Designing a green office in 4 steps

How to Make an Office More Sustainable?

There are many strategies that can be implemented: from transitioning production, to renovating the building, from eliminating plastics, to using renewable energy sources.

Strategies aimed at making a company more eco-friendly also extend to office design.

Designing an office with a green perspective has several advantages, 2 in particular:

• Reducing the environmental impact of the building
• Enhancing the quality of life for people who use the office

How to make an office sustainable?

Here are 4 suggestions to start designing a green space.

An Eco-Friendly Office: Waste Management

There are 3 good practices that can be applied to all kinds of offices.

• Reduce paper and plastic usage: opt for recycled paper and print documents only when necessary, or install a purified water dispenser for refilling company water bottles
• Use biodegradable materials: examples include refillable ink cartridges for printers and recyclable coffee cups
• Implement recycling: provide containers throughout the office for sorting waste according to the guidelines of the local municipality.

However, virtuous waste management alone is not enough to truly make an office green.

Another strategy involves optimizing energy consumption.

Saving Energy for a Sustainable Office

Optimizing energy consumption can be applied at various levels: from systems to employees' daily habits.

In particular, there are 3 measures that positively impact consumption savings in an office.

• Use LED lighting: for both common area lamps and desk task lighting.
• Automatically regulate temperature: consider a smart thermostat and set it to activate climate control only when necessary, based on perceived temperature.
• Reduce screen brightness: lower monitor brightness, avoid leaving screens on standby, and activate eco mode on compatible devices to reduce environmental impact.

In addition to individual habits, there are structural interventions that companies can implement to reduce the environmental impact of their activities.

Let's see some examples related to opting for renewable energy sources.

Sustainable Offices and Use of Renewable Sources

Renewable energies are a solution that an increasing number of companies choose to limit their environmental impact.

Here are 3 examples of possible strategies to consider.

• Install solar panels: useful for powering lighting and production machinery in manufacturing companies.
• Use company electric vehicles, rechargeable through solar power: a functional option for logistics and transportation companies or those using smaller vehicles, such as warehouse forklifts.
• Select green suppliers aligned with your values: while companies may not control their entire production supply chain, they can choose which suppliers to work with and opt for partners who share an eco-sustainability strategy.

In addition to using renewable sources and selecting greener partnerships, companies can consult designers and architecture firms to make their spaces greener and benefit from the advantages that coexisting with plants provides.

Designing Green Areas for a Truly Eco-Friendly Office

Decorating offices with a touch of green offers numerous benefits, including:

• Air purification
• Stress reduction and mood enhancement
• Contribution to thermal regulation of the environment
• Improved acoustic comfort in the space

To achieve these benefits, it's important to design the botanical layout respecting the needs of plant species and considering the characteristics of the designated area.

At Verde Profilo, we've developed various solutions suitable for offices of all sizes. Our products require minimal maintenance - in some cases, none at all - and range from vertical gardens to stabilized lichen solutions.

Our team provides consultation and support throughout all phases of design, plant selection, and office greenery installation.

Looking for a partner to design eco-friendly offices? 

Nothing tells our story better than the projects we've collaborated on: get inspired!

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