SUSTAINABLE Office Design Checklist

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1 SUSTAINABLE Office Design Checklist 1 Experts in creating amazing work space environments.

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3 Introduction 4 Planning stage 5 Building assesment stage 6 Interior design phase 7 Build phase 9 Post occupation 10 Who can we talk to? 11 3

4 Introduction There are a number of benefits to having a welldesigned and managed green office. Reduction in energy consumption for instance helps lead to lower operating costs and by installing the right equipment you will benefit greatly from greater capital allowances against the purchase and installation of certified products. However, the more tangible benefits are not always the greatest. There can be huge positive impacts on your business as a whole. These can range from healthy and safe places for your employees to work through to an improved public image of your company. Enhancing your green brand will of course attract more people to your business, both clients and possibly employees. There are a number of different choices you could make that can make your office greener and that can help you to achieve those eco goals. This short guide aims to set out the key areas that you should focus on help make your office greener. Chameleon are experts in providing everything you need in office design, refurbishment and office relocations. We hope you find this guide useful. 4

5 Planning stage You should always decide as a team how seriously you want to take the environmental element of the project taking a look at the various different options that are available. This is a complicated area with ever changing legislation so you may need to involve a specialist. Your design or fit-out team should be able to provide you with a specialist who can advise you. We have provided you with some indicators of areas to discuss with your design team and when formulating a plan. Below you will find a summary of the three main assessment standards available for sustainable buildings and interior construction projects. BREEAM is a recognised system for measuring the environmental rating for buildings. It is focused on best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation. It evaluates things such as energy, water use, pollution, transport, health and wellbeing, waste and ecology issues. Throughout the UK all buildings are assessed with this being marked from as low as a pass through to outstanding. BREEAM is currently the most well recognised leader in the world who sets the standard. Another system that you may want to consider is SKA. This is a rating system which was also designed in the UK. The system is geared up for helping landlords and tenants access interior fit-out projects against a set of guidelines for good practice and is owned by RICS (Royal institute of chartered surveyors). Unlike BREEAM and LEED, SKA is only used to measure internal fit-out projects. You can achieve either Bronze, Silver or Gold levels. The last alternative is LEED. This reviews the overall performance of a building with regard to environmental issues. The grading achievements are certified, silver, gold and platinum. You should however also consider other bodies and guidelines including the CRC energy efficiency scheme focused on wholesale reduction in carbon emissions, CIBSE ( chartered institute of building services engineers ) guidelines and the statutory building regulations Part L covering conservation of fuel and power. Key Points Always make a decision at management level about how seriously you are going to be regarding sustainability. Gain a firm understanding of the benefits of the three main schemes. 5 Decide which grading standard you as a company would like to achieve.

6 Building assesment stage There are a number of things which you must consider in regards to sustainability when you are shortlisting your buildings. You should be led by your consultant at this phase who should support you as you move through the processes. By now, you should know what assessment method and grading you are aiming for. We have provided some points of discussion below for you. Does the building already possess a BREEAM or LEED rating? Are there any areas which you think could be improved? Have checks been undertaken to identify toxins, asbestos or poor air quality within the building? Is the building newly built to a high green performance? Does it have water and energy conservation features and was it designed with a sustainable code in place? Check the EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) for the building which will indicate how efficient it currently is. The scale runs from A meaning very efficient to G which is the worst level of efficiency rating. Building related illness (BRI) is a recognised issue. Specific complaints or health issues caused by poor air quality, lack of daylight or a toxic atmosphere can disrupt productivity and affect your entire business. Do some homework and talk to previous or current tenants as part of your research. Take a look at the availability of natural light within the building. If the office areas benefit from natural light this can reduce the need for artificial lighting considerably and make for a better environment for your staff. Carry out checks on accessibility of local facilities within walking distance and transport links to and 6 from the workplace which will ultimately minimise travel distance. Check to see if there are existing services encouraging the use of bikes for travel to the office such as storage racks and shower facilities. Investigate the air conditioning, heating and cooling equipment in the space. If the system is old and in poor condition it will have a big impact on running costs and the environment for your team. Although natural ventilation this is by far the best environmental option. Make a judgement of the view from the office floors. A good outside view will have a major impact on the psychological wellbeing of your people. Has your building been designed with sustainability in mind? Does it have a building energy management system to control HVAC automatically? Key Points Hire a professional sustainability contractor who can advise you when looking at potential buildings. Older buildings will often struggle to achieve the desired EPC ratings and will have poor sustainability credentials. Do some homework and speak to other people in the building about their experiences.

