Environmental Product Declarations provide comparable information on the environmental impact of Framery products

Framery is a pioneer in the design and manufacturing of soundproof workspaces. The company also leads the way in its industry and communicates openly about the environmental impact of its products.

Framery is a pioneer in soundproof telephone booths and meeting rooms and is committed to the sustainability of its products. Gaia has carried out life cycle assessments (LCAs) for many of Framery’s products, which have been used as the basis for standard Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

“That’s why Gaia was a natural partner for us in the environmental impact assessment of our latest product,” says Framery Sustainability manager Noora Jukkola.

Framery One is the world’s first intelligent soundproof workspace. Unlike previous models, its frame is made of steel and aluminium instead of plywood. According to Jukkola, this extends the life of the product and makes it easier to repair. “Framery One will last up to 50 years in use, and around 95% of its materials are recyclable.”

Accountability work must be based on facts

Framery is part of the UN Global Compact Network corporate responsibility initiative, and its climate targets are set according to the Science Based Targets initiative. Jukkola says the motivation to be environmentally responsible comes from the company’s management: “We have a strong desire to do the right thing and show the way. We are a relatively young industry, so we are involved in creating many common practices and ways of working.”

Framery wants its sustainability work to be based on facts. A third-party verified EPD facilitates a common assessment of the environmental impact of different manufacturers’ products. According to Gaia’s Anna-Elina Vilén, the environmental impact of Framery’s products is assessed using the product group rules for furniture.

“But phone booths are exceptionally complex for a piece of furniture. There are many different components, materials and systems, and efforts are made to determine the properties, weights, and manufacturing locations of all of them for life-cycle calculations.”

Life cycle assessments guide the design of new products

In addition to the Environmental Product Declarations, Gaia’s experts prepare a report for the customer, which presents the results of the life cycle assessment in more detail than the Environmental Product Declaration. Information on the impact of different aspects, such as materials and transport, on the overall emissions serves Framery’s product development.

“The results must be learned from and guide the design of new products. Our goal is to reduce the carbon footprint of our products,” says Jukkola.

The production of raw materials for the products has the greatest environmental impact. According to Jukkola, the results of the life cycle assessment guide the choice of raw materials and suppliers.

“We switched to using a Nordic supplier for the largest source of emissions from the product, the aluminium component, so emissions will be significantly lower in the future. We are also exploring opportunities to increase the use of recycled raw material.”

Jukkola believes that cooperation with Gaia will continue in the future. For Framery, outsourcing life cycle costing is an efficient way of working, and cooperation has been smooth as a team.

“We have a clear division of tasks so that we are responsible for sourcing product information from suppliers, and Gaia provides us with deep expertise in life cycle modelling. It’s a discipline all its own. We can be sure that our life cycle calculations meet the latest standards and requirements for environmental product labelling.”