Build Reuse is the only North American conference focused explicitly on reuse in the built environment. Almost 300 professionals from around the world converged to discuss the current economic, social and environmental impacts of the building material reuse industry. The following article highlights key moments and ideas.

Over the next 40 years, our total building stock is estimated to double, while nearly a third of our present building stock will come down.

– Build Reuse, 2025

The Perfect Venue

The historic Landmark Center, a revered adaptive reuse project in downtown St. Paul, MN hosted the event. Completed in 1902, the building originally served as a US Post Office, Courthouse and Custom House for the state. A fitting place to host this conference, the Landmark itself was saved from demolition in the 1970’s, renovated and reopened as a hub for the arts in 1978.

Meet the Hosts

The conference organizer, Build Reuse is a 501(c)3 non-profit established in 1994. Encouraging the recovery, reuse and recycling of building materials, the organization is also committed to social investment and workforce development in the deconstruction industry. Build Reuse’s EPA grant to track emissions savings of salvaged items was terminated earlier this year. While progress will be slowed with the funding loss, the organization will continue to support a national registry of deconstruction trainers, a robust Build Reuse Forum, a newsletter, workgroups/committees, Build Reuse Affinity Groups (BRAG’s) and various best practices including information on tax deduction for donations of used building materials to nonprofits. 

Our vision is to transform our communities by creating a building industry in which used and excess materials become an asset and waste is no longer acceptable.

– Build Reuse, 2025

Build Reuse partnered with r.world reusables to dramatically reduce single-use waste by providing reusable dinner/silver ware, hot and cold reusable cups and cloth napkins. The r.world reusable food ware and returnable process are pictured here.

Do the most good with the least effort.

– r.world reuse

Bridging the Gap

This year’s conference theme “Bridging the Reuse Gap from Promise to Practice” explored how bold ideas are transformed into real world solutions across architecture, (de)construction and policy.  The current political climate requires a different level of commitment, but many markets are showing increased demand for salvaged materials, in commercial as well as in the better-established residential arena. The industry is coalescing around C&D waste.

Defining the Term:  C&D Waste (Construction and Demolition)

C&D waste are materials generated in the construction, renovation, and demolition of buildings, (EPA, n.d.). Annual C&D Waste is projected by the World Bank to be 2.2 billion tons in 2025, (Ding, et al, 2023).  

In her keynote, Kira Gould, co-host of Design the Future Podcast, discussed the reckoning with building materials, their stories about history, labor and the environment. While money is the plainest story to use as the baseline, she suggested that the industry stop leading with guilt and change the narrative to possibility. It can be more about the value and less about the cost. There’s a cultural shift brewing in the reuse economy, in how we communicate the value of material reuse.

When we reuse materials, we are not just preserving embodied carbon — we’re preserving embodied memory. Reuse tells stories. It honors the work of past generations.

– Gould, 2025

Defining the Term: Embodied Carbon 

Embodied carbon refers to the CO₂ emissions associated with the materials, production, transportation and construction of a building before it becomes operational.

Defining the Term: Embodied Memory 

Embodied memory in the built environment is the idea that reuse of buildings or materials tells stories of place, stories of people or craftsmanship and stories about culture, (Gould, 2025).

Carl Elefante, famous for his 2007 quote, “the greenest building is one that is already built,” was the second keynote speaker.  He spoke to themes from his new book, Going for Zero: Decarbonizing the Built Environment on the Path to our Urban Future:  climate, justice and urban imperatives. Elefante’s viewpoint is informed by his career of rescuing buildings from senseless demolition and learning from the practices and wisdom embedded in the built heritage, (Island Press, n.d.).

If the past teaches, what does the future learn?

– Elefante, 2025

Infrastructure for Diversion

Whether to deconstruct a space or building and salvage materials can come down to two questions: 

• Is there a legislative mandate?
• Does it make financial sense? 

Portland became the first city in 2016 to pass an ordinance requiring the deconstruction of single-family homes built before 1940 slated for removal, rather than allowing conventional demolition. Since then, a dozen other US cities have enacted similar statutes. 

Defining the Term: Deconstruction

Deconstruction is the selective dismantling of building components for reuse or repurposing and secondarily for recycling. This construction-in-reverse process takes a higher degree of skilled labor and a longer timeframe but offers potential income streams from the sale of and tax benefits from donations of salvaged materials.

Defining the Term: Demolition

A building or interior is cleared by the most expedient means available, related to time and cost. Demolished materials are hauled to landfills.

Many of the skilled building trades are being lost in a couple generations.

– Langowski, 2025

Projects exploring deconstruction often start with a deconstruction survey or materials audit to determine potential salvageable products. While Digital Product Passports are still emerging, in the future they will greatly enhance the deconstruction process.

Defining the Term: Digital Product Passport (DPP)

A digital tool for collecting and providing product data including material content, performance, environmental impact, transportation, storage, installation, maintenance, repair and end-of-use data for use by producers, consumers, regulatory bodies and the resale market.

The team presenting “Digital Transformation in Deconstruction,” Kinley Deller, Felix Heisel, Ming Qu and Hongxi Yin described a framework for a cost/effort/value analysis using the adaptis AI powered building lifecycle management platform.

“High value – high yield materials such as full-dimension softwood, exposed steel, aluminum are easy to extract, have a high resale value, and experience minimal contamination
Takeaway – high payback in cost and circularity

Medium value – context dependent materials are often trickier due to their bulk or labor-intensive processes to remove, with resale value variable
Takeaway – only recover when local reuse or recycling infrastructure exists and local tipping fees are high

Low value – high effort materials such as insulation, shingles, composite finishes require high labor costs to remove and are often damaged or contaminated, offering a lower resale value
Takeaway – landfill or energy recovery may be the most cost effective unless there is diversion policy in place,” (Adaptis, 2025).

Promoting deconstruction in new construction fabrication techniques will simplify future deconstruction and enhance the practice of urban mining for building materials.

Defining the Term: Urban Mining

One form of urban mining involves recovering and reusing materials from demolished, deconstructed or renovated buildings, turning these existing structures into resource banks.

The workshop “Building a Regional Material Reuse Strategy to Drive Commercial Reuse,” facilitated by Frances Yang and Andrew Ellsworth explored: 

• Why commercial building material reuse hasn’t taken off.
• How the commercial reuse economy can be built from the ground up by:
  • Identifying what reclaimed materials customers will buy,
  • Building the right businesses to support the demand,
  • Supporting public and private sector collaboration.

The existing reuse infrastructure is not built for the needs of commercial projects, as the market is currently non-existent.  However, there is great potential in the commercial reuse market.

“We are incorporating salvaged materials in many ground-up new construction projects and standardizing the integration of building material reuse into Bay Area tenant improvement projects.”

– Google, 2025

“We are challenging each trade to identify a minimum of one reuse option (identify any cost/schedule implications) and develop a reuse procurement action plan in the process.”

– JLL, 2025

“Our Design & Construction teams will discuss ways to prioritize procurement of recycled content or reused materials, reduce surplus and deconstruct instead of demo.”

– Genentech, 2025

The IBC (International Building Code) generally allows the reuse of salvaged materials in new construction, provided they meet the same requirements as new materials, this includes compliance with structural and fire-resistance standards. Local building officials may need to approve the reuse of used equipment and some components. 

Establishing methods for grading and including salvaged lumber in the IBC 2027 are especially important, as reusable lumber accounts for 16% of C & D materials shipped to landfills.

Reuse Stigma

The negative stigma of reusing building materials was implicitly referenced in some conference conversations. Concerns about quality, code compliance, health hazards, structural integrity, being outdated, less desirable and complicating schedules could be voiced by various stakeholders in the built environment process. “A major obstacle to the wide implementation of C&D waste products is not technical requirements and structural strength but the negative stereotype of the recycled products,” (Ding, et al, 2023). 

“The most effective method of waste management is not to improve technology but to change people’s attitude.”  – Ding, et al, 2023

Defining the Term: Reuse Stigma

The negative stigma of reusing building materials stems from perceived, unsubstantiated quality and reliability issues.

Older trees had to compete more for sunlight, water and nutrients which made them grow slower and more resistant to insect damage.

– Cika, 2025

Stories from the Job Site

In “Pilot Programs Boosting the Circular Building Materials Economy in the Pacific NW” speakers Lauren Zimmermann Onstad and Katie Kennedy discussed the well-established Portland and Seattle deconstruction ordinances. They include incentive programs for expedited electrical disconnects, ability to build increased floor area or more height and cash rebates: $4000/house, $500/garage, $6000/commercial building. 

For larger projects, community work includes tours, signage, website information and special events like a “free brick day.” Deconstruction is working in these markets. They have the math to prove their success: a deconstructed 1260 SF house yields 3400 board feet of lumber and diverts 4.37 tons from the landfill. Importantly, a Salvage and Reuse Assessment is often integrated into the original scope of work.

Conference presentations outlined many deconstruction and reuse success stories from around the country. Here are a few additional examples:

Tackling the Puzzle of Commercial Reuse in New York City – Luke Lombardi, Shefali Sanghvi, Dave Bennink, Jimmy Mitchell

NYC Economic Development Corp: Circular Design & Construction Guidelines

Large-scale Institutional Building Deconstruction at University of Texas, Austin – Chris Rausch, Seungah Suh

Digital Harvest Lab: developing digital innovations to harvest new opportunities for how the built environment is constructed and managed.

Nice Save! Adaptive Reuse and Sustainable Design, the Minnesota Way – Allie Lloyd, Amanda Barke, Alex Haecker, John Greene, Charley Langowski.

Consider not what a building component is now, but what it can become.

– Lloyd, 2025

Interiors: Flip the Script

Interior spaces are responsible for a consequential amount of embodied carbon. The interior design process is also responsible for specifying significantly more materials than the structure or envelope of a building. The team presenting “Circularity in Interior Design: Mechanism and Mindset,” David Bergman, Anne Gibson, Douglas Pilgrim, Jesce Walz offered this framework.

The interiors mindset must shift to a more wholistic perspective:

• Make circularity a “before-thought” by transforming the expectations of materials,
• Transform attitudes towards materials from something temporary to an asset that can be harvested later,
• Overcome the stigma of “used” – shift to performance quality standard specs and remove the word “new,”
• Evolve design styles – making spaces less precious, embracing new aesthetics by connecting to story,
• Drive the cost + added value case,
• Acknowledge that the designer’s responsibility doesn’t end after the client moves in.

In “Transforming Buildings into Material Resources,” Marcus Hopper outlined these goals for teams embarking on circular economy and reuse projects: 1) embed reuse in your standard design process; 2) expand reuse service offerings; 3) explore new partnership opportunities.  The client’s leadership team will be essential to set the baseline measure of project success. 

Material recovery through deconstruction is an unparalleled opportunity for reducing embodied carbon, while also diverting construction waste, reducing exposure to toxic pollutants, protecting natural resources and creating green jobs.

– Hopper, 2025

Additional Resources

Circular Design Primer for Interiors / Perkins&Will

Building Materials Reuse Analysis / Gensler/San Francisco Environment Department/StopWaste.org /The ReUse People/Madrone

Policy Tracker / All for Reuse

References

Adaptis, (2025). Confidential project research study. Contact Mark Collins for further information.

