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Daylight exposure should be a major factor when planning and designing a workspace
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Choose green furniture
Green furniture is essential for any organisation looking to minimise its impact on the environment. Environmentally friendly products will typically be made from recycled, refurbished, reclaimed or sustainably produced materials. Try to choose durable, locally sourced furniture and look for certifications that indicate that the product has been assessed in terms of its impact on the environment. If you are thinking about introducing a flexible working policy to reduce carbon emission produced by travel, remember that hot-desk workstations will need to be adjustable to suit the needs of various individuals.
See the light
The importance of natural light is often over looked, but daylight exposure should be a major factor when planning and designing a workspace. Try creating a more open environment and consider removing interior walls. These could be replaced with glazed partitions so private offices still exist, but allow natural light to permeate the centre of the office. All light bulbs in the office should be high quality and energy efficient as low-energy light bulbs last up to eight times longer than standard ones and use only a fifth of the energy.
Reduce your heating
Many Swedish workplaces are so efficiently insulated, they do not require additional heating. Improving or adding loft and cavity wall insulation is the one of the most effective and ethical ways of reducing energy usage, whilst maintaining comfort levels. It has also been proven that a majority of offices are only ever between 40%-60% occupied, so fitting individual thermostat or radiator controls will enable users to temporarily reduce heat in unused or empty areas.
Recycle waste
With any refurbishment project, always remember to reuse and recycle waste generated from building, renovation and demolition work. Donate any unwanted furniture or equipment to charities and recycle stripped plasterboard, carpets and any other materials, to avoid waste going to landfill.
Initiating a waste policy system into the working day will also benefit the business in various ways. Start by adding recycling bins to the office for various materials and remove individual waste paper baskets or bins from workstations.
Get energy efficient
Incorporating a sub-metering programme to monitor gas, electricity and even water usage will enable you to identify particular areas of your office or equipment that consume high levels of energy or water. Lighting accounts for a high level of energy usage in every office, therefore time switches or movement sensors can help reduce energy wasted on unnecessary illumination. Integrating natural day light with an electric lighting system can also help reduce the energy used. Here, artificial light automatically adjusts, turning off when a sufficient level of daylight already exists.
A single photocopier left on overnight can use enough energy to produce over 1500 copies of a document. Install devices or control systems that can power down different areas of the workplace in the evening when workers have left.
Gear up for cyclists
The average person making a typical daily car commute of four miles each way would save 0.5 tonnes of CO2, or 6% of their annual carbon footprint by switching to cycling. The rewards for providing a few basic facilities for cyclists will more than outweigh the initial costs. Implementing a secure bike parking area or even a shower room, communal tool box or lockers will support the use of such sustainable methods of travel.
Breathe easy
Good ventilation is critical in a working environment. Plan your office design so each worker benefits from access to fresh air. Use only low-VOC paints and materials (such as furniture and carpet). Indoor plants act as air filters and rid your office of any airborne pollutants and radiation from computer equipment, whilst replenishing the level of oxygen in the office. Try and make sure all windows are operable, allowing individuals to naturally ventilate the office to meet their needs.
Save water
A tap that runs for ten minutes uses 100 litres of water. Installing water conserving taps in the workplace can have a significant impact on wastage. Taps that are operated by push or touch are often the best for conserving water, as they stop automatically. Some fittings even allow you to adjust the minimum amount of seconds that the water flows. Toilets with a low level flush option, or waterless urinals will also reduce water usage, and rainwater harvesting and grey water systems are increasingly being incorporated in multiple occupancy commercial buildings.
Meet requirements
There are many legal and regulatory requirements that businesses must conform to. Going through ISO 14001 implementation will ensure that your organisation meets all current legislation. The ISO 14001 is an international standard that specifies a process for controlling and improving a company's environmental performance and will help you to lower your impact on the environment, save money and comply with the laws and regulations in place.
Martin Atkinson is MD of PiMS Workspace
This article originally appeared in the March 2012 issue of Greenbuild magazine. For a free subscription click here.
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