Back in 2008 the Green Building Council of Australia ran the Green Cities Conference. At that conference there was an inspirational presentation by Michael Braungart, co-author of the book ‘Cradle to Cradle’. Michael outlined an entirely different way of thinking about technology modelled on a technological cycle which mimics the biological cycle. In this cycle there is effectively no waste; Only inputs to the next part of the cycle. It is important to distinguish what is meant by recycling in this context from our usual understanding of the term. Commonly, recycling means “down-cycling” which typically uses a substantial amount of energy in the recycling process. The ‘business case’ or the ‘energy case’ for traditional recycling schemes often does not stack up. Products designed to the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) principle are designed for disassembly and recycling after use. To validate products developed in this way a certification system has been introduced by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.
Coming back to the Facilities Live Expo, it was with great interest that we came across a carpet manufacturer who has embraced this concept throughout its entire business. Desso have designed and manufactured a range of carpet titles which meet the C2C Silver Certification where 97% of all materials are positively defined.
Desso tell us they are the only carpet manufacturer in the world to have achieved this level. It is worth a visit to their web site not only see their range of carpet tiles but to see an example of a company setting out to minimise their ecological foot print. Cradle to Cradle Design.
The Desso Technical Cycle
