Here at The Refinishing Touch, we like to educate just as much as we like to work, so beginning today we’re introducing a new feature on our blog: Refinishing Resource. This month we’re focusing on how you can reduce a property’s carbon footprint through refinishing instead of buying new.
If there’s one thing everyone can agree on across all industries, it’s that wise investment in your property, be it university, hospitality or government, can mean the difference between a lean green property and one that unnecessarily harms the environment and costs its owners too much.
For each property we work at, we provide a cost benefit analysis which shows the savings achieved by refinishing instead of buying new. In almost every instance, owners and managers are shocked at how much we can save. And that’s before we bring up the environmental impact the work we do has. Or more specifically, the lack of one.
In comparison, consider everything that goes into the new furniture process. Time and energy into placing orders, new materials for construction of the order, packaging, emissions from the shipment, waste from the disposal of existing furniture – it ‘s very wasteful.
Admittedly, sometimes you need new furniture – it’s unavoidable. But more often than not, the strain on the environment can be reduced by refinishing instead. With each refinishing and reupholstering project on existing assets at a property (from couches, to desks to doors), the lives of dozens of trees can be saved, and emissions will drop.
So when it comes to investing in refurbishment, take our advice. Understand that every situation is different. Take the time to consider what needs to be replaced and what can be reused. By doing this, you’re not only reducing your costs, but also lowering the repercussions on the environment as well.
If you’d like to see how big your property’s carbon footprint reduction can be through refinishing, check out our website and enter your information on our Carbon Foot Print calculator to find out.