Green Office Fit-Out: The Essentials

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21.03.2019 SUSTAINABILITY & ECO-INNOVATIONS 0.0 0

green office fitout

The increasing number of environmentally-conscious clients has been the main motivation for organizations to live up to their eco-friendly principles in their office space fit-outs. Since establishing ethical commercial practices has already become a standard in business-client relations, many companies have done their share in establishing highly customized green office fit-outs. By maintaining your environmentally-friendly approach to your office design, you’re setting your place of business apart from your competition, as well as opening to a new cohort of customers who prefer to elicit products and services from eco-conscious businesses.

Green office partitions

Office partitions are a great way to keep the open plan space and still give your employees a sense of personal space. Greenpeace offices in Zurich are a perfect example of a company taking responsibility for its carbon footprint. Custom-build partitions they have used can easily integrate into any existing space, which is especially useful in situations when the office environment is constantly changing. Made from sustainable materials like bamboo, glass, and other recyclables, office partitions are flexible and cost-effective means to boost productivity and adapt your space to your current needs with minimal wastage.

Intelligent switches

Another important element of s sustainable office fit-out is an energy-efficient lighting scheme which first and foremost makes use of all the natural light available. Substituting the buzzing light fixtures with skylights, bay windows, and translucent wall panels not only brings a smile on your face when you see the energy bills but is also highly beneficial to your employees, due to the Vitamin D from sunlight exposure. However, no office can do without some type of artificial light, so you should consider power-saving LED bulbs. These bulbs are 100% recyclable, last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and most importantly, contain no mercury nor emit harmful UV rays.

Sustainable floors

Green flooring choices are among the favourite sustainable solutions that offices use to resonate with their environmentally-savvy clients and partners. Using renewable materials like bamboo, recycled timber, and low resource impact carpet, you can upgrade to an eco-friendly fit-out without making concessions to your style. Current office fit-out projects in Sydney show that working closely with clients is the only way of understanding the office space dynamics, which is in rerun essential for providing optimal space and flooring solutions. Depending on the area usage, professional designers may suggest polished concrete or linoleum, which unlike vinyl is 100% naturally-sourced material.

green office design

Carbon neutral décor

Your office décor should also follow the eco-friendly tune of the structural elements and fixtures. Carbon-neutral table systems made of die-cast aluminium are a cost-effective option that integrates easily into any office fit-out. Carbon neutrality requires a holistic approach that goes beyond carbon emissions from manufacturing to consider and calculate emission over the entire product lifespan. Consider organic design elements like custom-built receptions made of upcycled tiles, conference tables tailored out of reclaimed wood treated with toxin-free finishes.

Low toxic wall treatments

A range of inspiring natural colours can make the office environment equally inspiring, however, if you substitute unstable, carbon-based paints with low-toxic options, you’re automatically qualifying for a green certificate. Conventional paints are based on toxic compounds that vaporise in the air over time, posing an immediate risk for your employees. When it comes to the latest sustainable ways to coating your office walls, toxin-free paints offer resilience and service life which is on par with conventional high-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints.

Growing business

Setting up indoor gardens as well as living walls will keep your office space alive by creating an impression of indoor-outdoor connection which boosts productivity of your employees. Since your employees spend most of their workdays in the office, supplying them with enough oxygen is essential for cultivating a healthy environment that enables optimum brain functions. You can go an extra green mile and have interior landscaping experts construct an edible garden within reach of your breakroom space, so your employees can have access to healthy, office-grown alternatives to their bagged snacks.

Although the number of commercial properties and office square footage is increasing, a commercial space carbon footprint is becoming smaller. Catering to the increased environmental consciousness of their clients, businesses are opting for low-impact solutions that range from upcycled or sustainably harvested materials to energy-efficient light systems and pollutant-free treatments.

Guest post by Lillian Connors

About the Author

Lillian Connors can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out on Twitter and LinkedIn.