Jan 3 2008
M/W International Inc. (MWI) announced today that its entire Forecast line of architectural demountable partitions has been awarded GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification®, indicating that they meet the strict requirements of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI). GEI is the leader in establishing independent standards for low emitting interior products and building materials for healthy indoor air.
Since indoor air is often four to five times more polluted than outside air, facility managers are becoming increasing aware of the dangers it can present. At high levels, buildings can become “sick,” causing people to experience headaches, become lethargic, and fatigued. Illness and lost productivity due to indoor air pollution and VOCs (volatile organic compounds) costs businesses $60 billion annually, according to a recent EPA report.
"GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) is pleased to include M/W International's moveable wall panels among the extensive listing of GREENGUARD Certified products," says Laura Spriggs, Communications Manager with GEI. "The certified moveable walls not only support a flexible and adaptable office plan, they also contribute to better indoor air quality by assuring low chemical emissions. Studies indicate that healthy work environments can produce significant benefits including increased worker productivity, less sick days and employee retention."
M/W International’s President, Joseph Bucalo, commented, “Our products are in complete alignment with the growth sectors of the Northeast Ohio region where we are headquartered. The region’s progress is being led by companies such as The Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, who are world-class leaders in the industry most responsible for improving people’s quality of life, and healthy productivity in the workplace. They are at the forefront of initiatives aimed at improving the quality of indoor air. We are intent on joining them in creating a healthy office environment where everyone can breathe easily.”
GREENGUARD Certification ensures that the moveable walls produced by M/W International have been rigorously tested and proven to adhere to strict chemical and particle emissions criteria. Building managers, architects, and contractors are gaining interest in demountable partitions because they minimize the risk of airborne pollutants like dust, paint fumes, and debris getting into expensive computer systems during construction. They dramatically reduce the cost of waste disposal to the environment, can be repurposed and reconfigured easily, and are recyclable upon disposal.
GREENGUARD Certified products are recommended for use by leading sustainable building programs, including:
- U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Rating System,
- National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Guidelines,
- Green Guide for Health Care.
Architects, builders, interior designers, specifying professionals, and commercial building managers working with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the US Green Building Council's LEED® sustainable building guidelines can now specify any of MWI’s Forecast line of demountable partitions to achieve valuable LEED® points as part of their overall sustainability initiatives.