As we sit tight for the November launch of LEED v4, at least one company has already gained certification—the first ever—under the new, improved LEED system.

Haworth’s Beijing showroom features punchy primary colors against a warm backdrop of wood.

Haworth Inc., designer and maker of sustainable office furniture, has recently unveiled its Beijing showroom, nestled in the likewise LEED-certified (Platinum, v3) Parkview Green building.  The new Haworth showroom gets Gold Certification for Commercial Interiors (CI), earning 71 points out a possible 110.

Sustainable builder BEE Inc. is behind this project, as well as three other Haworth showrooms in Singapore, Shanghai, and Hong Kong, all of which are proudly LEED-certified.  The Beijing branch however is certified under the new LEED v4 system. The Beijing showroom’s interior is elegantly contemporary, with exposed wood flooring and large floor-to-ceiling windows maximizing natural lighting—the perfect backdrop for showcasing the company’s punchy-hued furniture. Among the office’s many features are:

• 60{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab} reuse of non-structural interior elements
• 93{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab} reuse of furniture (by —either GREENGUARD-certified or previously used in other Haworth showrooms.
• Improvement of indoor air quality, exceeding LEED v4 requirements by 35{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab}
• Use of natural lighting
• 59{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab} energy efficiency through use of LED lighting and controls
• Improved HVAC system
• Focus on water conservation

Additionally, Haworth has bought renewable energy credits for the next five years. Since 2005, Haworth Inc. has been actively adapting its business model to a more environmentally-aware direction.  Its sustainability report for 2012, for instance, takes pride in:

• the use of FSC-certified wood
• safe and non-toxic chemicals for all their high-volume products (by as much as 95{e3829ec1db02d54faaf9fa2de0d48db26af01d7a7944a63c3b26976124791cab} by weight)
• reformulations for their products to better adhere to environmental standards
• zero-waste-to-landfill system, and
• various recycling programs

Haworth’s other showrooms, particularly in Atlanta and Zurich, have also achieved LEED certification (Platinum and Gold , respectively).  With the new Beijing showroom, getting Gold status from the new LEED v4—a more rigorous standard than previous LEED versions no less—this partnership between Haworth and BEE Inc. is indeed a success.