What does Smart Office Assets have to do with “Green” design?

According to JJ Watts CEO of SOA the number one thing is to get the message out about pre-owned office furniture: save your budget, save the quality, save the Earth.

SOA continues to be one of the major key players in the secondary-or pre-owned—office furniture market specializing in Knoll products. As one of the top buyers and sellers of pre-owned office furniture in the United States today, they continually re-deploy existing assets into new companies thereby saving thousands of pounds of product being thrown into landfills each year.

Green and SOA

What is “Green” design? According to the us green building council it is the design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of building on the environment and occupants in five broad areas: 1. Sustainable site planning, 2. Safeguarding water and water efficiency, 3. Energy efficiency and renewable energy, 4. Conservation of materials and resources, and 5. Indoor environmental quality.

In today’s world, everyone has taken action and participates in doing their duty to help preserve our environment. Recycling has become part of our everyday lives, but there is always more that we can do. The business of pre-owned office furniture is in of itself green, but there are always additional steps that can be taken. Watts works hard to make his company efficient and environmentally friendly.

“It’s not an option, it’s a responsibility.” Watts says.

Smart Office Assets aims to do their part to make as little impact on the environment as possible. Just over two years ago, SOA relocated their main headquarters from Philadelphia to St. Louis. Now positioned in the middle of the country, the central location helps to conserve energy in shipping. The St. Louis facilities boost energy efficient heating systems to recycle the heat produced by the manufacturing areas into the inventory storage.

SOA’s policy remains recycle first, re-manufacture second. SOA sells 50% of their inventory AS-IS. The quality and young age of the products does not require any energy or resources to be used in updating or repairing the finishes. The other 50% blends refurbishing and re-manufacturing. All the products are extensively evaluated for cleanliness, operation, fit and finish. Spending needless time or energy fixing a piece that does not warrant it, wastes time, energy and resources.