GOING GREEN: THE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY OFFICE

by Mark Rowh

Office professionals can be as guilty as anyone of blindly following the latest trends. Look at the clothing displayed in old staff photos from the '70s or'80s and you're bound to ask, what were those people thinking? Things may be different when it comes to environmental concerns. Not only is interest in protecting the environment growing, but few expect this trend to be as fleeting as yesterday's belief that the wider the tie, the better.

"People are becoming more aware of their personal responsibility in making their offices more environmentally friendly," says Dave Burdakin, president of the HON Company. "They're also looking more closely at the environmental practices of the companies with which they do business. We're certainly finding our customers want to know more about what we do to protect and sustain the environment."

For those making selections of furniture and other products, this can be manifested on several levels. One is simply to look for products that make use of recycled materials. For example, the inner seat and back components of chairs might be manufactured with post-consumer waste, fabric may include materials from recycled polymers, or steel used in file cabinets and desks might contain a high level of post-consumer scrap.

"There is an increasing use of environmentally preferable office products as a substitute for traditional office supplies," says Tyler J. Elm, director of environmental affairs for Office Depot. "If office workers substitute regular office supplies with such products, the office can have a significant positive effect on the environment."

Basics such as paper, ink, and toner cartridges offer great opportunities for the environmentally conscious, he adds. "These items are used in huge quantities by every office," Elm says, pointing to Office Depot's 35 percent post consumer waste recycled content EnviroCopy paper as an example of an environmentally preferable paper product. Compared to traditional copy paper, this paper reportedly requires a third fewer trees to produce and is 15 percent more energy efficient.

Other products such as Xerox's solid ink technology offer similar advantages. Since solid ink printing involves less use of consumables than ordinary color laser printers, it produces 90 percent less waste. For 100,000 prints with a color laser printer, this can translate to 157 pounds of waste, compared to just four pounds with a solid ink printer.

Smart Designs

Certainly, promoting an environmentally friendly office involves more than conscientious product selection. The initial design of office spaces is a good starting point for environmental thinking.

Dan Meza, an architect with Ratcliff, an architectural firm in Emeryville, Calif., notes over the past 20 years, architects have recognized increased occurrences of green advertising from manufacturers.

"Manufacturers are realizing there is a market out there and architects are paying close attention to how a product is made, what material resources it consumes, how it is discarded, and other environmental criteria," he says. "The trend toward environmentally sensitive production practices has become more mainstream, and while there are still many hurdles ahead, the outlook is promising."

According to Meza, a common misconception is that green office design takes too much extra effort. "Curbside recycling was once an anomaly, but now it's as common as taking out the garbage," he says. Meza adds it's equally easy to adopt practices such as recycling and turning off lights or reducing heat and air conditioning when facilities are not in use. "It may take some convincing and sometimes policing to make such practices initially effective," he says, "but we are creatures of habit, and standard operating procedures can change."

Air Quality and Lighting

How's the air in your office? How about the lighting? In recent years, these factors have generated increasing interest on the part of office designers and those seeking a betterworking environment.

"Creating better air quality is a strong trend in modern offices," says Frank Hammes, president of IQAir North America. "Companies are starting to realize good indoor air is the key to better productivity and less sick time."

Office workers may assume air quality is acceptable if for no other reason than the surroundings look clean. But this may not be the case. "Many times the ventilation, air conditioning system, and air ducts are badly  maintained," Hammes says. "It's those hidden parts that can be at the root of bad air quality."

Hammes adds that contrary to popular belief, many small room air cleaners are not really effective tools for cleaning the air in an office environment. "Most air cleaning machines, especially the 'silent' ones, are not powerful enough to filter the constant stream of ozone generated by photocopiers, dust, allergens kicked up  from the floor, chemicals released by building materials, and traffic fumes brought in by the central air system," says Hammes. "When selecting a stand-alone air cleaning product for an office setting, it's important to match the air cleaning technology and air cleaning capacity to the environment."

For best particle removal, some experts advise investing in air cleaners with certified HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filters) technology, which is the type used in hospitals, as well as wide-spectrum gas filters for effective chemical and odor reduction. It's also important to check into the maximum capacity of any given air cleaner and make sure it matches the intended use. In large office spaces, several units may be necessary.

Another strategy involves assessing the potential impact of furniture or other products on air quality before purchasing them. Keep in mind some are likely candidates for out-gassing, which can occur when furniture, carpeting, or other products release gaseous chemicals into the air. To limit such problems, manufacturers of carpets, glues, and paints now offer low volatile organic compound (VOC) alternatives. They may be worth considering by those who are serious about indoor air quality.

Making the right choices in lighting can also pay dividends for new offices and almost any existing office space. "In recent years, lighting manufacturers have significantly improved their product output," says Jon Linn, commercial initiatives manager for Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships in Lexington, Mass. "There are now a number of beautifully designed, energy efficient lighting components and equipment that would suit any office."

For example, standard T12 acryliclens fixtures can be replaced with more energy efficient T8 lamps and advanced output T5s with electronic ballasts. "The harsh white light emitted by outdated lighting can overwhelm a space and will almost always get in the occupant's field of vision, leading to annoying glare and resulting in eyestrain," says Linn. "Energy costs to operate older lights also run high."

In addition to energy efficient lamps, ballasts, and fixtures, lighting controls can also be used to save energy. With automatic controls in place, lights can be turned off routinely when spaces are unoccupied, even if the last office workers or cleaning crew neglect this simple energy-saving act.

Lighting products designed to conserve energy may also enhance comfort levels. "Task lighting is becoming very popular," says Kim Carlson, chair of the Minnesota Environmental Initiative and an author on  environmental topics. "The idea is to not wash an area with light as in older office design, but to put energy efficient, compact fluorescents in pendant type fixtures that can be hung over desks or under cabinets to light up work surfaces."

Common Sense Steps

Along with product innovations, plain old common sense can go a long way toward making offices more environmentally friendly. Simple measures such as supporting recycling and making better use of previously used equipment or furnishings can be worthwhile. "One of the best procurement decisions a manager can make is not to procure at all," says Meza. "Furniture and furniture systems are expensive, so it might be worthwhile to investigate used furniture. Most manufacturers nowadays have a buyback or refurbishment program. This makes sense since the re-used furniture will avoid landfills and less energy will be expended in the production of new products."

Recycling business products is a practice anyone can follow. This might involve simply purchasing recycled products. Or users can turn in their depleted ink and toner cartridges to one of the many providers offering remanufacturing services. Office Depot, for instance, has a nation-wide laser and ink cartridge collection service and recycling program, providing drop boxes at stores as well as a prepaid take-back program for business clients. Such efforts not only help conserve resources, but positive environmental actions can often have a positive effect on the bottom line.

"There is money to be saved by being environmentally responsible in an office setting," Carlson says. "There is not necessarily a large upfront cost. It's mostly about changing a mindset and behavior."

Mark Rowh (markrowh@verizon.net) is an OfficeSOLUTIONS contributing editor based in Dublin, Va.