Gone are the days when people weren't aware of how their actions hurt the environment. Thanks to the many public service advertisements, movies, and seminars, more and more people know why sustainable practices are essential. And that holds true in every sector. Be it health, corporate, or design; every industry has a role to play in preventing environmental degradation.
Yet, many office workers feel as though there isn't much they can do to deter climate change and all the awful changes happening in the atmosphere. Well, that's not true! You can employ sustainable strategies in every area of your business, including how you design your office. Research shows that 40% of the global carbon emissions come from building constructions, 28% of which emits from the HVAC system of office blocks. So, it's safe to say that you don't need to be in a factory to be concerned about damaging the environment; you can do that from the comfort of your air-conditioned office as well.
There is some good news, though! You can now design your workspace sustainably with the many green ergonomic furnishings on the market, like Kana Bamboo Standing Desk.
The Smart Way To A Sustainable Office Design: Buying The Right Furniture
Contrary to popular belief creating a green workspace is not too challenging in this day and age. If you plan everything from the materials and construction to design and interiors, you can create a smart, sustainable office.
Many people pit smart office interiors vs. sustainability as though the two cannot exist side by side. But that's not the case. The world of interior design has come a long way over the years, which is why you can find so many breathable furniture pieces.
Made with recycled materials, such reusable furnishings last a lifetime without suffocating the environment. This means the first thing you need to do to make your office sustainable is to invest in the right furniture, such as FlexiSpot's Premium Standing Desk (E7) and Kana Bamboo Standing Desk.
Aside from that, there are multiple steps that you can take to make your workspace green. If you want to know what those are, then keep on reading.
Be Sure There Are Windows
Over the years, humans have become accustomed to staying cooped up in air-conditioned spaces to fight the heat or simply to feel comfortable. But sometimes, our comfort can cost a lot more than we realize, and environmental destruction is surely a hefty price! Therefore, it's time we change our ways a little and try to control our use of ACs. That's where having large windows in a place can help significantly.
If your office has windows, leave them open as much as possible. If not, look for ways in which you can get some installed. Doing so will enable you to shut off your HVAC system for a while and reduce your carbon footprint.
Additionally, opening windows will let light into your office, allowing you to keep the lights off for some time.
All in all, having windows in an office is an easy way to make it environmental friendly and minimize its impact on Mother Nature.
Put In Plants
We all know that plants benefit the environment by improving air quality, sucking away carbon from the atmosphere, and saving energy. And it must be noted that their impact is not limited to the outdoors; they can positively influence the indoors as well.
Greenery in offices is typically only connected with earthy aesthetics, but there is more to having plants in a workspace than attractive interiors.
Having planters and flower pots in every other corner of an office impacts the health and productivity levels of employees. That's right! According to a study conducted by professors at the University of Exeter, greenery in an office boosts employee productivity by up to 15%.
People are able to focus better and work more diligently with plants around.
And in terms of employee wellbeing, having plants has been shown to reduce sick days and have an overall positive impact on workers' mood and health. A Human Spaces Report revealed that employees working in an office with greenery have a 15% higher well-being score.
Sick building syndrome is an overlooked yet common health condition associated with working at an office for hours on end. If a person has the said disorder, they feel nauseous, get a runny nose, headaches, itchy skin, sore eyes, and throat when they are in a building for long.
While a corporate worker with sick building syndrome cannot leave their workspace, they can take measures to curtail their symptoms. On top of that list is placing plants in the office.
Experts believe that looking at and being around natural elements such as plants can significantly reduce the instances and intensity of sick building syndrome that office workers get. Naturally, without the symptoms of the debilitating health condition, employees are bound to perform well and feel better overall.
Moreover, green plants and colorful flowers are believed to unlock creativity and help people think outside the box. The same Human Spaces Report that suggested a positive impact of greenery on employees' wellbeing also revealed that having plants in the workspace shoots up a person's creativity up to 15%.
Additionally, if we look at the Attention Retention Theory, we find that looking at nature changes a person's dimension of thinking, making them more focused and determined.
In sum, having plants in an office is not only good for the environment but also for those working.
Use Environment-Friendly Lighting
Lighting is an essential design element, so naturally, it needs to be eco-friendly if you want to make any place sustainable. That is now possible with LED lights. The light-emitting diode or led lighting is an excellent option to illuminate an office without damaging the environment.
Led lights are good for the planet for multiple reasons Firstly, they consume considerably less energy to light up than traditional lighting forms, such as fluorescent bulbs.
Not just that, despite using up low electricity, led fixtures are incredibly bright, reducing the need to turn on multiple lights. They also last longer than any other type of lighting. They are energy-efficient more than the traditional fluorescent lights.
An LED bulb only wastes 5% of the energy received and converts 95% into light, whereas a fluorescent light wastes 95% energy and uses only 5 % to illuminate a room.
Lastly, led bulbs are made with environment friendly materials only, which means when they are discarded, they do not add to the landfills. Other lights often contain mercury and unrecyclable plastics that remain in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.
In simple words, led lights don't have any toxic products, unlike all other lighting fixtures.
Set Up a Composting Corner
If you want to truly make your organization green, you should add a composting corner to your office.
Let your employees know that they can help save the environment by reducing the amount of trash and sorting office waste as recyclables and compostables. This way, the truckloads of garbage that typically come from offices can be decreased noticeably.
Doing so will also enable you to assess the products used in the office and how many of them support a sustainable environment. Once you have a list of green and non-green items, you can eliminate the latter or at least attempt to do so.
Tips To Design a Sustainable Office
If making so many changes at once seems overwhelming, then you can take things slowly. If you don't want to be overwhelmed with the idea of making your office sustainable, here are some tips to help you.
Make a Team
Like every department in your organization has a separate team, give the sustainability project its own team. By having an exclusive crew to create a green workspace, the entire process will be better planned and go much more smoothly.
The members of the 'Green Office Project' will give you a budget and tell you which strategies you can implement immediately and for which you should wait. They will also help you cut costs when necessary.
Simply put, your workspace will become sustainable much more seamlessly and efficiently if you have a group of people dedicated to it.
Come Up With a Campaign
An office stands on its employees, which means you need to have your workers on board if you want to make any changes. Therefore, develop a campaign with your Green Office Project team and teach your employees about the idea of having a sustainable office design.
If possible, have seminars and workshops to educate everyone so that they make greener choices on their own. That will significantly speed up your going green process. You can also have some posters designed and paste them all over the office to remind people of working toward a sustainable environment.
Collaborate With Experts
Look up sustainability experts and see if you can collaborate with one, as that will lead you to the right path towards a sustainable office.
Ending Note
As responsible residents of the planet earth, it's our duty to make smarter choices to keep Mother Earth happy, and creating a sustainable office is one such choice. Work towards a greener office to limit environmental degradation!
