Life Cycle Assessment Verifies Advantage of Remanufacturing
In 2017 Davies Office commissioned a life cycle assessment (LCA)* study to determine the environmental impact of the remanufacturing process and the life cycle impacts of remanufacturing office furniture versus manufacturing “new” OEM products. The findings confirmed that Davies’ remanufactured products offer significant environmental benefits over new products, using 82% less energy in production. Modeling also revealed that using multiple remanufacturing cycles continues to lower a product’s net environmental impact over its entire lifecycle.
The study was conducted by The Center of Excellence in Advanced and Sustainable Manufacturing (COE-ASM), located at the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) at Rochester Institute of Technology. GIS technical staff and faculty are life cycle assessment professionals certified by the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment (ACLCA), and they provide expertise and industry application of LCA methodologies. GIS functions as an independent third-party critical reviewer, providing a non-biased, independent evaluation of the methodology and interpretation of LCA results.
“This study provides clear data that directly supports the value and mission of remanufacturing. The life cycle assessment quantified the environmental impacts of our remanufactured workspaces versus new workspaces. We can now feel confident informing our clients about the positive effects remanufacturing have on the environment – data clients can use to support their sustainability efforts,” says Bill Davies, president of Davies Office.
To read the full case study, go to: Life Cycle Assessment of Remanufacturing Office Products
* Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a technique used to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product’s life, from raw-material extraction to materials processing, manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling.
ABOUT DAVIES OFFICE — Davies Office is a nationally recognized leader in green remanufacturing and an expert in sustainable office furniture solutions. Founded in 1948, Davies Office is the largest office furniture remanufacturer in the United States, with more than 250,000 square feet of remanufacturing and warehousing space and a staff of more than 170 employees. Davies Office is a Certified Women-Owned Business specializing in asset recovery and redeployment, high-performance workspace solutions, and comprehensive project management from planning through installation. For more information, visit www.daviesoffice.com or call (518) 449-2040.
