Re-use in action at KPMG
How can furniture be given a new lease of life and help to reduce environmental impact without compromising on quality and functionality? This question is often at the forefront here at Input interior and a collaboration project with KPMG helped to provide an answer.
When accounting firm KPMG made the decision to relocate to a new head office in Oslo, they had a strong vision right from the start – and needless to say, sustainability was a major element. With lofty aspirations and support from Input interior, KPMG was quickly able to audit the condition of its existing furnishings. The next step was simple: re-use, reconditioning, disposal or recycling.
In order to minimise waste and maximise the potential of all items, KPMG:
· Re-used 364 desks and 512 office chairs in existing condition.
· Upgraded existing furniture by reupholstering, cleaning, repairing and adapting.
· Transferred furniture internally between offices to cater for needs in different departments.
· Donated furniture to employees and organisations to extend its useful life.
Architecture studio Zinc was responsible for the interior design concept and laid the foundations for a seamless result blending new and re-used products. The re-use element largely involved adapting furniture to suit its new environment; for example, several hundred chairs were cleaned and reupholstered. In order to minimise waste, any leftover fabric from this process was used for scatter cushions.
“It has been inspiring to collaborate with KPMG and Zinc on a project where we truly get to see the value of re-use on a large scale. It shows that it is perfectly possible to combine sustainable choices with high quality and holistic design,” says Grethe Friisk, Project Manager at Input interior in Oslo.
Sissel Trulsen, Head of Facility at KPMG, explains that re-use was a specific objective right from the outset.
“We knew that we had furniture that was still fit for use, but some of it needed upgrading to improve quality and extend its useful life. Together with Zinc and Input interior, we have created a new office where more than 50% of the furnishings are re-used, either directly or with modifications such as reupholstering or servicing. Overall we expect to achieve our target of 85-90% re-use for the entire office project.”
She goes on to highlight logistics as the biggest challenge:
“Re-use on this scale requires good planning and more time than new purchases. The relocation process has been going on for several months and we have carefully coordinated transport and services in order to minimise environmental impact.”
Therese Haaland Jonassen, lead interior architect at Zinc for this project, stresses that re-use was a natural part of the design process.
“Combining existing furniture with new solutions yields unique possibilities for creating exciting and sustainable environments. The project has also heightened our awareness of the importance of craftsmanship for product longevity, and this helps to preserve traditional local crafts.”
This collaboration between KPMG, Zinc and Input interior is an excellent example of the possibilities when designing workplaces for the future. By re-using and refurbishing existing furniture it is possible to achieve huge savings, both environmental and financial. Delivering sustainability, quality and functionality!
