Green Washington Awards
2009
"Runner-up: Spencer is a Monroe-based cabinet maker,
for the sheer comprehensiveness with which it built sustainability
into the design and manufacture of it products, cutting waste in half
and quadrupling its return on assets."
-- Seattle Business
press release,
October 2009
The EcoDesigner Process
Construction System --
Our overall case structure has been computer-engineered to minimize
material use. Panel stock is computer optimized to cut exactly what
is needed -- one-sheet-at-a-time -- even with 100% custom
sizing. The resulting yield is 5% to 10%
better than
industry norms.
Doors and Drawers -- We
have the skill to make all our own doors and drawers, (1) giving us certified
traceability for the wood components in our cabinets, (2) minimizing
lumber waste by combining more part sizes in a single
cutting, and (3) guaranteeing matching parts.
Equipment -- Our
right-sized equipment uses less electricity. Dust
collection gates are only open for equipment actively being used, resulting
in a clean plant that uses less energy. Air make-up heat
is on-demand instead of continuous, and our state-of-the-art fully-enclosed
on-demand bake oven uses minimal exhaust air velocity to conserve gas
while producing a smooth, baked-on finish.
Recycling -- 100%
of our wood chips and sawdust go into horse bedding,
then are composted, mixed with topsoil, and reused again. Our hardwood
scraps heat several homes. Our minimal paint waste is
reprocessed and reused. We only use recycled corrugated paper in
our process, then we recycle it again. All pallets are
returned to their source for reuse. 100% of our aluminum,
steel, glass, or plastic beverage and liquid containers are
recycled.
Transportation -- Most
cabinets are delivered within 35 miles of our plant
in right-sized trucks. Over one-third our employees regularly ride-share or use
public transportation. Even our forklift is
"plug-in electric."
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