictions and recommendations, optimizing processes and outcomes, detecting anomalies and errors, and providing feedback and guidance. For example, data and AI can help optimize a company’s production schedules, adjust parameters based on real-time conditions, monitor quality and performance, prevent failures and downtime, and improve customer satisfaction. Again, efficiencies in these areas can lead to reduced costs overall.

These days, sustainability is not only seen as a responsibility, but also as an opportunity to create value, offering companies a chance to innovate and stay competitive. s p