Build Reuse, (2025). “Decon + Reuse ’25,” Retrieved from: https://www.buildreuse.org/conference

Cika, G. (August 2025), personal communication.

Ding, Z., Zhang, Z., Chen, W., Chen, J. (January 2023). “Investigating the implicit stereotypes of recycled construction and demolition waste products,” Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652622048077

Elefante, C. (August 2025), personal communication.

EPA, (Environmental Protection Agency), (n.d). “Construction and Demolition Debris: Material-Specific Data,” Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/construction-and-demolition-debris-material#:~:text=Note:,Summary%20Table

Genentech, (2022), “2022 Bay area owner’s alliance,” Retrieved from:  https://www.allforreuse.org/resources/case-studies

Google, (2022), “2022 Bay area owner’s alliance,” Retrieved from:  https://www.allforreuse.org/resources/case-studies

Gould, K. (August 2025), personal communication.

Hopper, M. (August 2025), personal communication.

Island Press, (n.d.). “Going for Zero,” Retrieved from: https://islandpress.org/books/going-zero#desc

JLL, (2022), “2022 Bay area owner’s alliance,” Retrieved from:  https://www.allforreuse.org/resources/case-studies

Langowksi, C. (August 2025), personal communication.

Lloyd, A. (August 2025), personal communication.

r.world reuse, (2025). Retrieved from: https://rworldreuse.com/.

The post Build Reuse Conference: Making Second Life the First Choice appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

Our Circular Economy Editor, Cynthia Milota, recently connected with three circular economy leaders at the Circularity conference in Denver. Emily Freeman, Policy Advisor, Circular Economy at the City of Boulder; Laurie Johnson, Founder and CEO of Circular Colorado and Liz Chapman, PhD, former Executive Director of Recycle Colorado. 

WDM: First, share a bit about how your background, education, and experience shaped your work and perspective.

Emily Freeman: In looking back on what influenced my life and career, living and working for three years in Japan was pivotal – in how the country managed its waste, values materials, and uses innovative construction techniques that make buildings not only earthquake resistant but also easier to deconstruct into pieces. My time in Japan also gave me the confidence to succeed in challenging environments.

Listen to Emily: Circular Economy and Sustainable Deconstruction: A Unique Approach at the City of Boulder

Laurie Johnson: As the founder and CEO of Circular Colorado and the Director of Colorado’s new Circular Economy Development Center, my mission is to establish CO as a leader in developing circular economy solutions.  My early career experience turning around an underperforming YMCA taught me that this work is community based, whether the community is local or global.

Listen to Laurie: Circular Colorado & Brave Industries are Revolutionizing Recycling

Liz Chapman: I am a life-long educator that enjoys learning with others in a variety of contexts. My skills and experience make me adept at facilitating diverse perspectives when brokering solutions. I am doing what I can to minimize my negative impact and maximize my contributions to building a sustainable world. I strive to help others to do the same.

Listen to Liz: Sustainability in Progress: Waste and Recycling in Colorado 

WDM: Tell us about your work and passion in the circular economy space.

Emily Freeman: Boulder’s deconstruction ordinance has been in effect since July 1, 2020, and requires all residential and commercial buildings to divert 75% of materials by weight, for reuse and recycling and must include three or more different material types. There is a refundable deposit of $1 per square foot, with a minimum of $1,500 for all buildings. 

To date, Boulder has diverted 73,596 tons – or the equivalent of 83% of building materials from the landfill.

This highlights how effective, a forward-thinking policy coupled with strong-end markets can drive the building and deconstruction industry to efficiently managed materials and dramatically reduce landfill rates.

Liz Chapman: In my early career I was an outdoor educator, fostering a sense of stewardship for the environment. I was also an adjunct faculty member at a community college, before I embarked on a series of advisory and executive director roles. My PhD “Talking Trash: Bringing Research into Action while Reducing Household Waste,” explored “how transforming consumer attitudes towards waste is a vital piece of sustainable waste management.”  Exploring the term “catalyzing stewardship” we can describe how participants engaged others in waste reduction. 

In other parts of the world, there is not so much land. Until “waste is in your face” you don’t deal with it.

We have to create positive associations with waste materials, employing “sticks with incentives” to get people in CO, “the land with so much land,” to change their behaviors in relation to waste. A sense of personal responsibility is lacking in the western industrialized world where someone else can deal with it.

WDM: Share with our audience how they can use your lessons learned to build strategies for their organizations.

Laurie Johnson: Approach all projects from the business case perspective. Projects have to pencil, and if there’s a circular economy aspect that’s a bonus to the community.  Efficiencies are created when systems reach critical mass. 

At the Circularity 25 conference workshop, we outlined a roadmap to build a circular ecosystem which includes:

• Explore the challenge
• Identify the gaps
• Develop the strategy
• Organize the players
• Execute the solution
• Manage the process to completion.

Circular Colorado serves as the ringleader, securing dedicated funding and establishing targets and deadlines while publicly sharing progress.

Emily Freeman: The U.S. has become entrenched and fascinated with the rawness of demolitions – seeing a building crushed or imploded fascinates everyone from my five-year old to his grandparents. While demolitions quickly remove a building for redevelopment, they disregard the enormous amount of natural resources and carbon intensity of transporting and manufacturing them into building components. To transition away from this linear economy and make deconstruction the norm, there needs to be a combination of:

• Policy
• Workforce development
• Supportive economic drivers such as deductions using the IRS tax code and 501(c)3 non-profits to accept the building materials
• Practical, logistical solutions such as storage and utilizing technology to prepare and get salvaged items back to market.

This sounds like a lot, but we are thinking about this systemically, and most of these components are there to various degrees. 

It’s a matter of mainstreaming them showing other municipalities and private entities deconstructions value to meeting their climate goals.

WDM: Colorado has become a leader in developing circular economy initiatives. Share with our readers some of your most effective programs.

Liz Chapman: As a member of the Colorado Producer Responsibility Advisory Board, the group advises on the state’s new program which requires producers to fund and manage the end-of-life of their packaging and paper products, shifting the responsibility from local governments and taxpayers to the producers themselves. 

As of March 2025, five states, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota and Oregon have enacted Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws for packaging. In Colorado, this legislation will expand access to convenient recycling services, increase recycling rates, standardize a list of readily recyclable materials, support and contribute to the circular economy resulting in new jobs, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 1.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (equivalent to 247,000 car’s worth) annually by 2035. Bonus Resource: Recycling for all Coloradans.

Emily Freeman: Deconstruction and reuse are the cheapest ways to drastically lower the embodied carbon, plus it uses materials that are already made and are tariff-free. 

Salvage lumber, referred to as used sawn lumber in the industry, presents a unique policy opportunity to preserve and save forests. In Colorado, on average 55 to 60 virgin trees or put another way, 1.5 acres of forest must be clear-cut for each new home – imagine if we could lower these numbers by utilizing lumber that had already been harvested? Oregon and Washington have passed statewide legislation defining and allowing the reuse of salvaged lumber. In Boulder and through-out Colorado, we are looking to mirror this language and create a pathway for lumber from deconstructed buildings to be re-incorporated. Without this policy, there are roadblocks both for developers, designers and architects who may shy away from salvaged lumber because the building code and legislation haven’t created a clear path for this reuse, therefore, technological solutions are slower to launch because the market isn’t yet ripe.

I believe policy can play a major role in jumpstarting incentives reuse and creating pathways in which deconstructed materials can become circular building materials.

Laurie Johnson: Circular Colorado, working together with three other agencies, the Colorado Circular Communities Enterprise, the Circular Transportation network and the Circular Economy Development Center are creating a supportive ecosystem for circular businesses. 

PRETRED uses waste tires to manufacture recycled rubber road barriers.

TERSUS SOLUTIONS uses liquid CO2 based waterless cleaning technology in textile reclamation and resale logistics services in the recommerce, down cycling, and fire/military/PPE industries.

WDM: Any final thoughts to share with our readers about circularity.

Laurie Johnson: When working with young people, seeing is believing. We think that a field trip to a MRF (materials recycling center) or a waste water treatment plant should be required for all high school students. The visual of where that stuff you put in the trash ends up…is powerful.

Emily Freeman: I encourage readers to engage with your local government, city council, green building guilds and councils to find out what actions they are invested in and could use your support. Policy does not have to be punitive. Policy can be a way to drive innovation while providing environmental, economic and social benefits to your community.

Liz Chapman: People generally believe in the value of material capture and conservation. However, there is often a chasm that separates various points of view. But there is always one common interest. We need to find those commonalities and build a bridge in order to move forward.

Ready to Learn More?

Read Dr. Chapman’s publications:

• Talking Trash: Bringing Research into Action while Reducing Household Waste
• City of Aspen Single Use bag study – Journal of Sustainability Education
• Increasing Public Participation in Municipal Solid Waste Reduction (MSW)- Geographic Bulletin

The post Meet Three Women Shaping Colorado’s Sustainable Future appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

A recent study discovered that 38% of employees have experienced two or more RTO policy changes since 2020. More than 6% of employees have endured five or more changes to their RTO policy. At least 75% of companies are not seeing attendance levels return to pre-pandemic levels, rendering their RTO policies in flux.

– Kawamoto, 2024

Employees face ambiguous RTO policies and uncertainty about who will be in the office when and how they’ll get their work done when they are there. However, when we consider the hospitality industry, a consistent guest experience is the number one success metric. 

Hospitality and workplace are two sides of the same coin, providing flexibility and well-being to forge the gap between professional and personal life. In 2024, WDM published an article on hospitality’s qualitative influence on modern workplace design, Welcoming Workplaces: Hospitality’s Influence on Modern Workplace Design. McLaughlin and King adeptly researched what hospitality in the workplace should look like. But how can quantitative metrics from the hospitality industry inform our workplace design? 

What if we thought about our talent as customers not costs?

The Hospitality Industry Knows Their Metrics

The hospitality industry relies on common metrics for allocation of square footage around a property. For example, space distribution for a hotel is 65-75% guest rooms, 10-20% amenities and 10-15% admin/support.  

Can you site the allocation of spaces and their metrics around your office?

Utilizing the hospitality-as-workplace approach, the three C’s of a hotel guest experience (Stayntouch, n.d.) can be reinterpreted to inform the workplace metrics required:

• Communications: understanding the spaces available for work and the policies associated with each space type.  
• Convenience: providing opportunities for employees to do focus work, find meeting and team spaces and the use of amenities for a myriad of workstyles.
• Choice: offering the ability for employees to customize their experience as their daily needs evolve.

These elements are considered crucial for achieving successful customer experience. So, how can our workplace metrics support communication, convenience and choice for talent And how can indefensible real estate guesstimates and assumptions about inadequate or excess space translate into key statistics for workplace decisioning?

Begin by identifying the types and quantities of each space in your office, particularly the Work Seats, Meeting Seats, and Shared Seats. Here’s a step-by-step guide for getting started.

