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Sustainability is no longer a mere trend. It has become a necessity. Environmentally-conscious businesses are investing in sustainability to build a safe environment.
Did you know 67% of companies are using more eco-friendly materials, such as recycled goods and lower-emitting products to build their sustainable offices? Further, 57% of companies have adopted energy-efficient machinery, equipment, and technology to boost their sustainability efforts.
Most businesses firmly believe that green offices are the future. In fact, green buildings can potentially reduce energy consumption by 50% by 2050. No wonder, evaluating the impact a business has on the environment forms the foundation of corporate sustainability.
In this post, we will learn more about sustainable offices and how you can create a more environmentally sustainable workspace for your employees.
A sustainable office is a workspace that promotes environmental balance by eliminating or reducing the use of materials or tools that cause a depletion of natural resources. It is designed to lower energy and water consumption, reduce waste, utilize eco-friendly materials, and more to minimize its impact on the environment.
Sustainability involves making small multiple changes to your office building. It helps you save on operational costs besides contributing to a clean and green environment. Some of the key ways to make your office building sustainable include –
Sustainable office spaces play a crucial role in environmental preservation. It offers the following benefits.
Here are some of the innovative ideas you can follow to create a sustainable office. Be assured that these ideas are easy to implement and do not require a hefty investment.
Make it mandatory to switch all devices and lights when not in use. Set all the electronics to energy-saving mode during office hours. This will not only reduce energy consumption but also help you save on your electricity bills.
Use energy-efficient lighting systems to reduce energy consumption. Install smart bulbs that can automatically turn on or off or adjust the illumination according to the availability of natural light. Use LED bulbs as they last longer than incandescent lights and consume relatively less energy.
Ensure proper ventilation in your office with easy-to-open windows to allow good airflow. Introduce more windows and skylights in your office space design to maximize natural lighting. Install an eco-friendly ventilation system to circulate fresh air throughout your office space.
Reduce water consumption in the office by installing a dual plumbing system that recycles greywater for toilet use. Install low-water use toilets and faucets to save excessive use of water.
Insert greenery in your workspace design to create a green and eco-friendly office space. In fact, adding indoor plants in your office spaces makes your employees 15% more productive. Similarly, create an outdoor garden that employees can use to rest or complete creative work. Being surrounded by greenery increases the concentration levels among the employees and contributes to workplace satisfaction.
Draft a sustainable office policy and share it with your team. Train your employees to follow and promote sustainable behavior and practices in the workplace. Organize meetings to discuss your waste reduction program and educate your team about various measures they can take on a personal level. Further, encourage your team to share their ideas to improve your existing sustainability approach and processes.
Organize an office cab to pick up and drop off your employees at the office. Encourage employees who stay far from your office location to carpool to work. Adopt a hybrid working model allowing employees to work from the comfort of their homes for certain days a week.
Choose reusable office supplies wherever possible. Invest in recycled paper goods, such as notebooks, binders, envelopes, pencils, and more. Reuse old file folders, paper clips, folders, and more to avoid purchasing new ones when the need arises. Encourage printing double-sided copies of documents to reduce extra paper usage.
Stock your pantry with reusable cups, mugs, plates, and more to reduce the use of paper plates, cardboard cups, and plastic utensils. Stock your pantry with large packets of coffee, tea powder, milk powder, sugar sachets, and more instead of opting for smaller packets. Use cloth napkins instead of tissues and kitchen towels or install hand dryers to reduce the waste produced.
Switch to eco-cleaning products to clean and maintain your office spaces. These products usually comprise plant-based raw materials instead of toxic chemicals as cleansing agents. This reduces your team’s exposure to such harmful chemicals and reduces the risks of health issues. Pair these products with washable microfiber cloths to eliminate the use of paper towels for cleaning purposes.
Follow efficient waste management practices like recycling and composting. Set up waste bins for collecting all types of waste, such as paper waste, plastic bottles, aluminum cans, food waste, and more. Label each of these bins with respective signs to let everyone know its use and avoid confusion. You can also set up a composting station to recycle waste food and convert it into organic fertilizers.
Sustainable office design has become increasingly popular considering the benefits it offers. However, building a sustainable office space from scratch requires significant time, money, and effort. Instead of building one yourself, you can invest in a coworking space like The Address which offers sustainable office spaces for startups, SMEs, corporates, and enterprises at monthly membership plans.
These flexible workspaces are designed following a sustainable office-building approach and offer everything an office needs – technology, amenities, ergonomic furniture, and more. These offices have top-notch and advanced systems to manage energy efficiently, reduce waste production, reuse water, and more which makes them the best choice if you are looking to invest in environmentally-friendly offices.
With its coworking spaces located in major towns of Gujarat, such as Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara, The Address is shortly expanding its base to leading cities of India. If you are based in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kochi, or Delhi, you can book your sustainable office space at The Address without any hassles.
Book a tour of The Address coworking space today or contact our team to understand how our office spaces can complement your sustainability efforts and going green initiatives.
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