Specs That Matter

When it comes to sustainable contract furniture specifications, one thing has become crystal clear: if we want people to care—and act—we have to speak their language. And more often than not, that means leading with the financials—cost savings, long-term value, and return on investment.

Whether you’re an architect, designer, specifier, or facility manager, budget will always be part of the conversation. It’s a reality of our work. But here’s the opportunity: what if sustainability didn’t have to compete with the bottom line? What if it could support it?

Good news—it can. And it starts with how we spec.

Let’s get into it.

The Power of Specifications: More Than Just a Line Item

It’s easy to see specs as purely technical — a list of SKUs to get across the finish line. But at their core, specs are where decisions become real. They’re where ideas become materials, and where values become visible IRL (In Real Life).

Every product we specify is a signal. A signal about how long something is intended to last. About who and what we prioritize. About the legacy we want to leave behind in our built environments. Specs matter.

Specifications shape:

• Material Sustainability: Are we choosing responsibly sourced, recyclable, or low-emission materials?
• Product Lifecycle: Are we investing in quality that will last with parts that are easily maintained or replaced, or are we settling for short-term solutions that will end up in the landfill?
• Human and Climate Health: Are we considering how products affect indoor air quality, community health, and climate impacts?

As Matt Tucker, Director of Research at the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), puts it: “Specifications define more than a design — they define the values of the organizations using them.”

Tucker’s insight reflects a growing awareness within facility management, supported by IFMA’s recent research into the role of the circular economy in the built environment. Their findings emphasize that facility managers are on the frontlines of turning circular principles — like designing out waste, extending product lifecycles, and regenerating natural systems — into everyday practice. And it often starts with what gets specified.

Tools That Bridge the Gap Between Budget and Sustainability

Values matter—but in the real world of budgets, timelines, and procurement checklists, we need practical tools that turn intentions into action.

The good news? Those tools exist—and they’re gaining traction across the industry. Let’s look at a few that are helping professionals navigate both cost and impact.

BIFMA LEVEL® Certification
LEVEL® is a leading multi-attribute certification for commercial furniture, assessing everything from materials and energy use to corporate and social responsibility. It gives teams a way to identify and compare products based on third-party, verified sustainability criteria.

How to use it:

• Choose products from manufacturers with LEVEL® certifications to meet broad sustainability goals.
• Use the certification tiers (1, 2, or 3) to align your selection with internal targets or client expectations.
• Lean on LEVEL® when presenting specs to procurement, offering assurance and accountability.

Gensler’s Product Sustainability Standards
Gensler has developed internal standards for product categories like seating, workstations, and textiles—focusing on material health, environmental impact, and supplier transparency. These standards offer a clear, actionable framework for A+D teams looking to prioritize performance and sustainability without getting lost in data overload.

How to use it:

• Refer to the standards when selecting vendors or new product lines.
• Use them to benchmark and continuously improve your internal product libraries.
• Incorporate them into training for junior staff to build consistency in sustainable specification practices.

Digital Platforms That Support Smarter Workflows
While platforms like Configura Extension Technology (CET) and My Resource Library (MRL) may not yet offer integrated sustainability data, they remain essential tools for organizing and managing specifications. When paired with platforms like Ecomedes, which do provide embedded environmental data, you create a more complete and streamlined process.

How to use them:

• Use CET and MRL for specification accuracy, documentation, and team coordination.
• Layer in tools like Ecomedes to vet products by certifications, emissions, or circularity metrics.
• Build workflows that balance efficiency with environmental insight—making it easier to deliver both speed and substance.

From Framework to Action: Aligning Specs with Company Values

It’s not just design firms pushing this shift. Forward-thinking organizations like Toyota, Aflac, and Honda are aligning procurement strategies with broader sustainability and ESG goals—embedding values into everyday decisions. The shift is rooted in more than just green ideals; it’s about applying integrated thinking to achieve measurable outcomes.

