How To Achieve A Sustainable Office Fit-Out
7 minute read
As the impact of climate change on the world is at the forefront of many of our sustainable actions, it’s time to expand this further with our working lives. We’re programmed to recycle daily materials and print less, but how can we turn our office space into an environmentally friendly one that can reduce our carbon emissions? There are a number of ways to transform your office design with efficient and effective tools, products and company cultures for a better future.
Defining Your Goals For Sustainability
The notion of a sustainable office and workplace has evolved hugely over the last few years. When starting your journey with how to improve your environmental impact it’s time to think about the whole package and what steps you’re willing to take to reach your goals. This could include the office interior all the way through to the construction of your building.
When looking at overhauling your office, think about your CSR responsibilities, whether you want to achieve a SKA Gold standard from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, or reach certain ESG commitments. This environmental measurement is a great opportunity to assess your good practice measures and prioritise sustainability. This could start with locating your office within a BREEAM or LEED-accredited building and bringing on board an office fit-out company that shares the same values as you do for sustainability. By being on the same page as one another you can calculate long-term cost-efficiency and how to reduce your environmental impact.
Utilising Efficiency in Your Office
From renewable energy sources to power equipment, vehicles and lighting, these are just a few vital ways to improve your carbon footprint. With the right know-how and advice from professionals, there are plenty of innovative changes you can make to incorporate more efficient systems. The benefits are certainly impressive when presenting a lower environmental impact and long-term savings.
Energy Sources
From asking employees to switch off their computers when leaving the office, to car sharing, electric car schemes and recycling programmes, you’re encouraging your team to think more about their own habits. These workplace cultures and mindsets are important. But it’s also important as employers to invest in energy-efficient equipment and do your research on what items will improve efficiency. Don’t just think about the interior but the exterior too with options such as solar panels and electric car chargers to be installed if allowed.
Lighting
When designing your office fit-out, lighting plays an important role. Think of ways to reduce lighting use in the office with skylights and large windows that will allow more natural light to enter the building. Another alternative is to install occupancy sensors, LED lighting and dimming systems to reduce the amount of energy you’re using overall.
Using Sustainable Materials For Your Office
Once you have the fundamentals such as layout, floorpans and lighting in place, deciding on what sustainable materials you want to use is another step in the right direction for a low-carbon fit-out. This can range from wallpaper to low-emission paint, furniture, carpet made from recycled materials to worktops made from natural resources. Buy locally to reduce how far the items have had to travel for delivery or buy second-hand goods. There is much inspiration on how to repurpose office furniture to utilise existing products or to enhance the ones you already have within your office.
Creating a Sustainable Office Culture
A new office space isn’t one that should just tick a sustainability box, it should also enhance the working environment for the entire team. When looking at the potential of an office fit-out find a workplace design partner that understands your goals. Whether that’s working out a sustainable approach for the whole fitout or honing down on a particular area; they can assist in finding the best route to achieve your projects goals. Creating a sustainable office culture is one that should be respected not only by your company, but the people you partner with to help you get there. Once the project is complete, your Office design partner can provide you with supporting documentation proving the sustainability goals of the project have been met and assisting in supporting your journey to reduce the companies carbon emissions.
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Appointing a project manager or project team
Selecting an efficient and effective project management team and project leader will be the difference between a successful transformation and a failed one. Look online for reviews of different businesses or get word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow companies that have gone through a similar process. You want an office fit-out company that is transparent and innovative, will stick to the budget and deliver results on time. They’ll have their finger on the pulse with regard to legal matters and logistics whilst having an eye for detail and design.
Develop a detailed interior plan
When collaborating with a company for your office fit-out project, they’ll be able to provide a dedicated interior design team who will discuss your desires and requirements for how you want to office fit-out plan to look. From where you’ll place tables and chairs to artwork, lighting, furniture and important aspects such as plug sockets, they’ll be able to present a comprehensive and detailed interior plan that will make the process easier to digest.
Furniture
Picking out new furniture is one of the many exciting parts when fitting out an office. From colour schemes to materials, unique shapes and styles, you’ll be able to select from a wide range of manufacturers that will be able to cater for every area in the office from the meeting room to the kitchen and reception.
Lighting
Whether you’ve got plenty of natural light coming through to the office or you’re in need of bright and vibrant lighting that won’t give your workforce a headache, investing in decent and energy-efficient lighting is vital. Shop around and get feedback from your team about what will help improve working conditions in the office environment.
IT & Equipment
If you’re starting fresh and buying the latest IT and equipment, your budget will play a part in this and how much you can purchase. From new computers to kitchen accessories, touch screens and entertainment, this is your chance to invest in exciting technology that will boost the productivity of your team.
Storage
It’s something that probably isn’t a top priority for your refurbishment but if you are carrying out an office relocation or your adding additional areas to your current space, think about how much storage you’ll need. This could be for a range of items such as stationary, merchandise, files and that essential tea and coffee!
Pick an established office fit-out company
Researching which office fit-out company you’re going to bring on board for this project is essential. Look at their portfolio, list of services and pricing structure to ensure you’re on the same page and that they’ll deliver on your checklist.
Make your move
At Cobus Spaces we provide the ultimate office fit-out for clients across the country. We are renowned for delivering outstanding results time and time again and businesses trust us to innovate their workspace. We truly take on board your wants and needs and produce awe-inspiring ideas paired with the finest materials and manufacturers. Make the first move by contacting our team to see how we can assist you with your office fit-out.
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