[This month's Innovation Valley column is by guest writer Amy Bauman, Project Manager for greenGoat, and company working with contractors, architects and building owners to fully realize the value of outgoing building materials (through salvage and recycling). - sji]

In the middle of its biggest year yet, non-profit greenGoat sets its sights on the largest waste stream it can imagine: corporate relocation.  In a recent collaboration with Cubellis, CBD Companies, Office Environments of NE, and Genzyme, 28 tons of office furniture was kept from landfill.  The project reworked and relocated Cubellis’ 65 cubicles to Genzyme’s new offices in Framingham, where they will be used in “swing space” accommodating workers while offices are being finished.

In its history, greenGoat has saved 189 tons of materials in our recovery programs, but to save 28 tons in a single project is significant.  Many of those tons have flowed through the company’s warehouse located in Lawrence, but greenGoat tries to “pre-place” as much material as possible.  In this case, the extra deep Steel Case work surfaces used by Cubellis for almost a decade, was exactly what Genzyme needed.

Cynthia Donnelly, Senior Planner for bio-tech giant Genzyme didn’t hesitate a moment when asked what the motivation was to buy used furniture:  expanding Genzyme’s green legacy.  An added bonus: the firm got a better quality product than the one they normally specify… at half the price.

Steel Case furniture was removed from Cubellis, then cut to fit the new space at Genzyme by CBD Companies, a furniture refurbisher contacted by greenGoat.  Jeff Lawson, founder, was happy with the finished product, and sees opportunity ahead for similar companies hoping to save money while upgrading to a better product.  “I used to see myself as Robin Hood … taking furniture from high end companies and selling it to small to midsized clients.  The market is changing, though, and Genzyme is a great example of savvy corporations finding new ways to operate sustainably,” Lawson says, as he plans to expand his operations while building a plant this year in Canton, MA.

Each firm in the project saw the value in the recovery.  Noted Steve Leone, AIA, LEED AP, Principal, and Director of Sustainable Design at Cubellis, “this is a most simple and clear example of sustainable market transformation. “Forward thinking companies searching for synergies and partnerships to reduce waste and energy while finding higher quality products at lower costs is what it’s all about.  It’s a beautiful solution that required only a little more research and thought. For us at Cubellis exploring these strategies is one of many ways to act sustainably as a firm and reinforce our sustainable mission. greenGoat was a great partner in making that happen!”  Cubellis cut the moving and disposal costs for the systems furniture by more than half.

Donnelly sees the same picture, noting that they will consider used furniture more seriously in the future.  Adds Donnelly, “if you want it back in a few years, let us know.”

For more information, contact greenGoat, thegoat@greengoat.org, http://www.greengoat.org.