Guide to Office Space - Going Green - Making a Difference

Most people today have some degree of environmental consciousness when it comes to their personal lives, and now recycling, energy conservation, composting, and collecting rainwater are all mainstream examples of the zeitgeist regarding sustainable living.

Unfortunately this commitment to the environment is often forgotten once people head out the door to work each morning. Commuters are responsible for almost 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, with single occupant vehicles accounting for the vast majority.

Once employees get to the office, we drink water from bottles, coffee from paper cups, and print everything in sight in color and in triplicate, which is why a single office worker can use over a quarter ton of materials a year. Heating, cooling, and powering office space are responsible for almost 40% of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., and account for more than 70% of annual U.S. electricity usage.

Once workers head home, the waste at the office doesn't stop . At least resources utilized during the work day are used in the course of doing business. Most offices keep everything on all night – the lights, the air conditioning, the computers, the printers, the muzak – you name the office service or equipment, and chances are good it is always left on. Computers account for over 1 billion dollars per year in electricity charges – at night when they are not being used!

Of course all this additional company waste equals additional business expenses; in other words: waste = cash. Companies all across the spectrum are becoming enlightened to this fact, and are if not rushing, walking briskly towards embracing the notion of a ‘Green Workplace’.

Wal-Mart has begun placing solar panels on it’s stores. The new Hearst, Bank of America, and Goldman Sachs buildings in New York City were all built under green guidelines. And in what may be considered a ‘tipping point’ moment, Rupert Murdoch announced recently that News Corp. would go carbon neutral.

So… You may be wondering what a ‘Green Workplace’ entails. Start with the building – if it meets standards for water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, it can be certified by a nonprofit called the U.S. Green Building Council. The council created its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification in 2000 in response to the demand for standardization in the area of green architecture. The council offers Platinum, Gold, and Silver LEED certification levels, with different requirements for each. Only 41 office buildings in the U.S. are LEED certified at the Platinum level.

The council has also created a LEED certification rating for making certain modifications to existing buildings. These include installing automatic shutoffs for lighting, setting computers to power down automatically after 15 minutes of idle time, and switching from old toilets to new ones that use much less water.

The business case for going green is increasingly clear, but employers are beginning to realize it's also about the competition for talent. One-third of workers would be more inclined to work for a green company, says staffing firm Adecco USA, and more than half wish their employers were more environmentally friendly.

Employers' growing demand for green office space is beginning to change the landscape. In the past, commercial builders weren't motivated to, say, install solar panels because paying for electricity is the tenant's problem. But builders are realizing that if they build green, they can lease their properties faster, and at higher rates.

Apart from its physical footprint, a company has the greatest opportunity to have an environmental impact through green policies that change the behavior and attitudes of its workers. The action items below list some specific suggestions to make your workplace a more environmentally friendly one:

General Green Office Practices Following some of these tips will not only help your office become greener, but will save you money, too.

• Turn off your computers and monitors overnight and on weekends.
• Activate the "Energy Star" energy saving functions available on most computers. They are up to 52% more efficient.
• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Use motion detecting switches in less used areas
• Open windows instead of using air conditioning where possible
• Turn off your climate control when not needed
• Install desk side recycling
• Use email instead of USPS mail
• Store electronic reports rather than paper reports
• Avoid using FAX cover sheets
• Use the double sided feature of your printer.
• Reuse paper for note pads.
• Buy only recycled paper.
• Replace light bulbs with lower wattage or compact fluorescents.
• Get flat screen monitors for your computers. They are more efficient.
• Maximize the use of natural light in your space by placing private offices in the interior areas for the space.
• Insist on biodegradable and non-toxic cleaning supplies.
• Buy re-manufactured or refillable toner cartridges for printers and photocopiers.
• Printing Services Selection
  TheGreenOffice.com suggests that before purchasing printing services from a provider, make sure that the materials and practices they use are sustainable.  The Solid Waste Management Controlling Board has compiled the following list of recommended requirements for printers:
  • Vegetable-based and recycled (filtered) inks; avoid inks containing heavy metals
  • Recycled-content (30% minimum content) and tree-free blend papers; PCF – process chlorine-free is the best environmental choice
  • Alcohol-free printing processes
  • Solvents free of toluene and methylene chloride
  • Paper recycling and reuse programs
  • Workplace safety and accident reduction programs

Other Green Office Resources

•  OfficeFinder.com - The Green Office
• US Green Building Council - LEED Rating System
• Green Building council of Australia - Changes you can make to clean up your office.
• The Green Office -Green products at Great Prices!
• Waste Reduction in Office Buildings – A Guide for Tenants