Jeff Linville — Furniture Today,
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. — Contemporary lifestyle home furnishings producer Maria Yee Inc., based here, has opened a new facility in China that minimizes its electricity usage, partly by using abundant natural light, while producing relatively little pollution.


The case goods and upholstery resource said its 350,000-square-foot Hunan factory is the first in China to use hydronic radiant heating exclusively, and one of the first to employ water-based finishes.

CEO Peter Yee said, “Employing such heating on a large scale and using natural light in lieu of manmade power is part of our ongoing commitment to minimize our environmental impact…. Our new facility upholds our dedication not only to producing quality pieces for interior designers, but to ensuring the sustainability of the Earth for generations to come.”

The plant, roughly the size of seven football fields, heats water in low-emission boilers fueled by sawdust and scrap lumber. Pipes carry the water through the concrete floor, where the heat radiates upward. It’s more efficient than forced-air systems, where heat tends to gather near the ceiling and moving air can stir up dust and aggravate allergies.

The plant’s 14 skylights, each more than 420 feet long, eliminate the need for much electric lighting, even on overcast days. What artificial lighting is used comes from energy-efficient bulbs and fluorescent tubes. The company expects to use 43% less energy for lighting than in a typical plant.

Yee said the Hunan facility also is one of the first in China equipped to use water-based finishes, with a proprietary multi-step process that cuts harmful emissions of volatile organic compounds while producing a superior finish.

The water-based finish’s matte sheen can be applied to Maria Yee’s patented BambooTimbre material. The bamboo product, which involves a flattening and layering process, was developed in 2004 and shown on new goods at the October 2013 High Point Market. The company says the material is harder and more stable than red oak, exceeds the tensile strength of steel and is resistant to heat, water and alcohol.

For its leather upholstery, the company said it is increasing the use of hides that are vegetable tanned, which reduces the use of heavy metal compounds. It also uses pure latex for cushioning.

Yee declined to disclose the size of the plant’s work force, or how much the eco-friendly systems cost.