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Steelcase Recognized for Commitment to Improving Indoor Air Quality
Steelcase Products Awarded
Indoor Advantage(TM) Certifications for Low Emissions
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 12
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Steelcase Inc. (NYSE:SCS)
, a global office environments manufacturer, today announced that
over 20 of its product lines have received Indoor Advantage(TM)
certifications from Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), an
independent third-party certifier. The Indoor Advantage
certification program confirms adherence to specific indoor air
quality emission requirements and recognizes companies that excel in
this environmental initiative.
The Indoor Advantage certification
program is applicable to any non-flooring product generally used
within an enclosed indoor environment including wall coverings,
systems furniture, casegoods, and insulation. Indoor Advantage
offers two different certifications -- Indoor Advantage and Indoor
Advantage Gold. Indoor Advantage demonstrates conformance with the
Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA)
and U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) criterion. In addition to BIFMA and LEED,
Indoor Advantage Gold also demonstrates conformance to California
01350 criterion. California 01350 is a special environmental
standard specification developed by the state of California to cover
key environmental performance issues related to the selection and
handling of building materials.
The SCS Indoor Advantage
Certification program offers a highly transparent and independent
indoor air quality testing and certification method. It follows
strict auditing protocols, accepts data only from pre-qualified
laboratories, and has a proven track record in verifying
manufacturer's environmental claims.
Steelcase's wood seating line
received high marks in regard to low volatile organic compound (VOC)
emissions, garnering 14 Indoor Advantage certifications for product
lines including Alcove(R), Alerion(R), Collaboration(R), Company(R),
Deck(R), England(R), Escapade(R), Gentry Side Chair(R), Mansfield
Side Chair(R), Mingle(R), Oriana(R), Snodgrass-Wood(R), Terazzo(R)
and Topaz(R). Pathways(R) Privacy Wall and five Steelcase Systems
including Answer(R), Avenir(R), Currency(R), Kick(R) and Pathways(R)
Technology Wall also received Indoor Advantage certification.
Achieving an additional level of
conformance is the Steelcase Think(R) chair, as well as its Answer(R)
and Pathways(R) Technology Wall system, which received Indoor
Advantage Gold certification.
The Indoor Advantage programs
require a series of steps to achieve certification. SCS worked
closely with Steelcase throughout the process to identify
appropriate product samples for testing, reviewed VOC emission test
reports, determined if the test data conformed to LEED, BIFMA and/or
California 1350 criteria, and evaluated Steelcase's documented
control system. In addition, SCS will periodically inspect
Steelcase's manufacturing plants to review product formulas,
processing and quality control in order to ensure Steelcase's
products retain their low-emitting status.
"Indoor air quality is an
environmental issue that Steelcase takes very seriously and our
product development process is dedicated to creating low-emitting
products that meet critical industry standards and are not
detrimental to the health of our customers," said Jeff Musculus,
manager of product development test labs and codes for Steelcase.
"We are pleased that so many of our products have been certified by
Scientific Certification Systems as it highlights our drive for
continuous improvement in environmental sustainability and provides
Steelcase with momentum for further product certification."
About Steelcase Inc.
Steelcase Inc., a Fortune 500
company, helps individuals and organizations around the world to
work more effectively by providing knowledge, products and services
that enable customers and their consultants to create work
environments that integrate architecture, furniture and technology.
Founded in 1912 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the
company has led the global office furniture industry in sales every
year since 1974. Its product portfolio includes interior
architectural products, furniture systems, technology products,
seating, lighting, storage and related products and services. Fiscal
2003 revenue was approximately $2.6 billion. Steelcase Inc. and its
subsidiaries have dealers in more than 900 locations, manufacturing
facilities in over 50 locations and approximately 16,000 employees
around the world. The company's Class A Common Stock trades on the
NYSE under the symbol SCS. For more information, visit
www.steelcase.com .
About Scientific Certification
Systems
SCS is an independent third-party
certifier of environmental, sustainability, food quality and food
purity claims. Over two decades, SCS has developed internationally
recognized standards and certification programs aimed at spurring
the highest level of environmental improvements, social
accountability and product performance. Its programs span a wide
cross-section of the economy, recognizing accomplishments in the
fields of forestry, green building, agricultural production, food
processing and handling, fisheries, energy, consumer and business
product manufacturing, and retail. SCS was the first company to
offer manufacturers a program for verifying the accuracy of
environmental claims on products. Certification programs for
building products include Recycled Content, Biodegradability, Indoor
Advantage(TM), Indoor Advantage(TM) Gold, Environmentally Preferable
Product, and SCS Sustainable Choice(TM). For more information about
SCS, visit www.scscertified.com or call 510-452-8000.
FCMN Contact: ljensen@peppercom.com
Source:
Steelcase Inc.
CONTACT: Sara Whitman, of Peppercom,
+1-212-931-6121, for Steelcase
Inc.
Web site:
http://www.steelcase.com/
http://www.scscertified.com/
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