The E4S Top 10 Characteristics of a Sustainable Office

Definition: “A sustainable office offers efficient and productive (Profit or Prosperity), environment friendly and resource efficient (Planet) work environment that enables physiologically and psychologically healthy and satisfying work (People).” – Prof. Ursula Tischner, eConcept.org

1. Form a green team

• Create a multi-functional green team. Create sustainability mission, vision and goals.
• Learn together about opportunities for sustainable project implementation. Participate in an E4S SI Group and we’ll walk you through doing your own internal waste, energy and purchasing assessments leading up to the creation of your own Sustainability Implementation Plan.
• Perform baseline assessments: waste, energy, procurement and climate footprint.
• Measure progress.
• Celebrate each success and share it with the rest of the company!

2. Set a B.H.A.G.

• A BHAG is a Big Hairy Audacious Goal. It can inspire innovation and move your organization towards action. Eg. reduce your waste stream by 50% or be climate neutral by 2020.

3. Buy Locally

• Choosing local vendors and locally made products saves on transportation costs and the subsequent emissions and keeps more money in the local economy.

4. Everything Energy – Low Hanging Fruit

• Purchase Energy Star office equipment.
• Install compact fluorescent bulbs to save money, energy and reduce climate/carbon emissions.
• Perform an energy audit and consider adding new technology such as light sensors to automatically turn off room lighting when not in use.
• Turn off your computer monitor and put your computer to sleep each time you leave your desk during the day. A computer monitor actually uses more energy than the computer itself. Activating the sleep setting on just one computer can save 300 pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere

5. Add Green, High Performance Building Technologies & Practices

• For new building and renovations consider going for a LEED rating (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
• When designing interior spaces learn about and cost out low VOC paint and carpet and sustainably produced furnishings.
• Green building practices like day-lighting spaces increases productivity as well as saving energy and money.
• Add plants to absorb harmful chemicals and clean your indoor air naturally.

6. Eliminate Waste – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Increase the number of recycle bins in your office & decrease the number of trash receptacles.
• If your having trouble getting paid for your recyclables shop around for a new vendor!
• Do a dumpster dive to determine if your organization is recycling everything you could be.
• Adopt a community toner cartridge and cell phone recycling program.
• Complete the circle and buy recycled products!

7. Save a tree! Reduce Your Dependence on Paper

• Set your printers & copiers to automatically print on both sides.
• Reuse paper that was only printed on one side.
• Circulate digital memos rather than paper ones.
• Be aware of how much ink you print on a page. Large blocks of color and ink make paper more difficult to recycle and waste resources.
• When you hire a print vendor be sure they use soy ink and print on recycled paper stock or can use a non-wood stock such as kenaf.

8. The path to sustainability starts before you walk in the door

• Create a carpooling program.
• Encourage bike and walk to work or lunch programs.
• Take advantage of an RTA program that allows your employees to pay for mass transit with a pre-tax subsidy.
• If you have a corporate fleet purchase hybrid vehicles or use alternative fuels such as ethanol or biodiesel.
• Consider carbon offsetting programs for your employees business travel, like carbonfund.org.

9. Cut down on kitchen waste!

• Use reusable silverware, cups, mugs and plates in your office kitchen.
• If you must purchase disposable paper goods be sure they are recyclable or compostable or derived from recycled content. Set up a system to ensure they will be recycled or composted!
• Hire caterers who use locally grown food.
• Communicate with your caterer about reducing their use of packaging.
• Use cloth towels to replace paper towels in your office kitchen.
• When taking clients out to lunch or dinner give your business to locally owned restaurants instead of chains.

10. Research Before You Buy

• Set a goal to increase the percentage of your company’s locally produced purchases.
• Insist on natural or organic cleaning products for healthy indoor air quality.
• For example there are local producers of organic cleaning products, LEED certified architects, energy engineers and sustainable office furnishing suppliers, just to name a few!

“You can save energy, resources, and money by taking steps to make your workplace more environmentally friendly.” - Andrew Korfhage, associate editor, Co-Op America"

Sources

http://www.tsof.org.uk/ The Sustainable Office Forum- Paper buyer’s checklist

http://www.seit.ee/files/Ursula_31.03.06.pdf From Ecodesign to Sustainable Design. From the Design Academy at Eindhoven

http://www.informinc.org/fact_office.php Waste reduction tips for the office. Greening your office.

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/sus-dev/office-fitouts-dec05/html/index.html A guide to sustainable office “Fit-Out’s”

http://www.bayside.vic.gov.au/environment_energy_efficient_office.htm Bayside City Council tips for an energy efficient office

http://frugalliving.about.com/cs/cleaning/a/050404.htm An advice website covering multiple areas.

http://www.interfacesustainability.com/visi.html Interface, Inc. website

http://www.hermanmiller.com Herman Miller website

http://www.gcrta.org/pro_commuter.asp Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit Authority website and special Commuter Advantage program page.