Choosing an Office Chair: An Informed Decision for Comfort and Health

The complex challenge of choosing an office chair involves the critical issues of optimal employee health and performance, as well as environmental sustainability.
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Recycled and Recyclable Content
Data on pre-consumer and post-consumer materials in products should be available from manufacturers. This will include the recyclable content of the product plus the recyclability of materials at its end-of-use. Aluminum is a favored choice of material because it can be infinitely recycled. Moreover, recyclers are paid a premium for aluminum scrap, which helps ensure that aluminum products will get recycled. Some chairs are made predominantly of 100 percent recycled aluminum which can be 100 percent recycled at end-of-use.

Low Emissions
Manufacturers are working toward the elimination of off-gassing adhesives and finishes. Two avenues of compliance are now available under LEED-CI Indoor Air Quality: Greenguard Certification and BIFMA M7.1-2005 and BIFMA X7.1-2005 Standards. In July 2006, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) approved the rigorous BIFMA Furniture Emissions Standards as an alternative (named Option C) for achieving LEED-CI EQ 4.5 credit for low-emitting systems furniture and seating products. Before that date, Greenguard Certification was required for Options A and B.

BIFMA explains that emission levels are measured by unpacking new furniture product(s) and placing the product into a clean test chamber under controlled conditions. After a period of time has passed, samples of air from the chamber are taken and analyzed to measure the concentration of emissions from the furniture. The chamber test results are then used to estimate the impact of furniture emissions on building indoor air quality using a modeled office environment.

An Ergonomic Computer
Workstation
  • The chair should have a dynamic back so users can easily work in various reclined postures
  • The monitor should be mounted on a height and depth adjustable arm
  • The top of the monitor casing should be 2"- 3" (5-8 cm) above the eye level of the user
  • The user should sit at arm's length from the monitor
  • An optical glass anti-glare filter should be used if there is glare on the screen
  • The monitor and keyboard should be centered in front of the user
  • The workstation should be supplied with a negative tilt keyboard tray with attached mouse platform
  • A task light is necessary for properly illuminating reading materials
  • A stable footrest should be provided if the user's feet cannot rest on the floor
  • A document holder should be supplied and placed ideally, in line with the computer screen
  • The work surface and keyboard should be stable

Maintenance and Upgrades
A significant factor of sustainability is long-life design and minimizing waste when chairs are upgraded or maintained. Adopting a modular approach, one manufacturer has designed cushions that can be replaced or restored by simply removing four screws. Color schemes can be changed with far less waste than if the entire chair has to be replaced. In addition to simplifying maintenance, modular components have the advantage of being swapped out as needed to extend the product's life.

Innovation and Design
This is one LEED category often neglected by designers, who are concentrating on reducing energy and water usage. Task chairs, as part of a comprehensive ergonomics program, which includes appropriate tools and training for employees, can possibly help add a LEED point. The newly renovated U.S. Green Building Council LEED platinum certified headquarters earned one such point by providing both ergonomic products and training to ensure that all employees are equipped with tools and knowledge they need to avoid injury.

Overall, chairs can help a project earn points toward LEED-CI Certification in the following areas:

Credit 4.1 (1 Point) - Recycled Content (10 percent)
Credit 4.2 (1 Point) - Recycled Content (20 percent)
Credit 4.5 (1 Point) - Low-emitting Materials (Greenguard Certified and BIFMA M7.1-2005 and BIFMA X7.1-2005 Standards)
Credit 5.1 (1 Point) - Regionally manufactured within 500 miles
Credit 1.1 − 1.4 (1 to 4 Points) - Innovation and Design (part of a comprehensive ergonomics program)

Karin Tetlow writes frequently about architecture and construction.

Humanscale is the premier designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products for a more comfortable workplace. Our innovative and award-winning solutions - including seating, keyboard supports, monitor arms, task lighting and more - are based on the belief that if a design solves a problem as simply and elegantly as possible, the resulting form will be honest and timeless. For more information about Humanscale, visitwww.humanscale.com

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record
Originally published in December 2007

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