Taking Inventory of Your Physical Space

Capturing and translating your data into actionable insights is the first step in understanding the supply of office space that you offer. Here are four ratios to establish your workplace metrics:

1. Meeting Seat to Work Seat Ratio

How to Calculate: Meeting Seats ÷ Work Seats
Tip: show Work Seats as 1 in your ratios
Meeting Seats includes all chairs/benches/stools in both open and closed meeting spaces.
Work Seats includes all traditional individual workspaces such as workstations, hotel desks, and private offices.

Target Ratio Goal: More Meeting Seats than Work Seats
Target Ratio Range: 1.00:1 to 1.25:1
Translation: 1.20:1 ratio translates into 1 ⅕ Meeting Seats for every 1 Work Seat

2. Shared Seat to Work Seat Ratio

How to Calculate: Shared Seats ÷ Work Seats
Tip: show Work Seats as 1 in your ratios
Shared Seats includes all chairs/benches/stools in both open and closed meeting spaces plus all amenity seats for an increased pool of seats from which to select. 
Work Seats includes all traditional individual workspaces such as workstations, hotel desks, and private offices.

Target Ratio Goal: more Shared Seats than Work Seats
Target Ratio Range: 1.20:1 to 1.60:1
Translation: 1.55:1 ratio translates into approx. 1 ½ Shared Seats for every 1 Work Seat

3. Traditional Desk Sharing Ratio

How to Calculate: Headcount ÷ Traditional Workpoints 
Tips: show Workpoints as 1 in your ratios
Headcount is the number of people at your organization.
Traditional Workpoints are synonymous with Work Seats and include all traditional individual workspaces such as workstations, hotel desks, and private offices.

Target Ratio Goal: less Workpoints than People to account for hybrid work
Target Ratio Range: 1.10:1 to 1.25:1
Translation: 1.25:1 ratio translates into 1 Workpoint for every 1 ¼ person

4. Alternative Desk Sharing Ratio

How to Calculate: Headcount ÷ (Traditional Workpoints + Alternative Workpoints) 
Tips: show Workpoints as 1 in your ratios
Headcount is the number of people at your organization.
Alternative Workpoints can include seats from meeting, amenity, and support spaces. Phone Rooms, Open Collab, and Cafés, for example, can serve a secondary function as heads down workspaces to make up for shortages in traditional Workpoints. 

Target Ratio Goal: the same amount of Workpoints as People to account for everyone being in the office
Target Ratio: 1.00:1
Translation: 1.00:1 ratio translates into 1 Workpoint (which can be traditional or alternative) for every 1 person      

To meet this moment, successful workplace environments should be reconfigured as a hospitality destination rather than a workplace obligation.

Lessons Learned in These Metrics

1. Meeting Seat to Work Seat Ratio

What This Ratio Tells Us: 

• When we don’t achieve at least 1:1, we fall short of providing a traditional Meeting Seat for every Work Seat. 
• This explains why talent cannot find a place to meet in the office.
• Which in turn contributes to poor attendance because there are inadequate meeting spaces.

2. Shared Seat to Work Seat Ratio

What This Ratio Tells Us: 

• Although their primary function is as an amenity, some amenity seats (included in Shared Seats) can be specified in a way that they also serve as a collaborative Meeting Seat. 
• When we don’t achieve more than 1:1, we don’t offer a meeting or amenity seat for every Work Seat. 
• This explains why talent cannot find a place to collaborate, either at all or in a more hospitality-oriented manner. 
• Which in turn contributes to dissatisfaction in the office.

3. Traditional Desk Sharing Ratio

What This Ratio Tells Us: 

• Now that we typically no longer assign a desk per person due to hybrid work, desk sharing no longer achieves a ratio of 1:1. 
• This means when everyone comes into the office, there are not enough traditional Workpoints.
• Unsure of where to do heads down work, this is why talent voices their frustration.

4. Alternative Desk Sharing Ratio 

What This Ratio Tells Us: 

• By identifying and allowing seats intended for other functions to be used as individual Workpoints, we provide a more flexible and hospitable workstyle.
• This allows talent to roam the office and remain inspired. 
• By including these additional seats as alternative Workpoints, we can get closer to or even surpass our target desk sharing ratios.

Every hotel operator knows their property’s staff to room ratio and the square footage of various room types. Why then are office leases signed with limited data?  Understanding how to identify space types in your workplace and how to calculate the key Workpoint ratios are essential to optimizing your space for maximum talent satisfaction.

Final Thought

Sir Richard Branson’s highly successful luxury lifestyle Virgin brand shook the hospitality industry by offering personalized experiences in 2010. Branson once said this about the talent who work for him, “Train people well enough so that they can leave. Treat them well enough so that they don’t want to,” (Branson, 2023). Why not apply that same logic to the physical spaces that we provide to our talent? 

Much like the way convenience and choice drive successful hospitality strategies, flexible space types within our workspaces will bring success. Without a hospitality mindset, RTO will continue to face challenges in the years to come. 

“Redefine your RTO policy so that people don’t feel obligated to come in but reconfigure your workspace so that they will want to anyway.”   

– Alison Muh, 2025.

References

• Branson, Richard. “Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don’t want to.” LinkedIn, 2023.

• Kawamoto, Dawn. “Why employers continue to change their return-to-office policies.” June 2024.

• StaynTouch. “The 3 C’s of Enhancing the Hotel Guest Experience.” Stayntouch, n.d.

All dashboard graphics are courtesy of Space Plan Wizard.

The post RTOs Still Struggling: Could Hospitality-as-Workplace Metrics be the Key? appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

Our interview with Heidi Frasure, Green Standards’ head of sustainability outlines strategies to keep millions of pounds of furniture and office-related products out of the landfill.

Green Standards has a 16+ year commitment to donate, resell, relocate, and recycle office furniture, fixtures and equipment. They maximize the value of everything in your office and provide transparent impact reporting for all stakeholders.

“Loop ‘Em In: Selling Circularity to Skeptical Stakeholders” is Green Standards’ latest field guide to understanding and implementing sustainable decommissioning in your organization. Check out WDM’s interview with Heidi covering the highlights of the guide and where to download your copy today.

WDM: Before we dive into a review of your new field guide, “Loop ‘Em In: Selling Circularity to Skeptical Stakeholders,” tell us a little bit about Green Standards and your role there.

Heidi Frasure: Absolutely! Green Standards pioneered what we call sustainable decommissioning, which is a fancy way of saying we help businesses and governments keep everything in their offices in use and out of landfills. That usually means furniture, fixtures, and equipment, but we handle everything from fire hoses to forklifts. The puzzle we solve is what to do with this stuff. Working with some of the world’s largest companies, we focus on donating to local schools and non-profits, reselling what we can to defray costs, and finding the most reputable recyclers for what’s left. Each project is different, but after 16 years and more than 150 million square feet of office space decommissioned all over the world, we still average a 98% landfill diversion rate.

Just over a year ago, I stepped into the role of Head of Sustainability at Green Standards, but my connection to this work started long before that. I was working on circular economy strategies at Steelcase, and like so many in the industry, we were facing a common challenge: clients wanted new furniture, but they didn’t know what to do with the old. That’s when I first came across Green Standards. I was the one who vetted them, searching for a partner who could help us do better for our clients, and for the planet. Green Standards was and still is the best solution by far.

What struck me then, and continues to inspire me now, is the way this team sees opportunity where others see waste. I feel incredibly fortunate to have joined an organization that not only keeps millions of pounds of furniture out of landfill (260 million pounds to be exact) but also puts it to good use in local communities where it can make a real difference.

For me, the most meaningful part of this work is witnessing the transformation, seeing a room full of “unwanted” office furniture become a classroom for an underfunded school, or a nonprofit workspace to support a place of healing. It’s a reminder that the end of use doesn’t have to mean the end of value. Landfills don’t deserve your furniture, your communities do. At Green Standards, we’re proving that the circular economy isn’t just an idea, it’s a real, scalable solution. And I’m proud to be a part of it.

WDM: Circularity is fast becoming a buzz word. Please define what the circular economy means to a built environment audience and include a couple examples.

Heidi Frasure:

Circularity might be a trendy term right now, and that’s not a bad thing!

But the concept itself is nothing new. We’ve been practicing it for 16 years and people have been reusing and recovering materials for centuries. It just makes business sense, especially today, when resources are tighter and it’s getting harder (and more expensive) to source raw materials due to global and political challenges.

It’s encouraging to see more attention on reuse and waste reduction. But while buzzwords may come and go, landfill is permanent. That’s why we prioritize action over rhetoric. In the built environment, that means creating spaces that are resilient, flexible, and designed to maintain their value over time. And when those spaces are no longer in use, partnering with organizations like Green Standards helps ensure valuable assets are repurposed—not wasted—addressing one of the built environment’s most pressing challenges: reducing wasteful practices.

WDM: The title of your new field guide refers to skeptical stakeholders. Would you build a profile of who circularity stakeholders are, to give our readers some context of where they might fit into this picture?

Heidi Frasure: Everyone has a role to play in the circular economy—even if they’ve never heard the term before. And that’s okay! If you’re relocating offices and would rather donate your old desk to a local school than toss it in a dumpster, you’re a stakeholder. If you’re a facility manager trying to cut costs during a renovation, you’re a stakeholder. If you’re a corporate real estate leader overseeing a portfolio of buildings, you’re in it too.

The circular economy is a system, and like any system, it only works when everyone involved shifts how they think and act. For decades, we’ve operated in a linear model: take, make, waste. Moving toward circularity means seeing value where we once saw waste, and finding smarter, more sustainable ways to manage resources.

For that shift to stick, stakeholders need to experience real benefits. The circular option has to be easier, more cost-effective, or less risky than the linear approach—ideally, all three. When it is, it becomes not just the right thing to do, but the obvious choice.

WDM: The field guide talks about three themes: engagement, value and resilience. We’d like to explore each of these from a built environment perspective.

Regarding engagement: take us deeper into this notion that “circularity keeps you close to your customers.” How can those in the CRE (corporate real estate) space build relations with brands and products to deliver a clear advantage over linear alternatives?

Heidi Frasure: That insightful perspective comes from Dennis Wilson from Saint-Gobain, and to me, it’s a powerful reminder of the value of relationships. When your engagement with a client ends at the point of sale, you become easily replaceable.

Staying engaged with clients beyond the sale allows you to help them navigate what’s next, finding new purpose for their space and everything in it. That’s how loyalty is built: not just by being there at the beginning, but by showing up at the end, too.

For CRE leaders, this means extending the client experience beyond move-in or build-out. It’s about staying engaged through the full asset lifecycle, helping tenants or internal teams reimagine spaces, redeploy assets, and unlock value at every turn. That’s not just good customer service; it’s smart portfolio management.

WDM: Regarding value: our audience will appreciate the report’s delineation of value in terms of business, social and environmental. We’d like you to tell us more about the “risk of inertia,” that was identified as an ROI factor. Specifically, how can our readers use this value aspect to build the circularity case for their leadership?

Heidi Frasure: The “risk of inertia” refers to the cost of doing nothing, or doing too little, too late in the face of rapidly evolving environmental, social, and market expectations. In a circular economy context, inertia can carry significant risks: stranded assets, higher waste disposal costs, missed corporate targets which can impact investment opportunities, reputational damage, and failure to comply with tightening regulations. These risks directly impact business performance, operational resilience, and long-term competitiveness, but can be very challenging to measure in a traditional return on investment calculation.

