Almost every day we encounter negative news about the state of our planet. Ice caps are melting and one natural disaster seems to follow another. Experts are warning that if we don’t act now, it could soon be too late. It’s more important than ever now for all of us to take responsibility, as every little contribution helps make a difference. When FTI (packaging and newspaper collection company), was planning to relocate to new premises in Solna Business Park, we placed great emphasis on reusing materials, and the results were amazing. Reusing materials meant a colossal CO2 saving equivalent to five return flights to New York.

Ulla Bladh from Tema Arkitekter is the person responsible for the interior decor of FTI’s attractive office in Solna Business Park. Ulla was tasked with creating an office with a focus on reuse, that will be sustainable over time.

“In my experience, the end result is often a better and more aesthetically pleasing office if you combine old and new. Reusing materials is important, so it was particularly enjoyable to have a customer that was completely on board with these ideas,” says Ulla.

Reuse an issue close to FTI’s heart

The fact that FTI’s main focus is recycling and the environment meant that it was particularly important to aim to reuse as much as possible in the new premises. The stunning herringbone parquet flooring was preserved, sanded and oiled. The original changing room, shower, quiet room and four toilets were kept, along with large sections of the ventilation system. FTI also brought all the company’s furniture along from its former office and added new items only where absolutely necessary.

“We work with recycling, so the environment is always a top priority for us. Our employees are totally committed to this issue, which is fantastic. Our office should symbolise what we stand for, and should be sustainable over time. I think we’ve outdone ourselves on that front and I’m very proud,” explains Ulla Schlyter at FTI.

More need to consider reuse

If a property is between five and seven years old, it’s perfectly possible to reuse most of the material on the premises. For FTI, the rooms were also adapted so they didn’t have to take down as many interior walls.

“If you tear down walls you can’t reuse them, they just go straight to the tip, so you can help the environment a lot by avoiding doing that,” says Mats Lundman, Project Manager at Fabege and the person in charge of customising FTI’s new office.

Reusing materials during tenant customisations is an initiative that currently comes almost exclusively from Fabege, and whether the response is positive or negative depends entirely on who the tenant is. Fabege hopes that more tenants will realise that it’s possible to create offices that are just as attractive by reusing rather than buying in new items.

“Working with reuse doesn’t always make it cheaper; it primarily helps reduce environmental impact and is an essential element, and I hope that more tenants will demand reuse in future,” concludes Mats.

FTI is an excellent example of how an office can be just as attractive using reused material as with new material. So when it’s time to relocate, think reuse.