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Sustainability in kitchen design
For many homeowners, sustainability in kitchen design is now an important factor when choosing how to renovate or furnish their own home. Richard Davonport, Managing Director at Davonport, explains: “When it comes to a sustainable kitchen, it isn’t just about energy-efficient appliances. Instead, think about the various materials used in your new kitchen – from your cabinets to your worktops, from tile choices through to your brassware as each item will have its own story to tell when it comes to its sustainability.
“It isn’t just about the materials you choose either. It is worth exploring how each of the materials is handled and the sustainable policies of each of the companies that manufacturer those materials. How are they sourcing their own energy? Are materials coming from sustainable places such as managed forests? Are they working on reducing their waste, water and energy consumption? All this can impact on the choices you make if sustainability is a major consideration for you.”
Generally, your cabinetry is the biggest element of your kitchen, which means it is an area to really consider and explore when it comes to sustainable kitchens. Here, we’ve put together a list of things to ask your kitchen designer when it comes to your new kitchen.
Is the timber used in your cabinets responsibly sourced and certified?

Sustainable timber used in cabinetry will (or should) be FSC certified. This means it has been sourced from forests that have been responsibly managed, as well being socially beneficial and economically viable. Other acronyms for manmade timber products to look out for are PEFC and AHMI, which are other organisations which guarantee the wood is sustainably sourced.
What is the carbon footprint of the factory?

This relates to the factory where your cabinets are made. Is the company taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and move towards Net Zero? All of this plays a factor in your ‘embodied carbon’ of your kitchen, which is the amount of carbon emitted in its manufacture.
Those that are conscious of sustainability may have fitted solar panels to their roof, and where extra electricity is required, only use other renewable sources. Off-cuts and sawdust can be repurposed and used to heat the factory if they have a biomass boiler.
Consider the paint on your cabinets and doors.

Often an overlooked area when it comes to the sustainability of your kitchen, but actually, you can make conscious decisions about the paint used and its impact on the environment.
When it comes to the paint your kitchen manufacturer uses, there are certain makes and types that are much friendlier on the environment. Look for or ask for, water-based acrylic paints as these are non-toxic, biodegradable and have a much lower environmental impact than solvent-chemical based paints and often are harder wearing.
Also ask how your cabinets are painted. While hand-painted can give a higher-end and more luxurious finish, modern technology means that it can be painted using a sprayline which significantly reduces wastage but provides a similar quality finish. It maybe that your kitchen company will use a combination for sustainability and a final hand-painted coat once the kitchen has been installed.
Has your kitchen been built to last?
The most expensive element of your kitchen will often be the kitchen cabinets, but there is good reason to that as this is where most of the craftsmanship takes place. Investing in this area means that your cabinets will be well-made and be made from high-quality materials, which in turn means they should last for decades. Sustainability isn’t just about the materials you use or how something is made, but also its durability. And they are one of the busiest rooms in the home that must survive daily use by family members.
Each kitchen manufactured by Davonport has sustainability at the heart of its design. If you’d like to know more about how Davonport achieves this, please visit www.davonport.com
A complete Davonport Kitchen start at £40,000