For readers building the case for circularity within their organizations, framing inertia as a business risk is a compelling angle for leadership. While sustainability initiatives are often seen through a cost or compliance lens, the risk of not acting presents a hidden liability. The real ROI of circular strategies isn’t just about reducing waste or emissions, it’s about staying in business. There are several tools that can be used like a quick impact matrix that assesses all of the effects, not just financial.

Positioning circularity as a proactive risk management strategy can resonate strongly at the executive level. Leaders need to understand that the greatest threat isn’t necessarily the cost of implementing circular practices —it’s the cost of inaction in a changing world.

WDM: Regarding resilience: this section built a strong defense for companies being circular for resource independence and revenue diversification. What strategies can our built-environment audience take from these learnings to design, build and operate their facilities?

Heidi Frasure: The built environment isn’t going anywhere, and that’s a good thing. So, make long-term decisions when you can, investing in community and continuity. Don’t get stuck in short-term thinking. Design spaces that can stand the test of time and have a clear plan for what happens at the end of the lease, before you even begin the design. Understand your options and how your choices can unlock significant value.

Approaching everything through a circular lens helps identify opportunities for reuse and optimize costs. With global supply chains becoming increasingly fragile, leaning on local supply chains or reuse is a smarter, more resilient strategy.

And remember, you can’t do this alone. A circular economy thrives on partnerships and networks, so leverage experts like Green Standards to help make it work.

WDM: In closing, is there anything else about your new field guide that you’d like to share with our readers?

Heidi Frasure: Circularity is really just common sense! Less waste creates more value for everyone. It really doesn’t matter what you call it so long as you do it. If you do it right, you’ll save time, money, waste, carbon emissions, and headaches. If you’re looking to make your next project more resilient, efficient, and impactful, let’s talk. We’d love to help you get started!

Want More?

Download your copy of “Loop ‘Em In: Selling Circularity to Skeptical Stakeholders” here today

This article was created in partnership with Green Standards. Images courtesy of Green Standards.

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RESEAT‘s SaaS (software as a service) platform is redefining how companies track, repurpose and resell office furniture, creating a seamless second-life marketplace that prioritizes circularity, sustainability and efficiency. 

Too often, businesses focus only on the future of their new space, leaving valuable furniture assets behind as an afterthought, forcing last minute removals, rushed broker deals or unnecessary landfill contribution. Bringing RESEAT into the project process earlier when the furniture procurement is being negotiated will eliminate the dreaded decommissioning conversation, where clients are paying to have furniture removed and disposed. 

By working with furniture dealers at the outset, this little bit of forethought can end a lot of waste. 

– Brandi Susewitz

Let’s check in with Brandi and their movement to make sustainable office furniture management the new standard.

WDM: Since the last time we chatted, RESEAT has engaged with a number of major US furniture dealers. Tell us how these partnerships have expanded your reach and impact.

Brandi Susewitz: I think engaging with dealers has significantly expanded our reach and impact in six impactful ways.

Built-in Trust & Relationships. Furniture dealers already have strong, long-standing relationships with end users. By engaging them, RESEAT tapped into existing trust networks, accelerating adoption and credibility. Dealers introducing RESEAT to their customers made the conversation about sustainability and asset management much more seamless. 

National / Global Footprint. As more dealers adopt RESEAT’s platform-including the new white-label option, they bring their entire book of business with them. This multiplies RESEAT’s presence in every region they serve, creating a web of circularity across the country and internationally. 

More Furniture Diverted from Landfill. With dealers onboard, we’re getting early access to more furniture projects which means we can step in before furniture is discarded. 

RESEAT helping divert over 12 million pounds of office furniture from the landfill since 2020.

Lifecycle Planning at the Point of Purchase. Dealers are now offering RESEAT as part of the sale, helping customers plan for what happens to their furniture before it’s even delivered. This not only future-proofs the project but embeds circular thinking into the very start of the lifecycle. 

Revenue Growth & Long Term Partnerships. Working with dealers has turned RESEAT into more than a resale platform, it’s now a full lifecycle solution. With white-labeled tools, ongoing subscription revenue, and stronger dealer-customer engagement, RESEAT’s business model has evolved into a recurring, scalable ecosystem. 

Marketing Momentum. Every dealer becomes an amplifier. Whether it’s participating in campaigns like The Cardboard Truth or sharing success stories with their clients, each one helps RESEAT tell a bigger story and push the industry toward smarter, more sustainable practices.

WDM: We understand that RESEAT now has a significant alliance with a large UK rep group to further your circular mission abroad. Please share details.

Brandi Susewitz: Yes, we are proud to have solidified a partnership with Encore by Welltek who is a well-respected rep group in the UK that works with about 100 dealers in the surrounding areas. This partnership marks a significant step in bringing RESEAT’s inventory management and resale platform to the UK market. Empowering dealers, designers, and manufacturers to track, manage, resell, and renew commercial furniture across its full lifecycle.

The UK design community is eager for real, actionable circularity, not just pledges. Our rep group partner brings deep regional knowledge and long-standing relationships with dealers and end users alike.  Together, we’ll enable furniture dealers to offer RESEAT’s white-label platform, giving their customers a way to plan smarter from the point of purchase and avoid waste at the end of use.

WDM: There’s a misnomer out there that furniture dealers are not monetarily incentivized to offer second-life furniture rather than new products. Please bust that myth for our readers.

Brandi Susewitz: When I started in the industry in 1997, dealers were earning about a 35% gross profit margin. By the time I left the dealership side in 2000, that had already dropped to 22% — and that was considered good. Margins on new furniture have continued to compress over the years, while costs to serve customers have only gone up.

We give dealers new revenue opportunities that didn’t exist before:

SaaS Revenue – Dealers can now white-label our inventory management platform and charge their customers for access, creating a steady, recurring revenue stream.

Second-Life Sales – Instead of walking away from decommissioned furniture, dealers can now help clients resell it — and share in that resale value. Second life furniture sales generate more income than selling new! 

Lifecycle Planning – By embedding RESEAT at the point of purchase, dealers deepen client relationships and stay involved far beyond the initial sale.

It’s about giving dealers tools to future-proof their business, better serve clients, and participate meaningfully in the circular economy, while boosting their bottom line.

This is not about replacing new product sales — it’s about expanding the pie.

RESEAT’s Digital Product Passport, which enables organizations to track, resell, refurbish or recycle assets efficiently.

WDM: When we spoke, you mentioned that “end users understand” the RESEAT proposition of extending the furniture lifecycle. Could you elaborate on that? 

Brandi Susewitz: Yes, when we say that “end users understand” the RESEAT proposition, we mean that today’s clients are far more aware of the environmental and financial impact of their furniture decisions than ever before.

They understand that extending the lifecycle of furniture isn’t just about sustainability, it’s also smart business.

They have lived through costly decommissions.
End users know what it feels like to be stuck with a warehouse full of used furniture and no plan. They get the value of having a proactive strategy, whether it’s resale, donation, or refurbishment, built in from the start.

They want to meet their ESG goals.
Companies are under pressure to report on carbon emissions and demonstrate responsible resource use. The ability to track, renew, and resell furniture through RESEAT gives them tangible, reportable wins.

They see the financial upside.
RESEAT allows clients to capture value from assets they would otherwise pay to dispose of. Many customers are surprised to learn how much resale or refurbishment can offset the cost of future projects. 

They’re seeking better systems.
End users don’t want last-minute scrambles anymore. They want an organized, digital, and transparent way to manage their assets over time and RESEAT delivers exactly that.

WDM: Part of your marketing story is to “think about the end in the beginning.” What specific strategies can our audience use to put this into practice?

Brandi Susewitz: Some specific strategies that your audience can use would be: 

Create a digital furniture inventory from day one. RESEAT captures the order details from the dealer using the electronic file they use to place the order with the manufacturer. We upload it into our platform and generate a digital catalog of the customers’ furniture. Don’t wait until decommission. Use this as an excuse to reach out to your customers and engage them in a conversation because they do need help with this process and you could be looked at as a trusted advisor instead of a “sales person.” 

Include end of life planning in the procurement process. 

Set Internal Policies for furniture lifecycle decisions. Establish clear criteria for what stays, what gets refinished, what is getting sold and/or donated. Having this framework already in place avoids the last-minute panic and landfill dumps when space is downsized or reconfigured. 

Make Second Life furniture part of the initial spec. 

Use RESEAT as an ongoing Resource. Thinking about the end in the beginning means you’re not just designing a space, you’re designing a strategy as well! 

WDM: Can you provide some current statistics for how much US office furniture ends up in landfills every year?

Brandi Susewitz: 12 MILLION TONS of furniture waste is generated in the US annually according to the EPA. Over 80% of that waste ends up in the landfill and less than 5% is actually recycled and an even smaller portion is reused or repurposed. 

By partnering with RESEAT, furniture dealers can offer enterprise clients a unique differentiator: a comprehensive, sustainable furniture lifecycle management solution. Implementing RESEAT’s platform not only meets the growing demand for sustainable practices but also positions dealers as forward-thinking partners, fostering stronger, long-term relationships with enterprise clients.

Interested in differentiating your dealership and becoming a Preferred RESEAT dealer? Reach out to bsusewitz@reseat.com and schedule a demo call!

This article was created in collaboration with RESEAT. Images courtesy of RESEAT unless otherwise noted.

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Located in downtown Chicago, one of just a handful of climate museums in the world, the CAM opened in June of 2023 and is celebrating their 2nd birthday (congrats!). Lesley Showers’ role guides the museum’s vision of fostering sustainable, inclusive change.

CAM was born out of a desire to bridge the gap between awareness and action around climate change.

– Lesley Showers

WDM: Before we get too deep into your involvement in the CAM, please share a bit about your background, education and your current “day job” at Institute for Cultural Affairs (ICA).  

Lesley Showers: Thank you for the opportunity to share our work. I serve as the Executive Director of the Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA), where I’ve had the privilege of working with communities, both local and global, to address some of the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time. My background is in organizational leadership, community development, with an educational foundation in public administration and nonprofit management, Architecture and Property Management. I’ve always been drawn to work that brings people together to generate collaborative solutions—and ICA has been a perfect fit for that mission. 

WDM: Please tell us how the CAM got started and about the others that were involved in its conception. 

Lesley Showers: The museum was developed over a cup of coffee. It started with Doug Farr’s/Farr Associates, desire to move the Energy Revolution Exhibit from the Chicago Architecture Center to anywhere where it would not end up in a landfill. Over the course of that coffee meeting, a museum now known as CAM was born.

In January of 2023, the first “meeting of the whole committee” a group of educators, artists, activists, and sustainability professionals came together to create a space that not only educates but inspires. We saw that people often feel overwhelmed by climate issues, and we wanted to create a place where they could see real, tangible solutions and feel part of a broader movement and conversation. From there, CAM evolved, guided by a diverse team of collaborators, including environmental designers, youth leaders, and community-based organizations that all brought their unique perspectives and passion to the table.

WDM: Please share the CAM mission and how it’s reach is beyond its Chicago physical location? 

