Green awareness is growing day by day. All 50 states have LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) registered homes. There have been numerous groups created to certify building products as green and the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturer Association’s Environmental Stewardship Program is the main certifier of cabinets. There is a wide array of factors which contribute to environmentally friendly cabinets. A few of these factors are resource management, controlled emissions, recycling, waste reduction, responsible business practices and even community involvement. But, when a customer asks for green cabinets, there are usually three areas of concern:
Sustainably grown solid wood (for doors, face frames, fillers, etc.)
The amount of urea-formaldehyde in the cabinet box materials
The amount of urea-formaldehyde, HAPS (Hazardous Air Polutants) and VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the finish