Herman Miller Co Struc System User Manual
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Our sustainability goals by the year 2020:
• Zero carbon footprint
• Zero landfill
• Zero hazardous waste generation
• Zero air emissions (VOCs)
• Zero process water use
• 100 percent renewable electrical energy use via renewable
energy credits and a power purchase agreement
• Company buildings constructed to a minimum
LEED Silver certification
• 100 percent of sales from DfE approved products
Environmental Product Summary
®
Co/Struc
System
Design Story: The First Modular Clinical
Storage System
Designer Robert Propst took what he learned in
formulating Action Office®, the world’s first modular
office system, to create Co/Struc, the first clinical
modular-based storage system. Propst’s research
convinced him that combining modular systems
furniture and moveable modular casework could
effectively address the requirements of virtually every
hospital department. Over the course of nearly a
quarter-century, the combination of these two systems
has withstood the test of time.
Co/Struc’s durability, interchangeable components,
and environmentally thoughtful use of materials
assure many years of use and efficient recyclability of
its components at the end of their current life cycle.
Herman Miller’s Design Protocol
Our commitment to corporate sustainability naturally
includes minimizing the environmental impact of each
of our products. Our Design for Environment team (DfE)
applies environmentally sensitive design standards to
both new and existing Herman Miller products.
Material Content
The Co/Struc system’s components are constructed
from steel, plastic, wood, aluminum, and other materials.
STEEL 61%
PLASTIC 19%
WOOD 16%
ALUMINUM 2%
OTHER 2%
The Co/Struc system is up to 73 percent recyclable
at the end of its useful life.
Co/Struc is comprised of 37-percent recycled materials.
This figure breaks down to 18- percent post-consumer
and 19-percent pre-consumer recycled content.
The DfE Design Protocol goes beyond regulatory
compliance to thoroughly evaluate new product
designs in four key areas:
• Material Chemistry and Safety of Inputs—
POST-CONSUMER
RECYCLED CONTENT 18%
PRE-CONSUMER
RECYCLED CONTENT 19%
What chemicals are in the materials we specify, and
are they the safest available?
• Disassembly—Can we take products apart at the
end of their useful life, to recycle their materials?
• Recyclability—Do the materials contain recycled
content, and more importantly, can the materials be
recycled at the end of the product’s useful life?
• LCA—Have we optimized the product based on the
entire life cycle?
• Steel components contain approximately 35 percent
recycled content and are 100 percent recyclable.
• Aluminum components are 100 percent recyclable.
• Most metal components have a powder-coat paint
finish that emits negligible volatile organic compounds
(VOCs).
® Y and , Action Office and Co/Struc are among the registered trademarks
1
of Herman Miller, Inc.
® GREENGUARD is a registered trademark of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.
© 2012 Herman Miller, Inc., Zeeland, Michigan
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Environmental Product Summary
Co/Struc
®
System
• Plastic components are identified with an ASTM
recycling code whenever possible, to aid in returning
these materials to the recycling stream.
• Wood, while not technically recyclable, can be
cycled back to the natural environment, such as
through composting. The wood content in our work
surfaces and storage unit substrates is comprised
of 100-percent reclaimed wood, as certified by the
Composite Panel Associations EPP. This wood
content is made primarily of sawdust generated by
other wood process operations. Additionally, wood
waste from our operations can be burned in our
energy center, which generates steam that we use in
our operations facilities.
• Returnable/Recyclable Packaging—Packaging
materials include corrugated cardboard, molded
pulp, and expanded polystyrene foam. These materials
are part of a closed-loop recycling system, meaning
they can be recycled repeatedly.
– Whenever possible, shipments between
– On large North American orders, disposable
to minimize their operations’ environmental impacts,
but require they assist us in decreasing our facilities’
negative environmental effects, as well.
LEED
The Co/Struc system may contribute to LEED credits
due to its returnable/reusable packaging, durability,
pre-consumer recycled content, and post-consumer
content. Depending on location, Co/Struc also may
contribute to a LEED Regional Materials credit. Please
refer to http://hermanmiller.com/ecoScorecard or
contact your Herman Miller representative for detailed
LEED information.
It’s important to note that no interior furnishings,
individually or collectively, can guarantee a
specific number of points for LEED certification.
Herman Miller and its suppliers include the use
of pallets and other returnable packaging to
minimize waste.
packaging can be replaced with reusable
shipping blankets.
Manufacturing Process
• Worker Health and Safety—Herman Miller strives
to meet or exceed OSHA standards.
Product Performance
• Designed for minimal material use, reduced energy
requirements, easy reconfiguration, and durability.
• Backed by Herman Miller’s 12-year, 24/7 parts and
labor warranty.
Indoor Air Quality
The Co/Struc system is GREENGUARD® certified as
a low-emitting product that meets current indoor air
quality standards.
Corporate Environmental Policy
For more information on Herman Miller’s Corporate
Environmental Policy and other environmental
efforts, visit the “Environmental Advocacy” section of
HermanMiller.com.
Supplier Support
At Herman Miller, we are committed to working closely
with our suppliers to reduce our collective impact on
the environment. We not only encourage our suppliers
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Herman Miller complies with the Federal Trade commission’s Part 260
Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims.
® Y and , Action Office and Co/Struc are among the registered trademarks
of Herman Miller, Inc.
® GREENGUARD is a registered trademark of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.
© 2012 Herman Miller, Inc., Zeeland, Michigan
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