Lesley Showers: CAM’s mission is to make climate action accessible, hopeful, and community-driven. While our physical space is located in Chicago, our impact extends much further. Through virtual programming, traveling exhibits, and partnerships with schools and organizations, we reach audiences across the U.S. and internationally. We also offer digital storytelling resources to bring climate action into classrooms, boardrooms, and community centers. Our ultimate goal is to spark local action by showing that meaningful change is possible everywhere.

WDM: In our conversation, you mentioned the CAM’s focus on youth and getting young people involved in the conversation. Tell us more about how CAM engages learners of all ages. 

Lesley Showers: For me, youth are at the heart of CAM’s work. I believe young people bring urgency, creativity, and clarity to the climate conversation. 

• For students:
  • CAM runs youth ambassador programs that equip students with the tools to become climate storytellers and community leaders. 
  • We also host intergenerational workshops, school field trips, and climate clubs that connect youth with experts and mentors. 
• For adult learners:
  • We offer facilitated dialogues, policy forums, and exhibitions that dive deep into circular economy practices, and systems thinking.

Our goal is lifelong learning—because everyone has a role to play.

– Lesley Showers

WDM: Recently the CAM hosted the 2nd annual Climate Action Hero Awards. Share with us the story of how the awards came to be and some details about this year’s event. 

Lesley Showers: The Climate Action Hero Awards began as a way to spotlight individuals and organizations doing extraordinary work to combat climate change at local levels. Too often, climate solutions go unnoticed if they don’t make national headlines. We wanted to change that. This year’s event was a celebration of grassroots leadership—honoring educators, activist, innovators, artists, policy makers and youth leaders. It was an inspiring reminder that climate heroes are all around us.

WDM: The content at the CAM explores local, regional and national topics. Kindly share a few of your visitor’s favorite exhibits, to give our readers of taste of what to expect during a visit.  

Lesley Showers: Visitors love our

• “Climate Solutions in Action” exhibit, which showcases real-world projects—from composting programs in urban neighborhoods to net-zero architecture. 
• Another favorite is “Blue Zones”. Blue Zones are geographic regions where people live significantly longer and healthier lives, often surpassing 100 years. These areas have been linked to specific lifestyle habits, including a plant-based diet, regular physical activity, strong social connections, a sense of purpose, and moderate alcohol consumption. All of this unique lifestyle factors make for a very low carbon and sustainable way to live. 
• We also have a “Design for Circularity” installation that demonstrates how product and space design can drastically reduce waste and emissions. 

The interactive exhibits invite participation, allowing visitors to map their own climate journey and commit to next steps. 

Here’s one example of the content the CAM offers. Test your skills with these infrared images of Chicago buildings. Match the photo with the appropriate statement:

1. This building heats its parking floors.
2. This image captured the thermal profile of the buildings across the street.
3. The projecting balconies on this building lack thermal breaks.
4. This building heats its facade and lacks insulation altogether.
5. Individual high-temperature radiators radiate heat through the wall.
6. The exhaust system of this building does not recover waste heat.
7. This building heats its roof.
8. This building does not heat its parking. 

(Quiz answers at the end of this article.)

WDM: We spoke about agency, whereby people act or intervene to produce a particular effect. How does CAM enable and encourage agency with your visitors and the wider audience? 

Empowering agency is central to CAM’s mission. We know that climate anxiety is real—but so is climate agency.

– Lesley Showers

Lesley Showers: Each exhibit and program are designed to leave visitors with a sense of capability, not despair. We offer clear action pathways tailored to individuals’ roles—whether as parents, business leaders, designers, or students. CAM also partners with organizations to host climate hackathons, innovation labs, and panel discussion so that anyone can immediately put ideas into practice. 

Our message is simple: you don’t have to do everything—but everyone can do something.

– Lesley Showers

The climate crisis is also a creativity crisis. It challenges us to reimaging how we live, work, build, and relate to the planet and each other. CAM exists to nurture that imagination. Whether you’re designing the next sustainable office, creating circular supply chains, or rethinking community spaces, we invite you to use CAM as a resource—and a reminder that bold, joyful action is both necessary and possible.

Images courtesy of CAM.

Engage with the CAM by

• Visiting CAM the next time you’re in Chicago’s loop.
• Bringing your team here for a tour or a meeting.
• Staying connected via the CAM newsletter.
• Watching videos of CAM events.

Infrared Building Quiz Answers: 1) a; 2) f & g; 3) c; 4) d; 5) e; 6) f & a; 7) b; 8) h.

The post Someone You Should Know: Lesley Showers & the Climate Action Museum appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

MEP 2040: Definition, Implementation and Cost Savings

Buildings account for 40% of carbon emissions. And MEP systems (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) contribution to carbon range from 15-70% of a building’s embodied carbon, (Annan, n.d.).

MEP 2040 is a challenge presented to MEP engineering design firms to make a commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions in their projects by 2040. Net zero refers to balancing greenhouse gases that go into the atmosphere with those taken out of the atmosphere. MEP 2040 focuses specifically on reducing the carbon footprint of building engineering systems, where the Architecture 2030, aims to make all new buildings and renovations carbon neutral by 2030, (MEP 2040).

Defining the Term: Embodied Carbon & Carbon Footprint

Embodied carbon refers to the CO₂ emissions associated with the materials, production, transportation and construction of a building before it becomes operational.

Carbon footprint is a broader term which encompasses all the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an activity, product or organization, including its operations and demolition.

MEP 2040 Evolution and Description

The global MEP 2040 movement evolved from a group of CLF (Carbon Leadership Forum) members in 2021, who were inspired by a similar challenge set forth for structural engineers, SE 2050.  Reducing these greenhouse gases is a critical step in preventing rapid further warming of the earth, creating a more habitable environment for all.

Defining the Term: Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF)

The CLF is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating embodied carbon in buildings and infrastructure.

MEP 2040 requires both advocacy and action to meet the net zero goals outlined for the set timeline.  The commitments, as described on the MEP 2040 website, are 1) sign the commitment, 2) make a company plan, 3) request low-GWP (Global Warming Potential) refrigerants, request EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) in MEP specifications, and 4) participate in quarterly forums.

Get started with MEP 2040

MEP design firms can best achieve the goals of MEP 2040 becoming a signatory of MEP 2040.  An important first step: it signals to the world that a firm is ready to not only work internally to reduce carbon emissions, but also to collaborate with adjacent team members – e.g., building owners, product manufacturers, and architects – to achieve a common goal.

1. Establish a Company Plan

Establishing a company plan for achieving net zero carbon emissions provides guidelines and can also establish accountability for firms that list specific checkpoint goals prior to the year 2040.

2. Request low-GWP refrigerants

Requesting low-GWP refrigerants for refrigeration and air conditioning systems will reduce the amount of heat trapped in the atmosphere.  Utilization of low-GWP refrigerants can also reduce lifecycle cost due to the increased efficiency that they create for a system.

Defining the Term: Global Warming Potential (GWP)

GWP refrigerants have a lower capacity to trap heat in the atmosphere compared to traditional refrigerants.

3. Request EPDs

MEP design firms should request EPDs as part of tracking their goals for MEP 2040.  EPDs include quantifiable data, which is typically verified by third-party organizations. Some examples of this data include waste generation, energy consumption, water use and/or embodied carbon.

Defining the Term: Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

An EPD is a transparent document that displays a product’s environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle.

An EPD does not necessarily constitute an environmentally safe product.

However, the more that EPDs are requested, the more that product manufacturers will be encouraged to improve their products so that they have less of a negative environmental impact.  The environmental impact of EPDs is assessed according to specific PCRs (Product Category Rules), which create a level playing field for comparing like products.  If design engineers can view the EPDs for various specified products side by side, they can make an informed decision on selecting a product that works best for both their client and the environment.

4. Participate in Forums

When MEP firms participate in the MEP 2040 quarterly forums, they are keeping up to date on the ever-changing trends and technology associated with being environmentally mindful. Collectively achieving a common goal with partners within the same industry provides mentorship, encouragement and a growing body of knowledge.

Cost Savings

Adopting MEP 2040 practices can contribute to cost savings by:

• Reducing operational costs via energy efficient HVAC systems, optimized lighting and water management strategies.
• Extending equipment lifespan via more efficient and durable systems, reducing the need for frequent repairs and replacement.
• Reducing carbon footprint and compliance can lead to lower carbon emissions taxes and regulatory compliance.
• Increasing value and marketability as sustainable buildings command higher values, attract tenants who prioritize environmental options and are willing to pay a premium.
• Potential to reduce initial costs through strategies such as limiting window to wall ratios to reduce heating/cooling loads/equipment or conversely the use of natural light/windows to reduce the quantity of light fixtures.
• Collaboration and innovation of knowledge sharing and best practices will drive down costs via innovative solutions.

The key to maximize savings is to optimize MEP systems for operational efficiency.

MEP 2040 – Call to Action

MEP 2040 developed “The Beginner’s Guide to MEP Embodied Carbon.” This comprehensive document discusses “Cradle to Gate Embodied Carbon” reporting and management; “Beyond the Gate” strategies for everything from transport impacts to life-cycle stages; and multiple case studies for products and projects.

Defining the Term: Cradle to Gate Embodied Carbon

This term refers to emissions associated with only the production of building materials from raw material extraction to the manufacturing of finished products, also referred to as “supply chain carbon,” (ASHE, 2023).

MEP 2040 “Beginner’s Guide” examines the stakeholders integrated into this process as outlined below:

Manufacturers’ EPRs minimize the environmental impact of their products by disclosing product components, designing for durability and disassembly, initiate take-back programs and sparking innovation through research and development.

Defining the Term: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

EPR is a concept where the manufacturer or brand owner takes operational and/or financial responsibility for a product at the end of its useful life.

Designers to call for EPDs and other LCA data as they investigate product options; implement carbon submittal requirements; specify disposal procedures and collaborate with all stakeholders of the project process.

Defining the Term: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

LCA is a method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a building through out its entire lifespan, from extraction of raw materials to demolition and disposal, (One Click, LCA, 2021).

Owners of properties can set emission goals, including requirements for whole life carbon assessments, reduce construction emissions and track refrigerant leakage.

Contractors can source low-carbon materials and equipment, optimize material use and minimize waste, source locally and champion low carbon practices in contractual agreements.

Certification and policy makers are encouraged to include MEP embodied carbon and whole life accounting for operational carbon /refrigerants into building certifications to better understand the total carbon emissions over the life of a building.

Defining the Term: Whole Life Accounting

Whole life accounting, also known as life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA), is a method of evaluating the total cost of a building over its entire lifespan, from initial planning and construction to operation, maintenance and eventual disposal, (Wikipedia, n.d.).

The Bottom Line

In order to stop the rate of greenhouse gases contributing to the warming of the earth from buildings, it is important for MEP design engineering firms to take a stance and approach sustainable planning and design holistically. Non-engineers can participate in this movement as well by issuing a public statement advocating for MEP 2040 and supporting MEP firms that are signatories to MEP 2040. Your involvement is essential to track and reduce the embodied carbon in MEP systems.

Ready for Next Steps?

