Our Commitment to Green Cabinetry
Building "Green
Cabinets" can mean different things to different people.
Often our customers are looking for formaldehyde-free cabinets
or for those with less 'off-gassing.' At Gillingham Cabinets,
we see several dimensions to the greenness of cabinets, and we are commited to both.
Formaldehyde-Free Cabinets
No wood product - not even solid wood - is formaldehyde-free,
so we use what are called CARB certified wood panels. CARB is
a strict new standard from the California Air Resource Board that
addresses all types of formaldehyde emission in the wood we use.
It is more comprehensive and effective than previous "No
Added Urea Formaldehyde" types of board construction.
CARB certified sheets emit less formaldehyde than more conventionally
made panels. This results in significantly improved indoor air
quality and more eco-friendly kitchen cabinets. At Gillingham Cabinets, all of our cabinets are made
using CARB certified wood.
Environmental Sustainability
We are pleased to announce a new initiative for 2010 that will cut our "carbon footprint" in half. For more information please see our
online announcement or our
press release.
Recycling any wood left over is important, as is using recycled material in the panels that the cabinets are made from, and reducing the amount of waste wood left
over after all the pieces are cut.
All of our
cabinets are made from board that contains 100% recycled fibres,
and to keep waste to a minimum, we use computer software to optimize
where the pieces are cut from each sheet of wood.
Green Construction Materials
In addition to cabinets made with low-emissions and 100% recycled wood, we
can source materials that have been harvested in compliance with
the Forest Stewardship Council's certification for environmental
management, and materials that are LEED certified.
Another option that avoids the use of hardwood trees is called
"reconstituted veneer." Made from harvested poplar,
it offers cabinets that appear to be hardwoods such as maple or
cherry, but without using trees from natural forests. Exotic looks
like teak, bamboo, and wenge, are possible and environmentally
sensitive eco-systems are not compromised.
For finishing materials, we can apply water-based stains and lacquers
for low emissions of VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) that further
improve air quality and reduce the environmental impact of the
cabinets we make.
LEED
Certification
Standards for environmentally responsible building in North America are
most commonly defined by LEED - Leadership in Energy & Environmental
Design. LEED is a comprehensive set of standards that covers all
aspects of the development and construction process, including
specifications for construction materials, including cabinetry.
For more information on LEED have a look at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadership_in_Energy_and_Environmental_Design
Use this link for
a PDF version of this page.
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