by Haris Quintana

If you would like to make the most out of your business reputation and your budget, you might be thinking about creating a sustainability policy for your business. If you are not following the latest policy developments, and take care of sustainability in your business, you might be considered as an old fashioned firm that doesn’t take corporate social responsibility seriously. No matter if you are planning to renovate your business premises or would like to move into a new office, maybe have a custom warehouse built, you might want to implement green technology. Find out how below.

Materials

The first thing you will need to pay attention to when setting up your first business office is the materials you use. This doesn’t only apply to the building materials,  but also the furnishing and the wall coverings, floorings, and windows. You will need to ensure that you have checked the carbon footprint of every item you purchase for your business, so you can ensure that you are not polluting the environment and are creating a healthy environment for your workers.

Heating and Air Conditioning

Some of the greatest energy consumers are your heaters and air conditioning systems. If your office or workshop is located where there is a mild climate, you might consider getting heat pump instead of a traditional HVAC system. You will be able to use geothermal energy for heating and air conditioning. The larger your office or warehouse building is, the more energy you will save, and the sooner you will see a return on your investment.

Natural Light

Image via Wikimedia Commons

When you talk to an architect about the layout of your office or workshop, you will need to ask them to think about adding some natural light to your indoor space, and allow it to flow freely throughout your space. This will not only reduce your electricity costs, but also help you improve the mood of your employees. A bright and modern office with loads of open space will certainly improve your employee engagement, even your productivity.

Solar Energy

To make your building even more sustainable, you might also set up a way to generate electricity for your business. While there are other ways to do it, the easiest one is installing solar panels on the roof. This will reduce your operational expenses and help you make the most out of your budget. At the same time, you could set up a fitness center for your employees where they could go on a cycling machine to generate power, while they are getting some exercise for free.

Upcycling

You don’t necessarily need to have brand new furniture to make your office look sophisticated and outstanding. Natural materials and those that have aged and have a sense of history about them, and those that are still practical will make your office feel like home. No matter if you want to create a special meeting table that is upcycled, or create decoration from vintage items, you will have loads of fun and build your team at the same time.

Insulation

If you want your business to be truly green, you will also have to find a way to reduce the loss of heat and energy, If you invest in insulation now, you will save a fortune in the next few years. You should have a look at special insulated roof panels  for your office that will keep your premises just the right temperature in every season. After all, you want to create value and invest in the future of your company, and this includes getting things right the first time, so you don’t have to spend money over and over again.

Energy Monitor

Image via Wikimedia Commons

To record and monitor the carbon footprint of your office, you might want to install an energy monitor. Make sure that you are using the latest technology to prevent overheating or over-ventilating your office, and monitor your carbon footprint. You can check how much electricity your machinery is using, and even measure the waste you produce at your workshop, so you can find a way to reduce it.

Automated Lights

If there is one thing that is frustrating about running a business with employees who work different shifts, it is making the most out of your energy resources. People might come and go, and there is no point keeping the lights on at areas that are not being used. This is why you might want to invest in a motion sensor switch that will detect people who are in the part of the building, and turn the lights on when needed, but switch them off automatically when there is nobody around. People are forgetful, and you cannot rely on your employees to know their colleagues’ daily schedule or shifts by heart.

Support Electric Cars

If you would like to encourage your employees to become more efficient and share your vision for a greener and more sustainable future, you might want to encourage them to switch to fully electric or hybrid vehicles. You might set up a scheme for car sharing, a company fund for supporting them switching to greener cars, and even set up your charging points for those who arrive in greener vehicles.

Encourage Biking

There are, of course, more green ways to get to the office than by electric cars. Electric scooters and even bikes should be encouraged by the management. You can set up bike racks outside, and reward your employees with a healthy breakfast or unlimited fruit, maybe organic coffee or shakes for coming to work on their bikes. After all, the greener the mindset of your employees is, the easier it will be for you to communicate and share sustainable values and initiatives.

In case you are renovating or moving business premises, it is important that you plan for the future and embrace your own and the government’s green initiatives. If you would like to promote sustainability in the workplace, you will need to lead by example and set realistic targets to reduce your company’s carbon emissions.

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