EPDs, ecolabels, certifications: how to choose sustainable materials for your office fit-out without greenwashing. A quantified, defensible Kytom method.
"How do I know if it is really green"
Unlabelled furniture often has to be replaced within 5 to 7 years, compared with 12 to 15 years for a certified Vitra or Herman Miller seat. Over 850 sqm, the cumulative additional cost reaches 60,000 to 90,000 euros excl. VAT, not counting end-of-life waste reprocessing fees.
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted by unlabelled paints, adhesives and panels degrade indoor air quality. The INRS points out that 15 to 20% of open-space complaints concern headaches and irritations. An A+ ecolabel or EMICODE EC1 reduces these emissions by 80%.
Since 2023, the CSRD directive has required mid-sized companies with more than 250 employees to produce verified non-financial reporting. Fitting out without EPDs or traceability exposes you to a greenwashing risk penalised by the DGCCRF, with fines of up to 300,000 euros and mandatory publication of the conviction.
Since 2006, Kytom has integrated environmental criteria from the programming phase, never as an afterthought. For each work package, our space planners require an EPD (Environmental and Health Declaration Sheet) filed in the INIES database, a recognised ecolabel (NF Environnement, Blue Angel, EU Ecolabel) or a Cradle to Cradle certification. Across the 1,200+ projects delivered, we systematically measure the carbon footprint of the selected materials and propose three quantified scenarios to the client: market reference, intermediate and low carbon. Traceability covers 100% of structuring work packages (partitions, flooring, furniture, acoustics). This method secures executive management teams committed to an environmental certification trajectory in operation, in line with their regulatory obligations to reduce consumption in the tertiary sector.
Audit of existing materials, calculation of the possible reuse rate (target 20 to 30%) and mapping of high-carbon-impact work packages. Deliverable: environmental criticality matrix per item, validated with your ESG officer and quantified in kg CO2 equivalent per sqm.
Definition of minimum thresholds per family: mandatory EPD for partitions and flooring, ecolabel for paints and textiles, 100% PEFC or FSC wood. Deliverable: environmental specifications enforceable on suppliers, integrated into the tender documents and verified at each call for tenders.
Three scenarios compared on cost, carbon and lead time, with a preference for French and European manufacturers. Deliverable: quantified decision note presented to the steering committee, including an environmental simulation and a furniture reuse commitment of at least 25%.
Acceptance control package by package with verification of effective technical sheets and ecolabels. Deliverable: environmental traceability file archived for 10 years, usable for CSRD reporting and environmental management system audits. Post-delivery measurement of indoor air quality.
"We wanted something concrete, not green marketing. Kytom delivered a complete EPD file, verifiable package by package. Our ESG committee validated it without reservation, and so did the CFO."
An EPD (Environmental and Health Declaration Sheet) is a standardised document filed in the INIES database. It quantifies the product's carbon impact across 11 indicators. Without an EPD, no environmental simulation is defensible in an audit.
Favour Type I ecolabels verified by an independent third party: NF Environnement, EU Ecolabel, Blue Angel, Cradle to Cradle. Be wary of supplier self-declarations with no certificate or number that can be verified with the certifying body.
Yes, provided you go through a structured player (social economy organisation or REP-PMCB scheme) with a minimum 2-year warranty. Reuse divides the carbon footprint by 6 and reduces the furniture budget by 30 to 50% on eligible items.
Several standards certify the building and its fit-out, with an approach centred on environmental performance and quality of use. Other international standards target occupant well-being more specifically. For a stand-alone tertiary fit-out project, the standards dedicated to Fit-Out or to sustainable building operation remain the most relevant.
Between +8 and +15% on the materials and furniture envelope for a certified low-carbon scenario. Over 850 sqm at 1,200 euros excl. VAT/sqm, the extra cost represents 80,000 to 150,000 euros, paid back in 3 to 4 years through extended lifespan.
Require three proofs per package: an EPD filed in INIES, a Type I ecolabel with a certificate number, and a technical sheet stating the percentage of recycled content. Any undocumented "eco-responsible" claim must be excluded from the tender documents.