To stay informed subscribe to MEP 2040 News here.

All images courtesy of MEP 2040

References

Annan, G. (n.d.) “Reducing embodied carbon in building systems: from concept to practice, Retrieved from: Reducing Embodied Carbon in Building Systems: From Concept to Practice – Carbon Leadership Forum

ASHE, 2023, “Greenhouse gas management of embodied carbon in building materials,” Retrieved from: Greenhouse Gas Management of Embodied Carbon in Building Materials | ASHE

Houde, K., Jensen, A., Shinn K. (2025). The Beginner’s Guide to MEP Embodied Carbon. MEP 2040. Retrieved from: https://www.mep2040.org/download-guide

MEP 2040, (n.d.) “About MEP and Carbon, Retrieved from: https://www.mep2040.org/mep-and-embodied-carbon

One Click LCA, (2021), “Life Cycle assessment for buildings,” Retrieved from: Life-Cycle-Assessment-for-Buildings-2021.pdf

Wikipedia, (n.d.), “Whole-life cost,” Retrieved from: Whole-life cost – Wikipedia

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Local matters. Many of the presentations focused on projects that started small, in the neighborhood and then scaled to something much more.

Before we get to the trends and insights, let’s just say that there was excitement and optimism in this global crowd. Twenty one countries were represented including New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Egypt and Sri Lanka. Work is happening locally and nationally on initiatives focused on reducing cost, increasing efficiency, diverting waste, and innovating in all sectors. Many teams continue to make progress under the radar amidst political uncertainty, taking the long view and not necessarily broadcasting all their achievements.

Progress is not linear. We are distracted by political head winds, but we must keep the gas on innovation, as setbacks are proving grounds for progress.

– Joel Makower/Chairman Trellis Group

Challenge Accepted!

As in previous years, Circularity was über sustainable, as in “being a superlative example” rather than the car sharing service.  Working with replenysh, the software platform to recover and reuse materials for businesses, Trellis the conference organizer, set an aggressive goal to divert materials collected at the event from the landfill. Front-of-house collections and sorting were source-separated by attendees. Back-of-house collections and sorting included stations set up for compost, materials sorted and picked up through out the day, with all materials being weighed every evening.

The Result? The event collected 10 streams of recyclables with over 1500 lbs. of materials recovered. A whopping 674 lbs. of food was donated to local food banks and over 900 lbs. of food was composted.

Want More?

Scan this QR code or click here to access the replenysh “Real Time Impact Report” on the Circularity conference.

 3 Circularity Conference Themes

Presentations and conversations centered on three themes:

1) what the built environment can learn from the consumer products industry

2) building deconstruction can make economic sense

3) new waste diversion strategies

Here’s a summary of what you should know from the conference.

1. What the Built Environment Can Learn from the Consumer Products Industry

In the consumer product’s space, waste is in the hands of the consumer. In the workplace, however, waste management is in the hands of the tenant, their facilities team, the landlord and the municipality.

There is legislation called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in several US states.  In this concept, “brands are now required to pay fees based on the volume and type of packaging they introduce into the market, and the funds are then used to pay for the collection and recycling of packaging waste,” (Dayton, 2025).

In some states, like CA, EPR programs are extended to include consumer items such as mattresses, carpets, batteries, textiles and paints, Cal Recycle. However, for commercial built environment products, there are no national US EPR regulations, yet. In France the building industry has had EPR legislation since 2020 with France’s Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy Law.

Defining the Term: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

This is the concept where the manufacturer or the brand owner takes operational and/or financial responsibility for a product and/or its packaging at the end of its useful life.

Global furniture manufacturers such as Steelcase, MillerKnoll and Haworth, each offer their own version of compliance with EPR legislation in jurisdictions where applicable, with packaging recycling, and end-of-use programs such as reselling, refurbishing, donating and diverting product from landfills. But we could do better.

While not mandated yet, the US consumer products industry has been developing Digital Product Passports as a tool to provide information on products, including early adopters in luxury fashion and jewelry, but also electronics, batteries, textiles/footwear, automotive and construction materials.

Defining the Term: Digital Product Passports (DPP)

A digital tool for collecting and providing product data including material content, performance, environmental impact, transportation, storage, installation, maintenance, repair and end-of-use data for use by producers, consumers, regulatory bodies and the resale market.

Example of their content:

Novalis Innovative Flooring, a global LVT (luxury vinyl tile) flooring manufacturer has partnered with an online database of digital materials to house its Digital Product Passports providing access to all product information. With the entire lifecycle of the product in mind, the Novalis team has developed a QR code that is printed onto the back of all of its products.

Want More?

Check out this QR code for an example of a Novalis Digital Product Passport.

Watch this 2 minute video from Circularise on DPP’s.

2. Building Deconstruction is Already Happening and Here’s Why

The commercial building industry has been experimenting with deconstruction of buildings for the past decade. And it was difficult to make the process economically feasible, until now.

Defining the Term: Deconstruction / Strategic Dismantling

Selective dismantling of a building’s components for reuse, repurposing, recycling and waste management. Recovered materials are “harvested waste” reclaimed into useful building products.

To the critics who say that deconstruction takes longer and costs more, yes, on the surface deconstruction does cost more, reports Emily Freeman, Policy Advisor/Circular Economy at City of Boulder. However, the hidden costs of demolition must be factored in, such as wasteshed costs, the sheer volume of construction debris, (one house might be the landfill equivalent of 6 months of one community’s household waste), tipping fees and additional costs to ship to more remote landfills.

When the resale value of materials and the tax benefits of the material donations are calculated into the equation, deconstruction starts to make financial sense. The environmental impacts of landfill diversion and the specialized jobs created are two additional intrinsic benefits.

Defining the Term: Wasteshed

An area of the state that has a common waste disposal system, where landfills are shared by multiple communities.

Currently Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are not required for building materials, including salvaged ones, but “their use is rapidly growing in line with awareness about environmental impacts, (of using salvaged materials). Both public and private stakeholders are increasingly demanding EPDs,” (Zacharia, 2025).

Defining the Term: Environmental Product Declaration (EPD)

A document that communicates the environmental performance or impact (positive or negative) of a product or material through its entire life cycle, designed to be a tool to compare various product options.

Three cities in the US have deconstruction ordinances:  for commercial buildings San Antonio and Boulder; for residential properties Portland. And Vancouver and Boulder are exploring new policies that will integrate DfD (Design for Disassembly) features which build in planning for disassembly from the start.

Defining the Term: Design for Disassembly (DfD)

The design of buildings to accommodate future changes and dismantling, ensuring the components and materials can be re-used, recycled or repurposed.

The goal of all this legislation is not to just downcycle materials but to recapture for future use. With the enormous amount of construction waste, strategic dismantling of buildings supports both economic competitiveness and environmental goals.

Defining the Term: Downcycling & Upcycling

Downcycling is converting materials and products into those of lesser value or quality than the original, (e.g. wood chipped for mulch or biomass fuel).

Upcycling is creatively reusing materials to create new products of a higher value than the original, (e.g. glass bottles into lamps or salvaged wood into decorative partitions and furniture).

Want More?

Watch this 2 minute video from the City of San Antonio on Deconstruction

3. Waste Diversion Strategies You can Use

The average American generates approximately 4.4 pounds of waste each day, and of that, about 2 pounds per day is generated at the office. “According to a study by the United Nations, business waste accounts for approximately 20% of the world’s waste, with offices being a significant contributor (Sy, 2023).”

Waste is only garbage when you call it that.

Using waste as a strategic and economic advantage was the call to action in several presentations. Waste is operational inefficiency.

Waste management best practices presented by Kristin Steiner/Republic Services center around these four strategies:

1. Know where your materials come from: work with procurement and supply chain to design waste out of the system.
2. Prioritize your heaviest opportunities: target materials that will move the needle on diversion.
3. Build the business case: determine the optimal equipment and handling needed to maximize returns.
4. Foster a zero-waste culture: educate staff, appoint a champion, celebrate wins.

Conducting assessments such as waste audits, site specific and procurement reviews are a place to start. Building a strategy which includes waste optimization roadmaps, peer benchmarking and business case development can be formulated with the assessment data. Implementing plans target hard to divert waste streams, employee training, custom facility signage and onsite material segregation, (Steiner, 2025).

Empowering functional roles in a zero waste strategy involves asking questions like:

• What do you need to be successful in reducing waste?
• How can we revise our procurement contracts to reduce waste?
• How do we attract clients or enhance our brand by incorporating things like reusable products and compost food waste?
• How do we make waste sexy, like making art from waste, or including upcycled clothing on our website?
• How do we partner with our vendors, recyclers and waste haulers to reach our goals?

Dealing with waste is a change management exercise and zero waste is a team sport, including everyone from janitorial, operations to procurement.

– Kristen Royal/MGM Resorts

Notables from the Exhibit Hall

From the Circularity expo hall, WDM was impressed with Spare-it, the first in-building waste metering platform for organizations to measure, report and manage waste. Their Waste Intelligence secure system combines Wi-Fi-free scales and AI-powered photo analysis to reduce waste, streamline sourcing and drive resource and cost savings.

Check out this Spare-it video @ Boston University.

Another strategy to jump start your workplace recycling program is to use Terra Cycle Zero Waste Boxes. There are options for everything from candy/snack wrappers to coffee capsules, and all manner of kitchen and office waste. This simple all-in-one solution will help your office recycle almost anything, offering various size collection boxes and pre-paid shipping labels.

Check out this Terra Cycle Zero Waste Box short interview.

Closed Loop Material Cycles and Bill McDonough

Bill McDonough, co-author of Cradle to Cradle, (2002) is an architect and a leader in sustainable development and design.  His design philosophy, to integrate closed loop material cycles into the design/ building and operation of architecture, was incorporated into many notable projects including the Herman Miller Green House (1995), the Ford River Rouge Complex (2002) and the Method Manufacturing Facility (2015).

Considering his impact and legacy in the circular space, when asked how to get started, he suggested that the first move should be to understand and optimize what already exists, do some assessment and re-arrangement. And then, maybe build new. McDonough said knowing the truth is hard, but finding the truth is harder.

Defining the Term: Closed Loop Material Cycles

In these sustainable systems, materials and products are reused or recycled infinitely, minimizing waste and maximizing resource utilization. It’s a circular economy approach where materials return to the production cycle instead of being discarded.

Regenerative Economies are Nothing New

One of the most impactful, uplifting, and significant keynote speakers was Dr. Lyla June, an indigenous scientist, community organizer and public speaker of the matrilineal clan of the Diné Nation. She presented three “strategies native peoples from around the world have used to work with nature, expand habitat and design for perpetuity,” (June, 2023). In these indigenous food and land management techniques humans have an essential ecological role.

Ancient solutions to modern problems

Tenochtitlan, was the ancient capital of the Aztec empire, located on the site of modern Mexico City. It was a zero waste city, with advanced agriculture, strategic water management, and floating gardens for food. There was no waste, with everything including human waste being recycled for gardens and tanning leather.

The Mebengokre (Kayapo) indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon, use soil management strategies that combine compostable debris and controlled burns  to release nutrient dense ash and sustainable pyro-adapted grasses. These minerals act as a natural fertilizer for planting various crops together to protect the soil from torrential rain and scalding sun.

