Sustainability stories
The MillerKnoll GreenHouse
Stories that inspire our path to a better world
In the early 1990s, Herman Miller needed a new operations center. But instead of just focusing on function or cost, the team posed a bigger question: What would it look like to build something that reflects our values?
Back then, there were no LEED certifications, no green building standards. Sustainability wasn’t a buzzword yet. But Herman Miller brought in architect William McDonough—a visionary known for designing with the environment in mind. Together, they imagined a building that worked with nature, not against it.
The result was the GreenHouse. Completed in 1995 just outside Holland, Michigan, its crescent shape follows the land’s natural contours. Inside, a central walkway encourages collaboration and connection—reflecting our belief in people-first design.
By nearly every measure—emissions, energy consumption, access to natural light, indoor air quality, preservation of surrounding natural landscape, etc.—the GreenHouse proved what’s possible if an organization truly commits itself to sustainable construction.
Years later, when the U.S. Green Building Council launched the LEED program, they used the GreenHouse as a model. In 2001, it received the LEED Pioneer Award, recognizing it as one of the buildings that helped start the green building movement. The GreenHouse wasn’t about chasing recognition. It was about doing the right thing—quietly, boldly, and ahead of its time. And that spirit is still part of MillerKnoll today.
That same mindset continues today through MillerKnoll’s goal to reach net-zero carbon emissions, use 100 percent bio-based materials, and eliminate waste—all by 2050.
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