Pioneering circularity
Reducing waste and embodied carbon by 'closing the loop'
Interiors are a problem
A lot of energy goes into making, transporting, maintaining and ultimately disposing of every ‘thing’ that makes up our offices.
To make things worse, this embodied carbon compounds every time an office is overhauled because we simply throw most of it away.
It’s the reason why furnishings are responsible for around 40% of an office building’s entire carbon footprint over its lifespan. It’s a hidden dirty secret we all need to take ownership of.
Circularity
That hidden dirty secret is why we’re putting circular economy principles at the heart of everything we do.
But what exactly is the circular economy, and what does closing the loop actually mean?
Here’s a short explainer courtesy of our friends at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Circularity at Koba
At Koba we’re committed to working with our supply chains to increase circularity through a science-based, cradle-to-cradle approach.
We can’t promise a silver bullet, but the steps we’re taking are important market signals.
Circularity passports
We’ve set ourselves the goal of registering every single component used within our spaces within a digital passport.
Ultimately, it means our customers will know the amount of carbon associated with every element, down to the smallest of screws. It will also highlight the degree to which any object can be dismantled and reused, and the toxicity of the materials and products used.
Education
The data that we can share with our customers through our digital passports is only as good as the data our suppliers provide us with.
Education is a two way street. Where our supply chain is struggling to pin down accurate data, we’ll help them. And where our suppliers are offering products and services that raise the bar on best practice, we’ll share their learning with the broadest audience possible.
Demountable walls
Walk into most offices and what you’ll see are partition walls that one day soon will end up in a skip. A complete waste, literally.
We’re prioritising walls that can be taken down, moved and used again whilst minimising loss of value and utility. And keeping the skips less busy.
Joinery that disassembles
Many of the materials we use day to day can be recovered, reused, and repurposed but any material’s capability for reuse depends on how its been installed, and what it’s been made from.
Working with our supply chain, we’re going to highlight how we can take items like joinery and ensure they can be broken down at end of life whilst maintaining their value.
Refurbished furniture
By one estimate, we throw as much as 300 tonnes of office furniture into landfill daily in the UK.
There’s no reason that has to be the case, and we need to expand the prevalence of circular business models, and circular logistics solutions to combat it.
One such provider is our integrated partner Cast, who offer the only unequivocal circular furniture model in London.
Carpet, done better
We specify carpet that is designed to be reused, and where there is a take-back scheme with the manufacturer.
And because the backing is non-vinyl and made with biopolymers and bio-based and recycled fibres, the carpet can be reused as raw material in new carpet tiles.
It's a team effort
Moving towards a more circular approach is a big task that we can’t do on our own. We’re lucky to have brilliant partners, and will add more over time.
Let's close the loop
Want to know more about our pioneering approach to circularity?
Feel free to get in touch.