A well-known and recurrent good intention for the coming year; the creation of a sustainable and environmentally friendly office space. Now it is time to start making your office space more durable. Anyone in the office can help make your office space more sustainable: It is good for the environment and corporate image. With these five steps, you will know the added value of having a sustainable and environmentally friendly Office Space!
Be mindful of Sustainability.
Sustainability has been on your organisation’s to-do list for months or even years. But you can save money in a variety of areas and in that way contribute to a cleaner environment. Whether you are a CEO, manager or employee, everyone has the opportunity to impact sustainability on the premises.
Sustainability is an all-encompassing concept. It contains everything pertaining to the environment, ecology and responsible life. It implies the three pillars: people, the planet and profit. Every business wants to make some profit, but it is important that you, as an entrepreneur also consider the people and the environment around the business.
#1 Start with waste Processing
We produce a great deal of waste within the office environment, which is why separating waste is desirable, not only for the environment but also from a financial point of view. Studies show that 35% of Dutch companies give little or no attention to waste sorting.
The reasons why your company is late in processing waste is due to the fact that it is easier to manage waste at home and you are forced to separate the waste. It is therefore time to better manage waste treatment in your office and to upgrade waste treatment facilities in your office.
This is how you do It!
First, identify for your business which waste types are most common in the workplace. Usually these are mostly paper, cardboard, ink cartridges and other waste. After mapping all types of waste in your office space, the next step is to make sure that you have the waste containers in a central place in the office and that they clearly indicate what kind of waste it is. That means everything does not end up in a big pile of residual waste.
Also, avoid personal garbage containers under office tables of your employees. These containers are only used for residual waste, which will result in an increase in the total amount of residual waste. By removing the personal bins below the office tables, employees will walk to the central waste containers.
The Effects of Waste Disposal
As mentioned earlier, it is good for the environment and the corporate portfolio to segregate waste, but there are also a number of reasons to start treating waste today. The image of the enterprise will also be enhanced. A key priority for many companies is corporate social responsibility. Waste sorting is another important issue on the agenda.
#2 Insulate your Office Space
Insulation is a means to ensure that the hot air in your office space does not escape. Since the average temperature in the Netherlands is around 12 degrees Celsius and the average temperature indoors is around 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, you can imagine that keeping warm air indoors has many advantages. A number of benefits can be found hereunder.
The usefulness of Insulated Office Space
Using insulation to reduce waste in offices is one of the simplest ways to reduce energy costs. You will also reduce your reliance on heat and air conditioning in the office, resulting in cost savings.
The easiest way to increase the value of your office space is to invest in energy efficiency, particularly if you improve your business to a larger work environment. As a rule of thumb, approximately 75% of insulation costs can be added to the value of office space. Without surprise: an insulated office uses much less energy. There are also various grant possibilities for the insulation of your office space whose VAT rate is only 6% in the Netherlands.
#3 Go for Economic Lighting
Your office space is enlivened by activity throughout the day, no wonder there will be a lot of light on. The lamps that are lit in the bedrooms that we do not use is a waste. This, of course, applies to lighting for office buildings as well. Therefore, always make sure that the lighting turns off automatically when the room is no longer in use.
Choose lamps that are economical, that is to say. LED lamps. These lamps are at present the most durable option and will last for a long time. Additionally, the energy label is shown on the lamp packaging. A lamp with an energetic A label is the most economical. To determine how efficient the lamp is, divide the number of lumens (the amount of light) by the number of watts (the current that the lamp uses).
Do you have any Questions regarding your Office Space?
Now that you know all the ins and outs of sustainability in the office, it is possible that you have to first and foremost look for a sustainable office space. Horizons Offices will help you find the perfect office space for your organization. After finding the perfect business accommodation, they will of course give some advice for creating a sustainable office space!