Green Up Your Workplace and Save the Environment

Going green refers to an approach towards the environment and focuses on the sound use of natural resources and preservation of natural elements. Even in the everyday life, people can do their bit towards safeguarding the environment through some simple activities, like turning off the lights when not being used, using recyclable paper bags rather than the plastic ones and many more. While, for environmentalists going green might be a campaign, it has copious tangible benefits for average citizens as well. Apart from being implemented in homes, the approach of going green can also do wonders when applied in an office setting.

Creating a soothing and environmentally sound office can drastically boost up the appeal of a company, leaving a good impression on both your employees as well as clients. Due to the growing environment concerns, a lot of people support the "green movement". A green workplace can help in gaining the approval and confidence of individuals supporting this cause. Another benefit of creating a greener office space is that it helps in reducing the company's expenses by improving efficiency, through the use of natural energy resources. Using the natural lighting, using recyclable paper, turning off computer monitors when not in use etc, are some of the things which could lead to expenditure reduction.

Such as these, there are several green practices that can be implemented to make an office space eco-friendly. Improving a building's efficiency calls for judicious use of the energy-consuming appliances, water and lighting. Talking about appliances, well today most of them, such as computer monitors, televisions, air-conditioning units etc, have energy-saving features which automatically shut them off if not used by anyone for a particular time period. By upgrading your older appliances and opting for the new ones that are available today, you can save a great amount of energy. If you do not want to purchase new machines, then the best way to save energy is by turning off the appliances when they are not being used.

Besides, lighting is also one of the most crucial elements in an office space. If you aim to have a green office space, then it is advisable to use CFL bulbs rather than ordinary light bulbs, as they are more energy-efficient and can save a great deal of your money. If your office is outfitted with large windows, then you can use the natural lighting as well. Using natural light, along with the artificial light can provide you right intensity to work, whilst decreasing the energy consumption at the same time. Apart from the lighting, you can also improve the water efficiency at your workplace by using low-flow toilets, water-less urinals and auto shut-off taps for sinks. Though these upgrades do have high initial costs, but in the long time this action would be financially beneficial for your company by significantly reducing your water bill. So, go ahead and implement all the office changes mentioned above and head towards saving the environment.

Go Green While Choosing an Office Space

Are you motivated to build an energy-efficient, eco-friendly and sustainable business? If yes, then finding an eco-friendly or green commercial office space must be your first step towards the goal. There are numerous subtle factors which reveal the green status of a space. If you want to go green, then following are some of the most crucial features that you should consider while choosing a new office space. Even if you are planning to have an office refurbished then make sure that your workplace has all these features.

* Natural light - Decreasing dependence on the artificial light implies relying more on sun's natural light and using less electricity. This eventually reduces your energy bills by helping you save a great deal of money. To maximize the effect of sunlight, you can choose reflective or light-colored office interiors.

* Windows - Today, most offices are outfitted with sealed windows, in order to easily control and monitor the climate inside. However, a more eco-friendly option is to have large windows, which can be kept shut in winters but opened during summers to decrease load on the air-conditioning units that use a good amount of energy. So, see to it that your new office does have large windows to welcome the sunlight.

* Proximity to the public transportation - If your employees take public transport to reach your office, then they can significantly reduce the overall impact that your company has on environment. Thus, as an employer, you should provide your employees with the easiest and most convenient way to arrive at the office i.e. via public transportation and not by their own conveyance.

* Insulation - Lack of proper insulation is one of the most common causes of energy wastage. So, another thing that you need to make sure while choosing an office space is that it does not lose heat easily. This applies even if your workspace is situated in an extremely cold climate. To know the total energy consumption of your office, you can seek services of power consumption evaluators, who would not only tell you how much total energy is consumed by your office but also suggest appropriate solutions. The best part is that usually these solutions are quite cost-effective.

* Solar panels - It is one of the most popular features of green offices. Solar panels can generate electricity in a natural way using the sunlight. There are several equipment in an office that require power to work, such as computers, servers, fax machines, printers, photocopiers etc. The presence of so many machines consumes more energy, leading to higher electricity bills. To cut back on these costs, installation of solar panels can work wonders. If you already have or are planning to look for a large commercial property, then you would apparently have more space for installing them. On big properties, they can be installed on the roof, in the car parks, gardens, sheltered walkways and other spaces.