FurnitureLCA
Empowering Furniture Companies with Life Cycle Assessment for
Sustainable Practices
The goal of the project is to equip furniture companies with the knowledge to be able to make the lifecycle assessment that permits to quantify environmental impacts and make better environmental decisions.
They will also learn how to measure PEF
(Product Environmental Footprint) and OEF (Organization Environmental Footprint) and they will get information on how to get and use the Environmental Project Declaration, an official statement of product environmental impact.
What are we aiming to achive?
LCA Knowledge & Impact Measurement
The project aims to equip furniture companies with the knowledge needed to conduct lifecycle assessments (LCA) to quantify environmental impacts and make informed decisions. Participants will learn to measure Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) and Organization Environmental Footprint (OEF) and understand the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), an official statement of environmental impact. They will also receive country-specific guidelines for LCA compliance in export markets.
Knowledge Hub & Case Studies
The project will develop an intuitive, interactive knowledge base and reliable guidelines, supplemented by industry case studies. It will provide furniture professionals with the skills to systematically conduct LCA, justify design decisions and assess carbon footprint—recognized as the most reliable and measurable international tool for emissions comparison.
Preparation for Compliance & Reporting
By improving understanding of environmental reporting requirements, the project will help SMEs prepare for stricter regulations and access compiled resources on legal frameworks, standards, and best practices for sustainable transformation. Employees will gain insights into published EPD values and develop the skills needed to conduct LCA, identifying key data milestones.
Sustainability & Expansion
The project also seeks to raise awareness among furniture professionals about environmental regulations, their impact on business operations and the benefits of sustainable production. By adopting LCA and EPD, SMEs can expand into new markets, demonstrate environmental responsibility and gain a competitive edge. This shift not only lowers costs and boosts competitiveness but also fosters creativity, innovation, and employee motivation.
Target group
The target group includes all professionals in the habitat and furniture sector, furniture SMEs and students. The project primarily focuses on those involved in design, production and sustainability within the furniture sector. This encompasses:
SME employees
Including technicians, managers, furniture engineers, designers, producers, and sustainability managers
Students
Especially those from furniture design departments or other product design fields
University teachers
Specializing in furniture design or related subjects.
Furniture professionals
Especially those engaged in research or other relevant areas.
Knowledge Hub
The collection of official and available legal regulations at various legislative levels on the furniture-oriented environmental assessment and recommendations, including:
- Life Cycle Assessment,
- eco-design,
- eco-innovation,
- EU regulations,
- directives,
- ISO standards,
- specific regional and national regulations from partner countries;
- Product Category Rules – requirements for LCA regarding furniture,
- selected Environmental Product Declarations of furniture representatives,
- furniture technology information,
- literature and bibliography review.
Master guide
Based on core knowledge gathered, detailed materials reflecting real furniture production conditions will be developed for gaining trustworthy data documenting manufacturing processes of different types of furniture. The idea is to create well explained, easy-to-understand guidance through LCA process allowing users to gain competences in LCA of furniture based on a real case studies.
A certification tool has been developed, requiring users to complete a course and pass a test. It will be a web-based, interactive e-learning solution, accessible online. The course will be integrated into the free LOSGLOBOS platform, hosted under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Creative Commons license, and will be compatible with most modern web browsers.
The final product will be available in five languages: English, Polish, Spanish, French, and Slovenian. Upon completing the course and passing the test, target groups will receive MICRO-CREDENTIALS. Learning validation will be achieved through badges that assess knowledge, skills, and competencies for each module. These validated badges will enable users to obtain certification, which can be earned directly through the final assessment
The guidelines will outline subjects that can be transferred or adapted to other sectors, specifying necessary modifications for different industries. These modifications will be based on input from stakeholders.
A comprehensive and innovative source of LCA knowledge in the furniture industry, demonstrating a developed methodology in practice. This applies to various types of furniture, including case, skeletal and upholstered examples.
Project Consortium
The project is carried out by a team of five diverse organizations: AMUEBLA, INNOVAWOOD, INNORENEW, and GLOBALNET, with a special coordinating role held by FURNITRUE.
