Herman Miller (manufacturer) - Sustainability

Sustainability

Herman Miller has engaged in a number of initiatives to promote sustainability, and many of them have had cost-saving implications for the company. The company has developed a technique of mixing sawdust with chicken manure to produce topsoil. The company also uses a database to track every chemical in each product used by the company, in order to eliminate harmful chemicals from their products. Management of the company has expressed concerns about global warming, and the company was using 27% renewable energy as of 2007. The company also issues a sustainability report.

Herman Miller's driving sustainability initiatives is its "Perfect Vision" goal. This is a broad initiative that sets significant targets for the year 2020. These targets include zero landfill, zero hazardous waste generation, zero air emissions (VOC), zero process water use, 100 percent green electrical energy use, company buildings constructed to a minimum LEED Silver certification, and 100 percent of sales from DfE-approved products.

Many of Herman Miller's products are designed to be ecologically sound, and many are good examples of ecodesign techniques for achieving sustainability include saving materials, energy efficient manufacturing, recycled content, and recyclable content, including design for disassembly. The design process also utilizes life cycle assessment.

Herman Miller helped fund the start of the United States Green Building Council, and hired architect William McDonough + Partners to design a factory incorporating green design principles. The building is known as the Greenhouse and is an example of green building. The building won the following awards:

• AIA Committee on the Environment Top Ten Environmental Buildings, 1997
• Business Week/Architectural Record Good Design Is Good Business Award, 1997
• AIA Central Virginia Honor Award, 1998
• International Development Research Council, Award for Distinguished Service in Environmental Planning, 1995