Your Davonport kitchen doesn’t have to cost the Earth

Davonport is a company that takes the environment seriously, and we are proud of our commitment to sustainability. We believe that our responsibility to the environment extends beyond just reducing our own environmental footprint. Our efforts are also directed towards ensuring that our business practices are in harmony with the natural world around us.

One way that we do this is by sourcing all our timber from suppliers who are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). This ensures that the timber we use in our furniture is sourced from responsibly managed forests that are committed to sustainable practices.

Additionally, we are committed to not using any timber listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to help protect endangered species of trees.

For all our painted furniture, we use water-based crosslinked acrylic primer and topcoats that are low in Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These paints have a far lower impact on air quality than oil-based alternatives, and they can be thinned and cleaned with water rather than needing harmful chemicals and solvents to do so. This development is a positive outcome for both human health and environmental well-being.

We are also proud to have an efficient wastewater management system that ensures responsible disposal of our wastewater. Our system recycles wastewater to keep local rivers and waterways clean and unpolluted.

For over 15 years, we have been conscientiously recycling our wood shavings and offcuts through an advanced extraction system and carbon neutral biomass heating system.

The extracted offcuts are channelled towards a specifically designed biomass boiler system that generates heat for our paint shop and workshop, thus completely eliminating the need for fossil fuels to heat our paint drying booth.

In 2022, we furthered this initiative by investing in a state-of-the-art controlled variable speed extraction system, reducing our power consumption to half of our previous consumption. This improvement not only minimizes material waste going to landfills but also positively impacts our carbon footprint.

In 2019, we implemented an energy-efficient measure by replacing all workshop and office lighting with LED lighting. This change was implemented to replace the less efficient halogen and fluorescent bulbs previously in use. The introduction of LED lighting has resulted in a significant reduction in our electricity consumption for lighting, by almost 80%, and has significantly lowered the amount of bulb replacements needed across our extensive 20,000 sq ft workshop.

In early 2022, we embarked on a project to install a new insulated roof that has enabled us to avoid unnecessary heat loss, thereby reducing our workshop and offices energy consumption.

In addition to the new roof, in 2023 we also invested in solar panels that now span across the entire 20,000 sq ft workshop roof. This innovative measure has resulted in the production of sufficient electricity to power 100% of our showroom and head office, as well as 52% of our workshop, a feat that underscores our commitment to sustainable practices.

In recent years, we have integrated our first fully electric vehicle into our fleet, which is assigned to our site surveyor, contributing to the reduction of our carbon footprint during our operations on the road. We have now installed eight electric car charging bays in our car park, powered by our solar array, furthering our commitment to sustainability and environmentally responsible practices.

Our dedication to sustainability is evident in our approach to packaging materials. We use recycled and recyclable materials for wrapping and transporting our furniture to the site. Furthermore, we have set up a system to retrieve and collect cardboard packaging from project sites and deliver it to a specialized reclamation centre located nearby. This process serves a dual purpose by minimizing the amount of waste that accumulates in our bins and preventing it from occupying landfills, thereby contributing to our waste reduction and sustainability efforts.

At Davonport, we are deeply committed to ethical sustainable practices and strive to contribute to the preservation of the environment and the well-being of our community. We are constantly exploring new and innovative solutions to minimize our ecological footprint, all while ensuring that our customers receive the highest quality furniture.