On an island off the central coast of British Columbia, the Hailzaqv Nation have been protecting the herring roe harvest with the same strategies for 14,000 years.  Hand planting hemlock and kelp forests into the waters offshore provide a habitat for herring to lay their eggs, sustaining native populations and cascading up the food chain nourishing bear salmon, eagles, wolves and humans.

Indigenous eco systems are not a native American thing, they are a human thing.

– Dr. Lyla June, 2025

Keep Calm and Carry On

Attendees of the Circularity conference in Denver are meeting the moment, being aggressively incremental, making progress and embracing the concept that less bad is not good enough.

In all the presentations and expo products, we saw this notion of perpetual products, the end of one useful life is the start of the next useful life. That is the essence of the circular economy. There is no waste in the system.

Plan Ahead

Next year Circularity will combine with VERGE/ where climate meets technology, bloom / where biodiversity meets the bottom line and GreenFin / where capital powers the clean economy, locating all four events in one location, San Francisco, June 23-25, 2026. We hope to see you there!

Bonus Content: Want More?

• Catch up on last year’s Circularity 24 conference held in Chicago
• Watch the Circularity Keynote presentations with the links below:

Tues April 29, 2025:

Speakers: Phoebe Yu/Replenysh; Jon Smieja/Trellis; John Warner/The Technology Greenhouse; Asha Singhal/Biomimicry Institute; Lyla June/Orator-Scientist-Dreamer; William McDonough/McDonough + Partners.

Wed May 1, 2025:

Speakers: Joe Macleod/AndEnd; Andy Ruben/Trove; Hana Kajimura/Trellis; Deanna Bratter/Crocs; Brian Lewis/Trellis; John Williams/Waste Well; Jeannette Felix/Homeboy Industries.

Images courtesy of Cynthia Milota unless otherwise notes.

References

Dayton, E. (May 2025), “New Packaging EPR Laws,” Retrieved from: Amidst all the attention on this administration’s rollback of federal… | Eric Dayton | 27 comments

Freeman, E. (May 2025), personal communication.

June, L. (June 2023), “3000 year old solutions to modern problems,” Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eH5zJxQETl4

Steiner, K. (May 2025), personal communication.

Sy, J. (April 2023), “A Guide to Office Waste: Facts, Figures and Tips for Reduction,” Retrieved from: https://www.unsustainablemagazine.com/guide-to-office-waste-facts-figures/

Zacharia, M. (March 2025), “A Simple Guide to EPDs,” Retrieved from: https://oneclicklca.com/en-us/resources/articles/guide-to-epds

The post Circularity 25: Keep Calm and Carry On appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

Interior Design educators from across the US and Canada gathered at Columbia College Chicago for their 62^nd annual meeting this spring. Attendess included fulltime and adjunct faculty (more than 290), students (about 175), professional organizations and industry partners. Like many conferences, there were keynotes, presentations/panels sessions, and poster sessions. But unlike most conferences the session and poster submissions were double blind peer reviewed, ensuring content that was rigorous and relevant to the interior design industry.

Defining the Term: Double Blind Peer Reviewed

A review process of abstracts for potential presentation at a conference whereby neither the authors nor the reviewers know one another’s identities, to reduce bias and evaluate solely on the merit of the work.

The Keynotes

The conference kicked off with two keynote speakers, Avinash Rajagopal/Editor in Chief – Metropolis and Kay Sargent/Sr. Principal and Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors – HOK and Work Design Contributor.

Rajagopal’s remarks were a call to action for interior designers to consider their work in the context of time. He expanded upon the “seven shearing layers,” originally developed by Frank Duffy. A building is “composed of layers that change at different rates… and evolve at their own pace influencing the overall longevity and adaptability of a building,” (Wiki, 2024). While the site is forever and a building may have a 60-200 year life span, the typical space plan has a serviceable life of about 5-20 years. As interior designers consider their practice, being a steward of each project is more sustainable than joining in the relay race to get things done as quickly and cheaply as possible.

Constant change in natural. Infinite growth is cancerous.

– Avinash Rajagopal

Sargent’s message explored the issues facing students today: staggering debt, continual retraining (potential jobs in 10 or even 5 years don’t exist yet), the need to be accessible 24/7 and the prospect of lower earnings than their parents. She called for a massive re-thinking of work including sabbaticals in all professions, a four-day work week and a reshaping of the real estate industry as we know it. The spaces we create have an intense impact on the people who use them. The next generation will be designing not only environments but also experiences.

The question for emerging interior designers, will they: let it happen, make it happen, or ask what just happened?

– Kay Sargent

Conference Themes

Informed by conference sessions and interviews with educators from CIDA accredited schools, Tharique De Silva/Assistant Professor of Interior Design at the University of Idaho and Dan Harper/Associate Dean at New York School of Interior Design, we’ve compiled three trends in interior design education that will influence the industry for the next decade.

Defining the Term: CIDA

Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) is an independent, non-profit accrediting body for interior design education programs in the US and Canada. There are over 170 CIDA-accredited programs with 18,000 enrolled students. CIDA was formerly known as FIDER (the Foundation for Interior Design Education Research).

Artificial Intelligence and Technology

AI is already a player in design education. Some institutions are actively integrating AI tools into their curriculum while others allow students to explore and experiment. Themes around AI included:

• Enhancing creativity and ideation, with multiple iterations in the design development phases,
• Increasing efficiency by generating 3D visualizations quickly,
• Improving accuracy and transparency by analyzing large data sets.

Educational institutions, like design firms, are exploring ethics and responsible AI use, along with balancing automation and creativity. Examples of how students are integrating AI into their learning include: analyzing research data from various sources, generating/editing project concept statements, assessing concept visualizations and automating repetitive tasks.

AI has become another teaching tool.

– Dan Harper

In addition to AI, many programs, like at College of DuPage (COD), students use Sketch-Up or REVIT with Enscape, an AI enhanced, real-time rendering and VR software plug-in, in their design studios to create virtual models. These “immersive 3D experiences (or models) engage and energize students, enabling them to further refine design concepts, including finish materials and lighting, early in the design process,” explains Shelly Mocchi, Assistant Professor/Program Chair.

Explore an Enscape example created by a COD second-year student here. (Hint: use your phone for the best 3D experience)

Approaching Interiors through an Interdisciplinary Lens

More than just collaborating in studio courses with the architects, today’s interior design students are “interested in diving deep into psychology, sociology and the environmental sciences, exploring how places, spaces and materials affect both the built environment and wellbeing,” (De Silva, 2025).

Students are approaching the design of space as a multisensory, behavioral experience.

– Tharique De Silva

Interdisciplinary studios, labs and electives from across campus, inform today’s interiors education. Designing for social causes / non-profits, supporting local businesses and creating inclusive spaces, interiors students’ experiential learning extends beyond the classroom. At IDEC, conference presentations and panels often focus on multidisciplinary research and projects, collaborating across disciplines, with practitioners and the community. In this space, adjunct faculty contribute real world perspectives and connections in the interdisciplinary design process. Authentic learning takes place in these projects through professional mentors and guided student reflections. Outcomes of these projects are sometimes published in the Journal of Interior Design, JID.

Defining the Term: JID

The Journal of Interior Design (JID) is a scholarly, refereed publication dedicated to an exploration of the interior environment. The Journal seeks to move the discipline forward by welcoming scholarly inquiry from diverse and interdisciplinary approaches, perspectives, and methods that actively explore and analyze the evolving definition of the interior. (Sage, 2025).

More than Sustainability

Wellbeing, regeneration, circularity and resilience are top of mind for today’s interiors students: for their lives and for their work. Gone are the days of the stand-alone Sustainability 101 course freshman year. Instead an integration of sustainable and regenerative principles is incorporated throughout the curriculum. Gen Z, the age cohort of a traditional age college student, are also known as the “sustainability generation,” environmentally conscious and aware of the impact of their choices.

Sustainable thinking is manifest in everything from software for net zero calculations, to carbon neutral finish materials and zero waste construction. Sustainability is so much more than achieving a LEED certification. This expanded perspective of sustainability not only increases student engagement (read “what’s in it for me”) but also prepares students to incorporate this thinking into the core of their practice.

While many presentations integrated sustainable themes into their research, one stand-out example of circularity in action came from Tharique De Silva’s carbon negative furniture grown out of mycelium. His goal is to create furniture that is circular in design, made of eco-friendly, non-toxic materials, locally produced of biodegradable and renewable materials.

This series of images shows the process for De Silva’s “Grown Mycelium + Spalted Maple” chair. Images courtesy of Tharique De Silva.

Defining the Term: Mycelium

The root-like structure of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branches and thread like structures. A carbon-negative material, it can absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits during its lifecycle, (Shah, 2025)

This chair is a departure from traditional methods of construction, challenging designers to think beyond the limitations of their materials.

 – Tharique De Silva

Interior Design’s Emerging Role

Themes from the IDEC conference are echoed in the most recent Interior Design magazine 2025 Giants issue. Firms are recruiting for sustainability and materials specialists, VR/AR/AI experts along with workplace strategists, futurists and analysts. “This shift in hiring priorities reflects the growing need for interdisciplinary expertise within the interior design field,” (Interior Design, 2025). With +148,000 interior designers in the US in 2024, the potential growth trajectory is projected to be 4% per year, (IBIS World, 2025).

Designers continue to sit for the NCIDQ exam, 2-4 years after graduation, depending on their degree and work experience. Currently there are over 38,000 certified interior designers in the US and Canada. NCIDQ certification is the first step to becoming certified, registered or licensed within your jurisdiction to practice legally.  And NCIDQ certification is a requirement to become a professional member of ASID and IIDA.

Defining the Term: NCIDQ

National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NCIDQ) is the globally recognized exam for interior design professionals.  This certification demonstrates a designer’s proficiency and commitment to the profession.

Creating community is essential for so many interiors students. They want onsite courses and feel like they learn better in person. This current cohort of students were in middle and high school during Covid, learning from home. They are done with online education; they want to belong to a group and work together in their design studio. They intuitively understand that in person work and mentoring will better prepare them for our interdisciplinary interiors practice.

As one of the Columbia College hosts of this year’s conference, Rene King, Assistant Professor of the BFA Interior Architecture Program and former IDEC president knows that programs work hard to keep interiors education current and relevant. Enabling students to share in the conference makes it even more engaging and meaningful.

Interiors students exhibit a unique blend of artistic talent and technical prowess. They care about their classmates and the planet. And they want to do good. We are so inspired by that!

– Rene King

Images courtesy of Cynthia Milota unless otherwise noted.

References

De Silva, T., personal communication, email, April 8, 2025.

Harper, D., personal communication, April 14, 2025.

Interior Design Magazine Staff, (March 2025). Retrieved from: Unveiling Interior Design’s 2025 Top 100 Giants

IBIS World, (2025). Retrieved from: Interior Designers in the US in the US | IBISWorld

King, R., personal communication, April 16, 2025.

Mocchi, S., personal communication, April 16, 2025.

Rajagopal, A., IDEC Speech, March 17, 2025.

