Sustainable Material Selection for Interior Design Furniture: A Simple Procedure Based on Environmental Analysis and Structural Optimization

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method for choosing sustainable materials for furniture by analyzing structure, cost, and environmental impact, using a chair as a case study.

Contribution

A new procedure for sustainable material selection combining structural optimization and environmental analysis is proposed.

Findings

Plywood with reduced thickness maintains structural integrity while using less material.

Plywood is more mechanically efficient and cost-effective than polypropylene and polycarbonate.

Plywood has a lower carbon footprint than polycarbonate and similar to polypropylene.

Abstract

A simple procedure is proposed for the sustainable selection of materials for interior design. The procedure is based on structural, environmental, and material cost analysis. For structural analysis, finite element models are used to analyze the behavior in terms of stress and strains and to optimize the product size. For environmental analysis, the assessment focuses on the carbon footprint of each material, considering CO2 emissions throughout its lifecycle. To show the potentialities of the proposed procedure, the Iso-Lounge chair by Jasper Morrison was selected as a case study. The research evaluates three materials (plywood, polypropylene, and polycarbonate), assessing their mechanical properties, cost implications, and CO2 emissions. Results indicate that plywood, with a reduced thickness in the redesigned model, maintains structural integrity while significantly lowering the amount of material used. Compared to polypropylene and polycarbonate, which required greater thickness, plywood demonstrated superior mechanical efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Additionally, CO2 emissions analysis revealed that plywood had a lower footprint than polycarbonate and was comparable to polypropylene. These findings highlight the advantages of engineered wood in sustainable furniture design, offering a balance between performance, affordability, and environmental responsibility. The redesign approach optimizes material use, demonstrating the potential for reducing waste and enhancing sustainability in structural applications.

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