You’re wondering how to make your office more eco-friendly? Whether we like to think about it or not, our world has limited resources at its disposal. And now, organizations and their corporate leaders are finally starting to understand just how important it is to implement environmental and sustainability practices into their business models. In fact, a study by McKinsey shows that those brands who have active sustainability strategies are able to make long-term investments — a “do-nothing” approach can lead to major losses in the future.
But when it comes to actual implementation, many organizations aren’t quite sure how to get started. It’s easier than you think: here are more than 10 simple steps to green your office space, starting in 2023.
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Find Ways to Go Paperless
Yes, in a few instances, documents are best when in physical form. But a majority of the world has gone completely digital — isn’t it about time that you do the same? There are a lot of benefits to moving towards a paperless business model.
Going paperless is an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. By being more environmentally conscious with your usage of paper, you will be instrumental in saving billions of trees, which in turn will boost the available oxygen in our atmosphere. Trees not only produce essential oxygen, but also remove other dangerous air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, ozone, and sulfur dioxide.
Beyond these obvious environmental benefits, your organization can also truly benefit from reducing or eliminating paper. For one, you and your team will always be able to access key paperwork from anywhere when it’s in digital form. And those important papers will also be more safe and secure when backed up to a password-protected drive as opposed to free-floating in physical form. You won’t need to worry that a fire or flood situation will irreparably damage your crucial documents.
It also takes up far less physical room within your office space. Gone are the days of needing tons of filing cabinets to house papers that may or may not be needed one day far in the future. And the cost savings alone speak for themselves! When fewer individuals are printing documents out, fewer printers, expensive ink, and paper are needed.
Add More Plants (Yes, Real Ones)
Did you know that indoor plants are stress relievers? That’s right – biophilia research has revealed that greenery throughout the workplace will not only improve oxygen levels, but can also help you and your coworkers to feel relaxed, productive, and happy all around!
Researchers from the University of Michigan even believe that green spaces can help to replenish our attention levels and focusing abilities. Plus, certain types of plants might even be able to boost our ability to get creative!
Utilize Natural Light
Natural light can be a powerful tool in the workplace – have you ever heard of someone who didn’t want an outside-facing window in their office space?
Natural light from exterior windows not only enhances the overall feeling of a space, making it bright and welcoming, but it can also increase productivity levels, boost Vitamin D, and encourage better sleep by maintaining circadian rhythms.
Sunlight improves one’s mood, triggering a release of serotonin and combating Seasonal Affective Disorder, when there’s a decrease in sunlight during those colder months.
Natural light also helps reduce reliance on artificial lighting, saving energy and related costs all around your office space. Depending on how strong the natural light is in your office, it could also help to reduce your heating bill, too! If not, consider installing some smart shades to keep your office as comfortable as possible during the sunnier, warmer months.
Install Smart Lights & Smart Plugs
For offices that don’t have the ability to utilize natural light as much as they’d like, there are other lighting options that are environmentally-friendly. Light-emitting diodes or LEDs are known to be highly energy-efficient lighting technology, using at least 75% less energy than incandescent light bulbs. They also are known to last up to 25 times longer than their outdated counterparts.
Smart lights are also a great upgrade to consider within your workspace. These Wi-Fi-enabled lights can be controlled remotely via a smartphone or smart device, and can be paired with timers, sensors, or set schedules to ensure they are only being used when necessary. When leaving a room or area of the office, the lights can be programmed to turn off automatically in order to save energy.
Smart plugs work in a similar way, with WiFi-enabled connectivity that enables you to turn the plug on and off from a smartphone, device, or even with the help of an AI virtual assistant like Google Home or Amazon Alexa.
Upgrade to a Smart Thermostat
How many times have you and a coworker fought over the temperature in the office? A CareerBuilder survey found that about 15% of employees have reported arguing with a colleague about the office temperature, while 19% went ahead and changed the thermostat themselves.
Smart thermostats just might be the answer to this age-old issue. One of the best features of a smart thermostat is its remote control feature, which allows the user to change the temperature via a smartphone or device. Plus, many smart thermostats will help to automate the most optimal temperature for an area and reduce its use during “off” hours that are pre-programmed via the app.
This allows business owners to efficiently manage the temperature of their commercial spaces and to improve its efficiency — as well as save money in the process. Plus, many will send alerts to the user’s smart device if any unexpected temperature changes occur.
Conserve Water
Water leaks are a huge waste of resources and can also lead to costly damage and repairs if left unattended for a long period of time. Smart leak sensors will monitor water flow levels in your office (such as the bathroom or office kitchen) to develop a pattern of water flow. If that level spikes suddenly, the smart leak detector will alert the user via smartphone. Some can even detect moisture levels and will shut the valve off to stop more issues from developing until you are able to take a look yourself.
Encourage Green Behavior
Sustainability is often a topic that is very important to employees and can often act as a main attractor for potential hires and retention strategy for existing employees. Here are some ways your organization can encourage and reward green behavior in employees independently.
Smart Commuting
If employees are able to walk, ride a bike, or utilize public transportation to get to and from work, consider offering a monetary or physical reward for these green efforts. Similarly, if employees decide to carpool to get to and from work, they too should qualify for reducing their individual carbon footprints even outside of the office.
Composting Solutions in the Office Kitchen
Consider starting a compost bin in the shared office kitchen and encourage its use by educating your employees on what can and cannot be composted. If your commercial space has the ability to start a community garden, use the compost in order to share the fruits of your labor as a staff.
Incentive Programs
Incentivize employees to find new ways to be environmentally-conscious in other areas of their lives. Reward their efforts with things like extra PTO days, gifts, or other monetary incentives.
Are you looking to bring some of these green habits into your own life at home? Here’s a quick guide to making your home more sustainable with a few easy tweaks.
Let Eco Smart Home Pros Make Your Workspace Green
Leveraging smart technology in the workplace has been shown to encourage organizations and individuals to make greener choices in other areas of life. Is it time for you to save money and conserve resources with the help of our team of smart tech integrators?
With more than 30 years of experience in programming and technology, Eco Smart Home Pros is here to help you find the right suite of solutions to improve your business’ impact on the environment, both today and in the future. See how our solutions can help you to work smarter and more sustainably. Shoot us a quick message to get started, today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sustainability in the workplace?
How to make your office eco-friendly is an important question. Sustainability in the workplace is when organizations work to balance three important elements: people, the planet, and profit. When these three pieces work together in unison, the organization is able to develop a sustainable, long-term solution that protects people and their environment for years to come, all while operating as a successful company.
Successful workplace sustainability typically comprises five key steps: 1. Conservation efforts, 2. Sustainable work, 3. Avoiding environmental harm, 4. Influencing others, 5. Taking initiative.
But we offer over 10 simple steps to green your office in this article.
Why do sustainable workplaces matter?
Sustainable workplaces matter because they are the cornerstone of our society as a whole, and an area of life that many adults dedicate a significant portion of their time and effort towards. There are major consequences for both the individuals and organization as a whole if sustainability isn’t observed within the workplace. In fact, research has shown that those who engage in eco-friendly behaviors at work are also experiencing higher levels of engagement with their jobs.
Plus, there are a variety of cost saving and productivity benefits associated with sustainable work practices. And there is always a hope that individuals will continue to make green choices even after they clock out at the end of the day.
