Strategic Decommissioning Keeps 60 Million Pounds of Office Furniture Out of Landfills

Installnet’s Ecoserv program demonstrates how circular solutions can reduce waste, control costs and benefit communities across North America

BOWIE, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Installnet has surpassed 60 million pounds of office furniture and equipment diverted from landfills through Ecoserv, its award-winning circular decommissioning program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that approximately 17 billion pounds of office assets go to landfills in America each year, wasting valuable resources and contributing to the environmental impact associated with manufacturing and disposal.

“We saw how much usable furniture was going to landfills and believed there had to be a better way,” said Dale Ewing, founder and CEO of Installnet, a leading commercial furniture solutions company. “We created Ecoserv in 2012 to help organizations manage surplus assets during workspace renovations, relocations, and closures.”

Rather than treating unwanted furniture as waste, Installnet evaluates opportunities to donate, resell, relocate and recycle each asset, with waste-to-energy considered only as a last resort.

“When organizations relocate, renovate or right-size their workspaces, they have a choice,” Ewing said. “Surplus furniture can become a costly disposal problem, or it can become an asset. Surpassing 60 million pounds diverted from landfills demonstrates what a more strategic approach can accomplish: reducing waste while helping customers control costs, maximize the value of their assets and support the communities where they operate.”

Unlike providers that accept only furniture with resale or donation value, Installnet’s Ecoserv program takes responsibility for all assets removed from a project site, regardless of project size, product type or material condition. Installnet then provides transparent reporting that details how those assets were managed and calculates the project’s overall landfill-diversion rate using U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data.

Over the past 12 months alone, Installnet:

• Completed 263 Ecoserv decommissioning projects across North America.
• Diverted more than 3.2 million pounds of furniture and equipment from landfills.
• Donated assets to 164 nonprofit and community organizations.
• Helped customers document the environmental and community impact of their workspace projects.

"The donated furniture has significantly improved our administrative spaces, giving our volunteers a more functional and comfortable place to work together," said John Krebs V, Fire Chief of the Lineboro Maryland Volunteer Fire Department. "These upgrades strengthen our ability to collaborate, train, and stay organized so we can better serve our community. We're incredibly grateful to Installnet for its generosity and support."

According to Ewing, the continued growth of Ecoserv demonstrates that sustainability and business performance can work hand in hand.

“Sustainability is not retreating,” he said. “It is evolving. Companies are talking about it in more practical terms and focusing on what it can deliver, from greater efficiency and cost savings to smarter use of resources. At the end of the day, sustainability is good business.”

The achievement marks another milestone for Installnet as the company celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year.

About Installnet

Installnet, a leading commercial furniture solutions company, delivers inspired workspaces that help people and communities thrive. Our custom solutions are designed to serve our clients’ unique needs, from project management to access to Installhub, a self-serve platform, to Ecoserv, an award-winning circular decommission program. Supported by a network of more than 250 installation partners across North America, Installnet has helped customers successfully manage workspace projects for 30 years. Learn more about Installnet and Ecoserv.