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Haworth Showroom Lands LEED Gold

The Haworth design team collaborated with Eva Maddox Branded Environments and Perkins & Will.

Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 3/29/2006 12:00:00 AM

The sustainable interiors of Haworth’s Santa Monica showroom have received a nod from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The office furniture manufacturer is the recipient of a Gold rating under the USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI) standard.

With help from design firm Eva Maddox Branded Environments and architecture, planning, interiors, and graphics firm Perkins & Will, the Haworth design team created a bright, color-saturated space complemented by dark woods, woven textures, and tactile experiences. The raised floor—one of the first of its kind installed on the West Coast—is a key feature in the 18,000-square-foot space. An underfloor HVAC system reduces energy expenditures, increases thermal comfort, increases air change effectiveness, and allows individual temperature control at work stations. Featuring a cork covering to reduce noise, the floor supports an adaptable work space, insuring easy on-site office reconfiguration, which avoids waste often associated with demolition projects. Cork—in addition to wheatboard and the Forest-Stewardship Council certified wood incorporated throughout the space—is a renewable material. Additional features include breakout areas, natural light, and windows and doors which capture green exterior views.

"We continue driving forward in integrating best sustainability practices in our spaces, products and processes,” says Haworth president and CEO Franco Bianchi. “This Gold certification represents one more step in our journey towards beautiful, adaptable, sustainable spaces.

Located at the Water Garden complex, the showroom opened in April 2005. Haworth is currently working towards additional LEED Gold certifications in showrooms under construction in Washington, D.C. and Dallas, and in its Michigan headquarters renovation.