More and more countries, cities, and individual companies are committing to net zero by 2050—removing as much CO₂ as they produce.
Companies are setting short- and medium-term emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1,5°C and address the worst effects of climate change this decade.
What is the role of segment furniture brands in this movement? What know-how do companies use to save the planet? We talk with the director of production of ELIO HOME Oleg Korostylov and consider cases from world practice.
Observation
Last year, the international charity Carbon Disclosure Project published a rating of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world. The 2022 CDP Cities A List is based on a survey of more than 1000 cities around the world for the number and effectiveness of implemented environmental measures. The A-category list includes cities that have a clear action plan aimed at attracting renewable energy sources, reducing waste and carbon emissions. Each such city has a published adaptation plan to projected climate change and a selection of practical initiatives. For example, Paris, listed on the list, aims to renovate 1 million buildings by 2050, and reduce 2030% of construction sites to zero waste by 50.
By 2022 CDP Cities A List included 12% of all cities considered, and almost half of them were on this list for the first time. So, along with Paris, Athens and Barcelona, the list includes Amman (Jordan), Quito (Ecuador) and Lima (Peru). Such samples today demonstrate that the problem of environmental protection is spreading across the planet not only in the discussion space, but also in practice.
"New players" are joining states and individual cities that set a course for eco-consciousness. And they do a common thing
The discourse of sustainable development and preservation of the planet is reflected not only in the analytics of the urban scale — it also affects every single sphere of human activity, and is reflected in design initiatives.
For example, the participants of the Salone del Mobile exhibition in Milan this year showed visitors ecological stands built with a focus on the principles of sustainability and recycling. The Italian brand LAGO reused its last year’s stand, which for the second year reduced the volume of carbon emissions by almost 87%. Gandia Blasco Group also used recyclable and sound-absorbing cork materials and fabrics for the stand, selected according to the principles of sustainability and local location.
The environmental policies and initiatives of furniture brands have an impact on both the environment in general and the lifestyle of individual people. Production reforms affect the state of the surrounding ecosystems, while the materials selected for the new collection become part of someone’s eco-conscious lifestyle. Each such decision is a contribution to the future of the planet.
Desire
None of the Ukrainian cities was included in the 2022 CDP Cities A List. Yes, Ukraine is currently only taking the first steps on the way to building an ecologically conscious development model. There is a lot of work, it should be multifaceted and painstaking. So far, the topic of energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint in the Ukrainian public discourse is raised rather selectively. However, already now, starting small, we have a number of companies and brands that, by their own example, demonstrate the possibility of “permanent restructuring” in Ukrainian realities. At the same time, examples of companies that do not exist in Ukraine “spherically in a vacuum” but occupy the premium segment, listen to global trends and aim for expansion abroad are the most telling.
ELIO HOME, Ukrainian manufacturer of premium segment furniture is among such brands. The company has a varied product line and stands out on the market with its platform approach. This is production know-how that allows the client to adapt the product to his own request as much as possible: actually customize the selected model, operating with a wide selection of colors, textures and possible dimensions.
A flexible approach, expressive design, quality that meets the premium segment bar are among the factors that allowed the brand to master the Ukrainian market and start expanding its presence abroad. But an equally significant feature of ELIO HOME in terms of the brand’s activities and against the background of this material is a clearly defined ecological position.
In the Ukrainian discussion about sustainable development, the most telling examples are examples of companies that do not exist in Ukraine "spherically in a vacuum", but occupy the premium segment, listen to global trends and aim for expansion abroad
ELIO HOME production director Oleg Korostylov says this:
“In our understanding, “eco-friendly” is the category of furniture that uses materials with a minimal negative impact on the environment, obtained by using renewable energy sources, as well as with a minimal amount of chemical components that can pollute the environment and harm people. Already today, the planet is going through extremely difficult times in terms of ecology. These are the consequences of excessive industrialization without a proper attitude to the global ecology and awareness of responsibility for it.
Our product belongs to the high-end segment, where customers expect compliance with the highest standards of product quality by default — this applies to both technical characteristics and environmental friendliness.”