Indeed.com, for example, embedded environmental responsibility into their design and procurement approach while building their 36-story tower in downtown Austin. Faced with budget cuts during the pandemic, the team pivoted quickly—collaborating with local vendors to creatively reuse 70% of furniture, reconfigure workstations, and repurpose existing gym equipment and greenery. They didn’t stop there. Indeed developed a manufacturer evaluation program with predefined sustainability criteria—transparently sorting suppliers into good, better, best, and fail categories. By 2025, they’re on track to source 95% of new furniture from “best” manufacturers. Net result? A multi-million dollar savings and a high-performing, values-aligned workplace.

Amegy Bank took a similarly strategic approach—deploying three sustainable decommissioning strategies to repurpose nearly 24,000 square feet of furniture from their Houston headquarters. By focusing on reuse and integrating pre-owned furniture into their design strategy, they’ve consistently reduced project budgets and unlocked approvals for more initiatives. In one recent effort alone, they avoided $500K in new furniture purchases—and are projecting up to $1M in future savings through similar reuse strategies.

And then there’s Toyota—a leader not only in sustainable mobility but in sustainable facilities. During a roundtable, a facility manager revealed they were paying $50K monthly to store furniture they no longer needed. Their term for it? An “above-ground landfill.” But the story took a turn. Toyota hired a sustainable decommissioning vendor and cleared the space—achieving 98% landfill diversion. That single move will save half a million dollars over the next decade.

It wasn’t just about “green” products but about integrated thinking. Aligning specifications with values didn’t slow down the process. It clarified it.

Getting Started: A Smarter Spec Strategy

If you’re looking to make a shift—whether within your organization or across client projects—start with these foundational steps:

Focus on High-Volume Items
Start where you can have the most impact. Think task seating, guest seating, workstations, textiles—anything purchased in volume and used heavily. These are your sustainability levers.

Vet for Recognized Certifications
Look for trusted third-party certifications like LEVEL®, Cradle to Cradle Certified, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Health Product Declaration (HPD), and Declare. These reduce ambiguity and give your stakeholders confidence in your selections.

Use Digital Tools to Support Smarter Decisions
Whether it’s for organization (CET, MRL) or environmental insight (Ecomedes), let technology support—not complicate—your process. Lean into tools that make specs clearer, faster, and more transparent. P.S. If there are other must-have tech tools that you love, please, please let us know!

Align with Internal or Industry Standards
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Adopt established frameworks like the mindful MATERIALS’ Common Materials Framework (CMF) or Gensler’s Product Sustainability Standards, or develop your own internal benchmarks to ensure consistency across teams and projects. These tools help streamline decision-making and drive accountability across the organization.

Sustainable Choices Are Smart Business

At the end of the day, sustainability isn’t just about “doing the right thing”—it’s about getting started with one right thing. When specifications are made intentionally, with both cost and impact in mind, the result is smarter business, better design, and a more resilient future.

As designers, facility managers, and specifiers, we wield more influence than we often realize. According to ThinkLab, architects and designers have 26 times the specification power of the average American consumer—and in top design firms, that number can soar to 111 times. Our choices shape the built environment. Every product decision is a sustainability statement. Every line item is a chance to align with our values. And every project is an opportunity to do better.

So, what story are your specs telling?

Just One Thing

Remember, the most sustainable piece of furniture is the one you already own so the next time you spec a product—especially a high-volume item—pause to consider whether you can use something that’s already in your inventory or has been successfully used before. At Kimiko Green, we believe one of the most powerful sustainability strategies is reuse and reconfiguration. That simple decision—choosing to reuse or re-spec—can make a measurable difference in the impact of your project. It starts with one product, one choice, one moment of intention.

Just One Thing is a five-part series written by Dianne Murata, OG Furniture Nerd at Kimiko Designs and accidental environmentalist leading kimiko green, a collaborative forum for industry professionals. This series will walk you through five key pillars of sustainable furniture planning. From digging into material transparency and vetting manufacturers to embedding sustainability into FF&E specifications, RFPs, and long-term habits — together, we’ll cut through the fluff and get straight to actionable change.