Certification for green manufacturers

Two industry bodies have joined forces to create a green certification scheme aimed at boosting eco-oriented Singapore furniture manufacturers.

The Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) and Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) plan to certify 100 products within two years.

It comes in the wake of growing global environmental awareness and strong demand for eco-friendly products.

A memorandum of understanding will be signed today by SGBC president Tai Lee Siang and SFIC president James Goh.

The new furniture certification is an extension of the SGBC’s Singapore Green Building Product certification scheme. The certification criteria will be developed by the two organisations but the scheme itself will be administered by the SGBC.

A validation taskforce headed by Associate Professor Lee Siew Eang, chairman of the SGBC’s technical committee, will set the criteria for the certification scheme, which will be ready in two months.

Ms Ivy Seah, chief operating officer of office furniture seller Innoplan Technology, told The Straits Times yesterday that the firm will welcome the green certification.

Green furniture typically costs 25 per cent to 35 per cent more to produce, she said, but the ‘green certification will raise Innoplan’s branding and sales volume, both locally and overseas’.