7 Interior design phase The design approach and the products and finishes used by your design team can have a major impact on the sustainability of your office environment. For a comprehensive list of specific items to consider refer to the RICS guide to SKA rating which covers all eventualities. You should get a qualified assessor on board who can help the process move forward and to a high level of compliance. We have highlighted the general areas of discussion below for when moving into the design phase of the operation: Enhance the design of the lighting, heating and cooling systems to cater for the precise usage that you will need. Design out excess capacity to reduce energy requirements. Consider energy efficient lighting design with movement sensor capability. Any catering points, kitchens, w.c. s and shower facilities should be designed with water conservation in mind. Low flow mixer taps, sensor based water flow, dual flush w.c. s and water reducing valves can radically reduce the amount of wasted water in a commercial building over a ten year lease period. Consider renewable energy sources such as solar power. Think about daylighting a term used to describe the introduction of daylight into interior spaces by careful space planning of workstations and enclosed office spaces. Aim to use sustainable floor finishes. There are carpets made from natural fibre, renewable and recyclable rubber floors or natural stone finishes. Innovative ideas such as polishing the existing concrete floors to provide decorative finishes can create design impact while maintaining sustainable credentials. Paint finishes are often made from petrochemical and mineral resources and contain high levels of volatile organic compounds which continue to be released as gas long after application. Green alternatives are natural paints that either contain no VOCs or naturally occurring ones such as pine resin. Aim to use natural paint finishes if possible. Ensure any timber specified in your design is from a sustainably managed source. 7

8 Consider the sourcing and environmental policies of all the product specified by your suppliers. Furniture manufacturers are now switched on to achieving green credentials but it is worthwhile understanding their methodology and level of commitment to green production processes and use of materials. Select products that have attained an A or A plus rating in line with the BRE green guide. Use recycled product or renewable materials such as hemp, flax or wool for thermal or acoustic insulation. Consider locally manufactured and sourced products and materials wherever possible. Key Points Be aware that using sustainable products and materials can be more costly. 8 Make certain that the design team work closely with your consultant in the creative phase and especially when materials are specified.

9 Build phase Throughout the build stage, it is important to affirm the guidance from your sustainability expert and design team. Here we have itemised some points for the best practice that you should be able to expect from your office improvement supplier. Make sure that your office improvement supplier has organised and targeted achievement of your desired rating in line with your preferred assessment type and grading with either BREEAM, SKA or LEED. Ask your supplier to measure and offset the carbon footprint created by the build phase of the project. Aim to minimise the amount of waste that goes to landfill and maximise recycled waste. This should be measured and recorded. Ensure your design and development supplier has a clear waste management methodology and take a look at their previous results. There should be clear goals for waste reduction, recovery of materials and use of recovered material. Take a look at how seriously your contractor takes sustainability in the design and day to day running of their own offices. Check to see how your design and development supplier selects their sub-contractor base. They should all be applying their own green policies to drive sustainability down through the supply chain. Make sure your supplier has an in house sustainability expert and preferably an ISO accreditation. Consider donating old furniture or equipment to local schools, institutions or charities to be re-used. 9 Key Points Check and ensure that your suppliers have followed through with their waste management and site related proposals. Contemplate sending some positive internal communication regarding the project and how you intend to carry on with your green footprint in the future.

10 Post occupation Once you are in your new office space, you need to consider your long term goals for sustainable operation. This also includes awareness and attitudes within your company. Below we have provided a few ideas to get you started: Provide committed areas within the office for recycled waste storage. Appoint a green champion to promote the environmental policy of your office. Provide training for your staff to highlight your green policy. Consider a long term obligation to a carbon offsetting programme and monitor and target a carbon neutral or negative footprint. Include natural areas in the office design scheme such as planting, outside spaces or planted living wall spaces If you have installed energy efficient lighting such as LED and high frequency fluorescent fittings ensure they are well maintained and that you monitor energy usage. Have a power off policy over night for all lighting and computer equipment. Set double sided printing as a standard and use recycled paper. Carry out regular checks on the air-conditioning system to maintain efficiency. Encourage use of the stairs rather than lift services. Enforce the use of electronic communication to reduce paper use for reports and internal correspondence. Install a power consumption monitor and set targets to reduce usage over fixed monthly periods. 10

11 Who can we talk to? It is no longer possible to ignore the issues which surround the environment and sustainability. Legislations are growing ever tighter to support good practice and energy costs are constantly rising because of this. Businesses now have no choice but to follow the government agenda and to keep ahead of the game. Offices Hull Our checklist has set out a few appropriate areas to consider along the way, however as with other specialist areas it is highly recommended to engage a specialist at the earliest opportunity in your planning stage. Should you wish to discuss any of the guide content in more detail or any other If you would like to speak to one of our workplace experts for advice and recommendations we provide a free initial consult service find out more by contacting using the following methods below. info@c-b-i.co.uk Telephone: Humber Quays Island Wharf Hull HU1 2BN Birmingham Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT Leeds Princes Exchange Princes Square Leeds LS1 4HY York Innovation Centre York Science Park York YO10 5DG

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13 We believe that good design provides return on investment, by improving team productivity, client relationsand making best use of space