Furnitrue sp. z o.o.
The core activities of Furnitrue sp. z o. o. are strongly related with furniture and furniture industry. Ftrue as a limitedliability company offers services concerning development of products and strong engineering skills as well as soft competences
regarding design concepts or workflow. It belongs to the nonformal learning system in Poland. In scope of interest is also the retreining or additional training of furniture industry employees. Ftrue conducts workshops and trainings for primary,
secondary and university students in the field of ergonomics, anthropotechnics, materials science, furniture renovation and design thinking, etc. The dissemination of knowledge on platforms dedicated to the furniture sector is also an important aspect. In frame of services for industry the company designs and develops construction and technology of wooden products in particular interior items such as furniture, stairs, panels, etc.. Moreover conduct implementetions in factories. It performs product assesement for furniture strength and stability tests. It also prepares and coordinates product certification process. Furnitrue conducts internal audits and also provides consulting related to the implementation of production improvements and solutions to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of enterprises.
AMUEBLA
Founded in 2009, AMUEBLA is the business cluster association of the furniture, wood and habitat sector in the Region of Murcia.
AMUEBLA is comprised by a group of stakeholders close to the furniture sector (most of them SMEs, suppliers and manufacturers, but also universities, VET providers and R&D centres) working together to address needs in the furniture and habitat sector and representing the interests of more than 80 companies and over 2,500 employees. Its main goal is to promote joint actions between companies of the furniture sector and other sectors by facilitating innovative practices and improving the competitiveness of its partner’s companies, as well as defending its general business interests, promoting its projection and international visibility.
Globalnet sp. z o.o.
Globalnet sp. z o.o. is a non-formal educational institution in Poland, primarily focused on adult and vocational education and training (VET). The company designs, develops, and implements e-learning products and software, offering training and services across various education sectors. The company also has extensive experience in EU-funded educational programs and research initiatives. With over 15 years of experience in project management, Globalnet organizes training for micro and small businesses, managers and other trainers. They specialize in supporting disadvantaged groups, particularly women and those at risk of social exclusion, providing soft skills training, psychological support, internships and entrepreneurship programs. The company collaborates with teachers, ICT specialists, psychologists, and coaches, offering a range of workshops, language courses and vocational training, as well as digital learning opportunities. Globalnet’s main products include the e-learning platform Losglobos, a Learning Management System (LMS) and I-office software.
InnoRenew CoE
InnoRenew CoE Renewable Materials and Healthy Environments Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence is a not-for-profit private research centre established in 2017 with funding from the H2020 WIDESPREAD-2-TEAMING programme (Grant #739574). InnoRenew CoE conducts research on renewable materials and sustainable buildings and transfers scientific knowledge into industrial practice. Main research activities are based on innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to wood and its use, with a special focus on improving and expanding sustainable the holistic building environment beyond minimizing harm to create positive impacts ecologically, socially, economically, and for the users.
Two main research areas are: renewable materials modification for improved functionality, service life, and reduced environmental impacts; and restorative environmental and ergonomic design to improve human wellbeing (health, social, economic, ecological) through building practices.
INNOVAWOOD ASBL
Founded in 2003, and based since 2010 in Brussels, InnovaWood is today a major European network in the forestry, woodworking and furniture sector. The overall aim is to bring business benefits to the value chain by providing a forum for the member organisations and contributing to the competitive development of the European forest-based sector. The network has 75 member organisations from 29 countries in Europe and overseas in the fields of research, development, innovation, education and transfer. These include leading research and technology institutes (RTO), academic and technical universities, VET centres and cluster organisations in the entire value chain from forestry and wood processing to construction, furniture and economy. InnovaWood represents a common voice for promoting more impact from innovative uses of wood, Europe’s main abundant renewable raw material, in line with the major policies of the European Union. InnovaWood communicates this message effectively towards decision-makers in policy, administration and industry on the EU and national level.
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Contact
ADDRESS
Furnitrue sp. z o. o.
ul. Alabastrowa 87/2 62-081 Baranowo
info@furnitrue.pl
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