Sage Journals, (2021).  JID, Retrieved from: Journal overview and metrics: Journal of Interior Design: Sage Journals

Sargent, K., IDEC Speech, March 18, 2025.

Shah, J., (2025). Amazing Architecture,  Retrieved from: Mycelium: The Future of Architecture and|Articles

Wikipedia, (2024). Retrieved from: Shearing layers – Wikipedia

The post The State of the State: Interior Design Education appeared first on Work Design Magazine.

Let’s explore FaaS (Furniture as a Service): its history and context, its impact on the circular economy, and how to incorporate it into your corporate real estate strategy. But first, a few statistics and insights about office furniture—and why it’s time to re-examine our current practices.

• Americans generate 12 million tons of furniture waste annually, (EPA, 2024).
• Fast Furniture (think that $199 desk chair from your local office supply store) is a major contributor to products destined for the landfill.
• There is no published data on the average annual corporate spend for storing used office furniture, but all the FM’s reading this, know that it is not an insignificant number.
• Decommissioning offices spaces (removal of a company’s assets, especially office furniture) is now big business.
• The new furniture industry in the US was valued at almost $20 billion in 2023, expecting to grow 5% annually. (Statista, 2025).
• Office furniture warranties for commercial grade products are lifetime for some items and 12 years for most others, but we all know of product from the 1990’s still in use.

The dollar value of used office furniture is always less than hoped for and the removal/disposal costs are always higher than expected.

History & Context

Residential rental furniture has been around for decades, with the lease-to-own model gaining popularity in post WWII America. By 1978, the US furniture rental market had grown to $200 million (Nagle, 1978), and in 2024, the global commercial furniture rental market was valued at $21 billion, (Market.US, 2024).

Characteristics of FaaS, the access instead of ownership model, include:

• A subscription approach with rates dependent on product quality/quantity and term,
• Ability to customize the products and finishes,
• On demand, for providing and removing furniture products, as required by client needs.

Most organizations are already familiar with SaaS (software as a service), while some are experimenting with Space as a Service (SpaaS) and others with various “as a service models.”  So why are we not seeing a widespread adoption of FaaS in our corporate interiors?

Key Questions for FaaS Planning & Total Cost of Ownership Calculations

Developing a strategy for FaaS to support your CRE strategy can start with these questions:

1. What level of flexibility is required for the furniture?
2. What is the time frame for the furniture requirement?
3. Do the furniture-needs require a national infrastructure?
4. Will furniture purchases be CapEx (capital expenditures) or OpEx (operating expenses)?
5. What are the sustainability goals?

Understanding these parameters, will assist in examining the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), including total furniture costs vs monthly rent, delivery and installation, facilities and asset admin costs, reconfiguration, storage and disposal costs.

To further explore if FaaS is a potential for your organization or your project, here are some real world opportunities to consider access to furniture rather than purchasing furniture:

• Swing Spaces
• Pilots, short term initiatives, temporary projects, interns or seasonal staff
• Projects where start-up time is of the essence
• Short term leases or sublets (24 months or less)
• Spec suites or flex spaces
• Temporary furniture when supply chain delays make purchased furniture unavailable
• Corporate Exhibitions
• Special Events
• Hospitality Spaces

We’re not working in the furniture bucket, we’re working in the strategy bucket.

– Jones, 2021

How to Integrate FaaS into the CRE playbook

Consider these five factors when building a case to integrate FaaS into your corporate real estate playbook.

Costs

Reduce upfront costs with no large initial investment, while preserving capital for core business operations. Manage cash flow by spreading costs over time through monthly or annual payments. Rental/lease fees are often classified as operational expenses which can provide tax benefits by reducing taxable income and eliminating depreciation concerns. (Check with your accountant on these details).

Flexibility and Scalability

Leased furniture easily scales up and down with SF and headcount demands without the costs, complexity and long term commitment of furniture ownership. Turn key services and quicker lead times for products delivery/installation are baked into the process. Mid-lease term updates and modifications don’t require capital furniture expenses or searching through furniture storage for appropriate product.

FM Overhead

Maintenance and replacement services are included, eliminating the need to dedicate FM staff. Furniture asset/inventory management and tracking, including maintenance and disposal, are managed by the leasing company.

Design

Standardize office aesthetics across all locations, while easily refreshing office design without major capital investments. Commercial grade lease product offerings provide multiple style and price point options.

Procurement

The procurement process is more transparent by assessing all available options, not just the conventional spec/bid/purchase strategy. Projects can still be bid, with the winning vendor streamlining the implementation.

“As a service” models change the procurement incentives from saving on what you buy, to buying less.

FaaS and the Circular Economy

FaaS plays a role in circularity by reducing waste, conserving resources and extending the lifecycle of furniture. In the circular economy materials never become waste and products are kept in circulation.

Keeping furniture in use longer reduces the need for new products and the associate waste.

Using furniture that has been refurbished and re-installed into an office, minimizes landfill waste and conserves raw materials like wood, metal and fabric.

Reducing demand for new furniture minimizes the energy required for manufacturing, leading to lower carbon emissions and a reduced carbon footprint.

Preserving the embodied carbon – “associated with the extraction, manufacturing, transportation, assembly, installation, maintenance, replacement, deconstruction and disposal,” (Lecointre, 2024) of furniture products reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Raising consumer awareness about sustainable consumption practices, encouraging businesses to adopt more environmentally conscious approaches to furnishing workplaces.

Less production and less consumption translate into less furniture liquidation required at end of the product life or more commonly at end of the office lease.

The most sustainable furniture products are the ones that already exist

Meet Two FaaS Vendors

The concept of Furniture-as-a-Service (FaaS) emerged in response to a clear workplace reality: traditional office furniture ownership often locks companies into expensive, inflexible decisions that don’t match the pace or unpredictability of business today.  Several vendors describe themselves as offering “furniture rental” or even FaaS, but not all approaches are built the same.

CORT pioneered the FaaS approach in the U.S. office furniture market—well before it became a trending term. Where others offer modular furniture on a subscription basis, CORT brings a deeper, systems-based solution that blends scale, logistical infrastructure, and operational flexibility.

One of the more distinctive aspects of their offering is the Permanently Flexible program, a philosophy developed in response to clients who needed a balance of permanence and adaptability in their workspace. In practice, that means supporting environments where some furniture is purchased for long-term use, while other pieces are rented to accommodate evolving needs—such as onboarding waves, new collaboration zones, or test-fit layouts in leased space.

Rather than promoting a one-size-fits-all rental strategy, this model allows organizations to build more responsive workplaces. A growing law firm might choose to own core workstations while renting additional meeting furniture to support a temporary case team. A professional services firm exploring hybrid scheduling might experiment with different seating configurations before finalizing a layout. In both cases, the ability to blend ownership and access supports faster, lower-risk decision-making.

This flexible approach is supported by a circular business model built around CORT’s “5R” process: Rent, Return, Repeat, Refurbish, and Repurpose. Each step is designed to extend the life of furniture well beyond a single use. CORT maintains full control over this lifecycle—from initial rental through professional inspection, cleaning, and, when needed, in-house refurbishment. Pieces that are no longer suited for rental are sold through CORT Furniture Outlet locations, giving them a second life and significantly reducing landfill waste. In fact, more than 95% of CORT’s furniture stays out of landfills each year. This model not only reduces environmental impact but also provides organizations with a practical, measurable way to align their workplace strategy with broader ESG goals.

While CORT dominates the US office FaaS market other players include Branch Business,  AFR® Furniture Rental, and Inhabitr.

In Europe, the Dutch office furniture company, Royal Ahrend, “recognized future supply chain risks as well as the opportunities in shifting from the linear production and sales model…to putting circular economy principles at the heart of their business,” (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2021).

By retaining ownership of the furniture, Ahrend ensures products are reused, refurbished or recycled in their own Circular Hub, contributing to the circular economy. The model reduces waste and lowers carbon footprints, aligning with sustainable goals of our clients. This approach not only supports client organizations in optimizing their operational flexibility but also supports environmental responsibility by making sure the furniture gets its next life after the leasing term has expired.

Clients use Ahrend’s FaaS-model to achieve their sustainability goals in several ways:

• Reduce their CO²-footprint: FaaS supports the circular economy by extending the lifecycle of furniture through reuse and refurbishment, helping clients lower their carbon footprint in scope 3.
• Waste and resource reduction: Clients avoid the need to dispose of furniture frequently. The model reduces the demand for new raw materials, supporting sustainable resource use and contributing to EU Circular Economy Action Plan
• Enhanced flexibility and efficiency: By leasing furniture, clients manage resources more efficiently, updating or scaling as needed, to align with the environmental and social goals in their ESG-strategies.

After the use period, Ahrend collects the furniture and brings it to their own Circular Hub, where the furniture is carefully inspected, refurbished, or upgraded as needed to give it a new life. After revitalisation, the items are ‘as new’, ready to bring it back to the market. Through this process, they ensure the furniture can be reused by other clients, supporting a circular economy by extending its lifecycle.

A second option allows clients to purchase the furniture at the end of the lease term. In this case, Ahrend determines the current asset value to set a fair selling price. Alternatively, clients may choose to continue leasing at a discounted rate, extending their use of the furniture with flexible terms.

FaaS and the post Covid Workplace

While office lease terms are inching back to pre-pandemic levels, with an average of 8.9 years in prime buildings (CBRE Research, 2024), the uncertainty Covid had brought to the workplace is still evident. The outdated “set-it and forget-it” mentality of workplace, demands a re-examination of spaces more frequently than at lease renewal time. Who can foresee how offices, workstations or conference spaces will be used in 5 or even 2 years from now?  Using a hybrid approach which includes a combination of leased and purchased products provides flexibility to modify certain furnishings as the workplace and workforce evolve.

Special thanks to Melanie Jones, CORT’s National Director of CRE Partnerships  and Puck van de Pijl, Royal Ahrend’s Marketing & Communications Advisor for your insights and support in researching this article.

Concerned about the afterlife of existing furniture?

Consider partnering with one of these vendors who can help:

References

CBRE Research, (2024), “US sees uptick in Office Lease signings, but for less space on average,” Retrieved from: U.S. Sees Uptick in Office Lease Signings, But for Less Space on Average | CBRE

Ellen MacArthur Foundation, (2021), “Bringing office furniture full circle: Ahrend,” Retrieved from:  Bringing office furniture full circle: Ahrend

EPA, (2024), “Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data” Retrieved from: Durable Goods: Product-Specific Data | US EPA

Jones, M., (2021), “What is furniture-as-a-service,” Retrieved from: What is Furniture-As-A-Service? – Brave Ideas | Podcast on Spotify

Lecointre, H., (2024), “Embodied carbon: the key actions to address it,” Retrieved from: Embodied carbon: the key actions to address it – Deepki

Nagle, J., (1978), “Furniture rentals booming in changed style of living,” Retrieved from New York Times: 110828106.pdf

Market.US, 2025, “Global Furniture Rental Market by Product,” Retrieved from: https://market.us/report/furniture-rental-market/

Statista, (2025), “Office furniture in the US: statistics and facts,” Retrieved from Office furniture in the U.S. – statistics & facts | Statista

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