Green Signs – Our Contribution to a Sustainable Future

Remember when “doing our part” for the environment meant simply separating recyclables from our garbage? Today, doing our part has become an all-encompassing shift in behavior. It’s the way Impact! Signs does business, both in our production methods, and in the green signage products and solutions we offer our clients.

Terms like sustainability, carbon footprint, and LEED certified have become part of our daily language and processes. They are part of a new culture that is here to stay, and Impact! Signs is helping companies like yours forge an indelible message for generations to come. We can’t change the world, but we can do our small part, by helping signage be more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and proving our caring clients with improvements and options for eco friendly signs.

As members of the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as the Society for Environmental Graphic Design, we are committed to doing our part to make sure all product all signage we design and produce is not only well designed, but produced with regard to its impact on a green and sustainable future.

You can go greener, Impact! Signs can help. We invite you to call us to take the first step toward an even greener tomorrow.

Green Signage Products and Materials – Making Sustainable Attainable

All this talk of environmental responsibility is a great start. But clients need assistance from their sign company in recognizing opportunities to use Earth-friendly signage products and materials. Here are some of the eco-friendly signage initiatives we are proud to offer:

• A pioneer in using 3form architectural sign materials, Impact! Signs offers these progressive alternatives to acrylic and other plastic materials for green signs.
• We have also been able to use reclaimed hardwood panels for office signs.
• Leading the way with glass signs in corporate signage. Glass has a much longer lifespan than other substrates, and is much more recyclable.
• All aluminum and other metal scraps from our metal lettering jobs are recycled. In fact, most metals we select to use contain a high percentage of recycled content (see below for details) This is just the beginning of a growing trend in recyclable material applications within our industry.
• We now use LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in all lighted signage. These ultra low voltage lights use far less electricity than neon or even fluorescent bulbs. They currently illuminate our backlit signs, halo-lit letters and similar applications.
• Impact! Signs leads the way in solar panel technology, powering exterior lighted signs with a zero-net-effect on electricity consumption.
• We are pioneering the use of solar panels to power lighted signs, and are at the forefront of our industry in solar panel technology applications.
• Aluminum pucks and standoff systems provide green fastening solutions that are alternatives to adhesive.
• Extensive use, and a leader in glass signage, which is a greener alternative to plastic.

On the Green Bandwagon: Sustainable Signage Production and Recycling

Every employee at Impact! Signs is committed to sustainable practices. From recycling office and packaging materials in our facilities to implementing new, greener production processes, we take great pride in protecting our planet’s resources. Just some of our initiatives:

• We have reduced VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in our paints.
• More efficient project planning helps us reduce waste by nesting together jobs that use identical materials.
• We now manufacture all metal signage and bronze plaques without heavy metal elements like mercury and lead
• All scrap metal is recycled
• Anodized or powder coated aluminum, which is standard on all our aluminum lettering and logos, is more eco friendly than painted.
• Reduced use of chemicals in production and proper disposal when it is used.

LEED Signs: Can I use signs to earn LEED points?

Signage and Plaques can earn a LEED point is if it is used to communicate the green efforts of the facility. For example, if you have signage in the building lobby that describes the green architecture and other metal plaques showing the building’s use of green building materials then the signage will count for one LEED point.

Using signage in your facility to tell the story can qualify you for education credits towards your LEED certification. What better way to do this than on eco friendly signs and metal plaques? An entire eco-friendly building sign program would be the first step.

To ensure you are sending the right message, Impact! Signs will show you a collection of Earth-friendly options that would be most complementary to your building and decor.

3form Signage Products

Signage plays a very important role in communicating brand identity. It makes sense to use eco-friendly sign products and materials and if your goal is to have an environmentally-friendly identity. 3form materials are a great way to do just that.

Impact Signs is a pioneer in using 3form materials as the basis for signage. We offer these progressive alternatives to acrylic and other plastic materials – both as panels on our corporate office lobby signs as well as for complete building signage programs in corporate buildings, educational facilities, and healthcare facilities and green office signage solutions for room identification, directional, and green wayfinding signage. What better way to “show your green” than incorporating it into your signage and interior design?

If you have used 3form materials in your building or office space design as architectural elements, this does count for a good number of LEED credits. We can then create a green signage program to match it, using the same, or complementing 3form materials. Take a look at this case study of how 3form architectural panels were used in the very offices of the USGBC itself!

We use 3form ecoresin™, which boasts an impressive 40% pre-consumer-recycled co-polyester. It even has options that have sustainably harvested plant materials embedded within, providing a great variety of unique green signage design options. This really helps to promote your green message and commitment. This material is perfect as a panel for your corporate office and lobby signage – as we can assemble raised metal letters and logos right on these panels. They are also great for ADA signs for your entire building.

• Available in thicknesses of 1/16″, 1/8″, 1/4″, and 3/8″
• Popular ecoresin styles for green signage include organics, wood, and graphic
• Carries SCS certification for recycled content and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality certification.
• Certain patterns in the organics line use Fair Trade materials sourced by 3form from Third World countries.
• 7 patterns are available for the panels as standards, however 3form offers a much wider variety. Feel free to specify any 3from material, and we can let you know if we can work with it.
• Some of the plant materials used in the Fair Trade line include Tiger Thatch and Bear Grass, as well as Banana Fiber and Fossil Leaf.
• Other 3form products we use to create stunning green signage are Poured Glass, 100 Percent (which is made from 100% post-consumer recycled high density polyethylene), and Pressed Glass, which gives many great options for interior design.

Our Recycled Metal Certifications : The Fine Green Print

We certify the following, ourselves, and from the certifications of our material suppliers:

• 40-45% of our acrylic products are recycled materials.
• 55-65% of our formed plastic letters products are recycled materials.
• 100% of our cast aluminum letters and plaques are from recycled aluminum.
• 100% of our cast bronze letters and plaques are from recycled bronze. 100% of the scraps from our manufacturing process are recycled.
• 60-80% of our FCO aluminum products are from recycled aluminum.100% of the scraps from our manufacturing process are recycled.
• 60-75% of the content from our brass letters and plaques are from recycled materials. 100% of the scraps from our manufacturing process are recycled.
• 60-75% of the content from our bronze letters and plaques are from recycled materials. 100% of the scraps from our manufacturing process are recycled
• 60-75% of the content from our copper letters and plaques are from recycled materials. 100% of the scraps from our manufacturing process are recycled. 40-45% becomes scraps that we recycle (Pre-consumer/Post industrial).
• 15-30% of our stainless steel is from recycled materials. 100% of stainless steel scraps are recycled.