Developing new lines, implementing production optimization initiatives and building strategies for further development, ELIO HOME focuses not on Ukrainian realities, but on the experience of the foreign premium market. And there, along with attention to details, service and quality, the focus on sustainable development and environmental friendliness is already more defined and principled. In such a coordinate system, eco-consciousness is a truly important corporate feature that determines the vector of brand development.
“Actually, I think it should be a two-way process. Manufacturers should consciously improve the conditions for product creation, raise their own standards, find new challenges for their teams, and customers should consciously prefer products of the highest quality to themselves, says Oleg Korostylov. — Global trends are already distinguishing companies with visible assets in the context of environmental impact, and in the near future this will become a significant competitive factor.
Sustainability and sustainability is definitely a story of raising the level of consciousness in the industry in general. These issues must be constantly raised within the framework of professional discussions and in daily communication,” Oleg Korostylov is convinced.
"Sustainable development and environmental friendliness is definitely a story about raising the level of consciousness in the industry in general", Oleg Korostylov
Imitation
Today, Ukraine is on the path to European integration. If we put aside the emotional elation of the mere fact that we are closer than ever before, it is easy to realize that this is a complex and long process. It involves large-scale changes and requires restructuring at many levels: legislative, market, and even mental. This is based on a fairly simple idea: to be in a team with someone, you need to be “about one thing”. And society and, as a result, the market in Europe is currently about eco-consciousness.
The experience of greening and “sustainable reconstruction” developed over the years in European countries already has a defined and regulated structure. Information about environmental changes and the situation with the state of the environment at the local and regional levels is transparently published according to the standardized system of international associations, such as ICLEI. Such systematicity helps to more structurally and coherently plan sustainable development strategies in urban environments.
To be in a team with someone, you need to be "about one thing". And society and, as a result, the market in Europe is currently about eco-consciousness
For their part, brands conduct environmentally conscious activities not “blindly”, but with regard to fixed certification systems. Thus, the Danish company Icons of Denmark, which produces designer furniture for offices and living spaces, sees sustainable development as the future and the main ideological focus of the brand. In 2020, the brand announced the news of obtaining the ISO 14001 certificate. This is an internationally agreed certificate that confirms the company’s responsible attitude to the environment and effective management of the processes of greening its own activities. Approved by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this certificate gives the company a significant competitive advantage and significantly increases customer credit.
This practice of certification in the field of sustainable development is not widespread for Ukraine, and it already has an impact on the nature of the development of certain brands in this direction. So, brands aiming to be environmentally conscious and develop sustainable and safe products pay much more attention to the choice of materials. And the ELIO HOME experience is no exception.
“Soon, we are expecting the first order of chipboard with formaldehyde emission class E0.5. This indicator is formed from the percentage of formaldehyde substances in the composition of the material, and its determination also takes into account the volume of free emissions produced by the material in an undamaged state and after mechanical damage to the surface. Today, E0.5 is the highest confirmed standard. Although European manufacturers have been presenting the completely safe E0 class at exhibitions in recent years, this category is not yet available for ordering, says Oleg Korostylov. — We are the first in Ukraine to receive such raw materials.
We are also currently testing an innovative line of paints, where the share of non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials is up to 75%, and in the future we plan to start widely using this material in the production of our furniture. In addition, we use the same paint and varnish materials that are used to cover children’s toys.
It is good that paint manufacturers are constantly improving and advancing technologically in the direction of environmental friendliness and are aware of their responsibility both for the production of products with which the final consumer will be in contact for many years, and in terms of waste disposal and recycling. Initiatives of this kind play an important role in shaping the company as an environmentally responsible market player.”
Greening of production processes is urgent for many companies and already has a wide selection of examples from world practice. In particular, these are fresh projects
At the same time, it is worth noting that it is not only the choice of ecological materials for the furniture brand’s products that is important, but also, in fact, how these products are produced. Greening of production processes is urgent for many companies and already has a wide selection of examples from world practice. In particular, these are fresh projects.
