How to make better workplaces for people and the planet

The office of the future must be wholly sustainable, and this principle extends to everything produced by König + Neurath. Sustainability is embedded in the company’s philosophy from the earliest stages of product development. As a traditional family-owned business, its aim is to maintain high standards of production and design for generations to come, achieving this through the most responsible and considered approaches. The company operates according to four core beliefs: partnership, reliability, dynamism and authenticity.

König + Neurath has become a model for ecological responsibility in German industry, from supplier selection to the all-electric, emission-free movement of goods within its production halls. Software is used to plan collection and delivery routes for the company’s fleet of trucks to maximise efficiency and avoid empty runs. The entire truck fleet complies with the EURO 6 standard, reducing pollutant emissions and lowering fuel consumption, while drivers receive training in fuel-efficient driving. Diesel vehicles are equipped with AdBlue technology to cut NOx emissions, and the vehicle cleaning system uses a lamella separator to reduce fresh water usage by up to 85%.

Complete circularity and climate neutrality by 2030, in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, are key priorities. The company continuously monitors and analyses environmental aspects of its production to identify opportunities for improvement. Between 2015 and 2023, annual CO₂ emissions at the production site were reduced by around 50%, supported by an on-site photovoltaic system generating electricity for the facility.

Significant vertical integration underpins König + Neurath’s commitment to cradle-to-cradle circularity. The new seKNd.life division handles the professional, systematic return of used office furniture ‘Re:use, Re:furbish and Re:cycle’– both K+N products and third-party products. Returned items are tested for functionality and refurbished wherever possible, conserving resources and extending product life, with disposal carried out only when it meets strict low-impact standards.

Sustainability and circularity are also integral to the design portfolio. NET.WORK.PLACE Wave was introduced as a cosy and versatile lounge system for office environments, ideal for client reception areas and informal meeting spaces. It represents the company’s most sustainability-focused design to date, featuring modular construction for easy conversion and repair, replaceable upholstery, an innovative foam component made from 40% recycled material, and zero glue.

NET.WORK.PLACE Wave is both flexible and environmentally conscious. Its modular design allows sofas to be reconfigured, extended, or bent into curves and circles, while optional curtain systems create acoustically and visually isolated zones within open-plan offices. All seating can be adapted to include power points, making the system practical, sustainable and responsive to the evolving needs of modern workplaces.

© Architonic