Why Longevity Might Be The Most Important Sustainability Metric
For Zoeftig, this is why longevity has always been one of our fundamental design principles.
At various airports across North America, Zoeftig seating structures installed in the region of 20-30 years ago are being retained and refinished rather than discarded and replaced. Twenty to Thirty years of passengers using our seating daily, yet the fundamental structures still have many more years of value left in them. Material choice plays an important role in making this possible, but longevity isn’t achieved through this one factor alone. Products need to be designed from the outset to be maintained and adapted. Components that experience greater wear should be replaceable without requiring the entire seating system to be removed.
For airports, this changes the conversation from initial purchase price to whole-life value and cost of ownership. At Zoeftig, we believe sustainability shouldn’t only be about designing the next generation of airport seating – sometimes, it’s about making sure the last generation is still doing its job.
If you’re reviewing an existing suite of seating, our team can help explore whether refurbishment, upgrading or replacement offers the right long-term solution for your space.
Image: Copyright Zoeftig 2024, Denver International Airport | 7000+ Zenky Plus Seats with 100% Boost Power Saturation in bespoke material specification.
When Does Airport Seating Actually Need Replacing
L004: When Does Airport Seating Actually Need Replacing?
When an airport is refurbished or modernised, existing seating can easily become part of the replacement conversation. After years of intensive use, changing finishes and evolving passenger expectations, starting again can appear to be the obvious solution. But age alone tells us surprisingly little about the value left in a seating system.
At Zoeftig, we believe airport seating should be assessed as an asset. If the fundamental structure remains sound, there may be significant opportunities to retain it while refinishing surfaces, renewing upholstery, replacing individual components or upgrading elements of the system.
In some cases, the biggest change may be visual. New colours, fabrics and finishes can completely transform how existing seating fits within a redesigned terminal. In others, the requirement may be functional. Passenger expectations have changed considerably over the lifetime of many seating installations, particularly around access to power and the ways people use waiting spaces. Where the original system allows it, upgrading individual elements may offer a better answer than removing everything and starting again.
But, of course, retaining existing seating isn’t always the right decision either.
Condition, component availability, changing layouts, accessibility, maintenance requirements, future plans for the space and the practicalities of upgrading all need to be considered. Sometimes replacement genuinely provides the best long-term outcome. The most important factor is that replacement should be a conclusion, not a starting point.
For airport operators, looking carefully at what can be retained, refinished or upgraded can uncover value that isn’t obvious from the installation date alone.
Because the question shouldn’t simply be “How old is our seating?”
It should be:
“How much useful life does it still have?”