So, just this year, within the framework of the Stockholm Furniture Fair, the award in the nomination Sustainable Award was taken by the production project of the furniture brand Vestre, developed by Bjarke Ingels and his architectural company BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group). The Plus project is a cross-shaped building, in each wing of which there is a separate production department (The Color Factory, The Wood Factory, Assembly, Warehouse). In terms of energy efficiency, the building claims Outstanding classification according to BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) standards, which is considered an innovation of the international level.
Similar projects have an information resonance and considerable social significance. They are an example for companies that are just starting to rebuild their own production, and also demonstrate a slice of solutions that are already used by eco-conscious brands.
“The biggest challenge for industries at the moment is the problem of waste disposal and recycling. Since these costs are not directly related to the production process and do not create added value for the client, in conditions of high competition, manufacturers are forced to direct money to the primary needs of the company.
For our part, we are incorporating more and more recyclable materials into new products, namely glass and aluminum. The processing of the latter, for example, reduces water pollution by 97% compared to the cycle of ore extraction, and emissions of toxic gases into the atmosphere are reduced by 95%,” Oleg Korostylov shares ELIO HOME’s experience in ecological optimization of production.
“We also process all leftover wood in our production: we press it into pellets and use it for heating during the heating season. Since 2009, we have been following the philosophy of frugal production, which also helps to increase operational efficiency, reduce the amount of scrap, and consequently, the amount of waste and the use of energy resources,” says Oleg.
"The biggest challenge for industries at the moment is the problem of waste disposal and recycling", Oleg Korostylov
However, this is still an isolated example. The difference between Ukrainian and Western European societies in the degrees of “readiness” for living according to the principles of zero waste and zero carbon is still quite noticeable.
Interaction
The more we delve into the study of the processes and reforms needed by Ukraine in order to successfully pass all the stages of European integration, the more clearly we realize what fundamental social changes are necessary for this, because it is from them that any practice begins.
Considering Ukraine’s readiness to integrate “sustainable” standards into production processes, construction and everyday life of people, Oleg Korostylov has no illusions, but he has hope.
“In my opinion, Ukraine is not yet ready for an active course on eco-friendliness and sustainable architecture, because at the moment, during a full-scale war, many people are not closed even to the issues of urgent needs. As of today, according to research by international monitoring groups, our country ranks ninth in the world in terms of the amount of waste per capita. Every year, more than 470 million tons of industrial and household waste are generated in Ukraine. 93% of the total volume is sent to landfills and landfills, a little more than 2% is incinerated, and only 4,5% is recycled. It will take neither a year nor two to turn these statistics into reports on the successful greening of the entire country.
However, public initiatives, programs and startups aimed at updating and solving such problems are starting to appear more and more often. This is mostly done by small or medium-sized companies and organizations. This is slowly, but growing into a trend, even if for now it is a small one and not enough to change the general situation. But there is hope that in the near future we will start to move in this direction much more actively,” Oleg shares his opinion.
Last July, the Ukraine Recovery Conference was held in Lugano, Switzerland, the main focus of which was the future reconstruction of a clean and ecologically protected environment in Ukraine. The result of the conference was 76 environmental protection projects planned for implementation for a total of 25,5 billion euros. The implementation program should include the construction of more than 100 modern waste management facilities, 10 national parks organized according to EU standards, 9 centers for growing tree seedlings and much more. Switzerland will also invest in projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
This is an impressive and encouraging program.
For the first time, those whom we should emulate are so close to us - both in the context of cooperation and in the perspective of uniting in a single community
The topic of environmental protection in global practice is finally gaining enough mass to reflect the true essence of the desire for sustainable development. The essence of unity and synergy. Sustainable development is not a discussion about advantages, not about “what’s for what’s theirs”. It’s about the common. About new toponyms in the 2022 CDP Cities A List. About assistance to states that are just beginning this path. About the interaction of eco-conscious brands and audiences on the international market. About the fact that countries all over the world should be able to share solutions to a common problem. Because, after all, they have a common planet.