Eco-Friendly Office Ideas for 2023

Going green in the workplace has never been more important. With the UK’s sights set on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, businesses are feeling the pressure to reduce their environmental impact. Furthermore, greener workplaces also offer numerous business benefits too. Cost savings, improved employee well-being and an enhanced reputation, are just some of the benefits of eco-friendly offices. The good news is that going green doesn’t have to be either complicated or expensive. You can begin creating an eco-friendly office by making just a few small meaningful changes. In this guide, you’ll find seven great eco-friendly office ideas to help you get started.

1. On-Site Café

Locating your workplace where there’s an on-site café, can make a huge difference to your carbon footprint. By keeping staff breaks, lunches and meetings on-site, you can reduce the need for staff travel. With over 500 million cars already on the road worldwide, removing any unnecessary transport-related carbon emissions can make a huge difference. Tanshire Business Park’s on-site Pavilion café also prioritises locally sourced ingredients, minimises food waste and uses environmentally friendly packaging. This not only contributes to a greener environment but also helps businesses and their staff reduce their own environmental impact.

2. Maximise Natural Light

If there are windows in your office, make the most of them. Maximising the natural light in your office minimises the need for artificial lights, reducing your energy consumption and utility costs. A bright, naturally lit office is also great for boosting a sense of wellbeing among staff. Natural sunlight contains blue light, which helps to regulate our circadian rhythm and helps us to stay alert and focused. To maximise the natural light in your workplace, keep blinds and curtains open all day and remove any obstructions that might block the flow of light. Also, arrange your office space so that desks are near windows to allow staff to benefit from the natural light and its positive effects.

3. Smaller Office Spaces

Big is not always better when it comes to office spaces. Not only do smaller office spaces encourage greater collaboration and teamwork, but they also use less energy for lighting, cooling and heating. You won’t be heating or lighting any unnecessary or unused areas of the office, so nothing will be wasted. They also typically consume fewer resources in terms of office supplies and generate less waste. Smaller office spaces also offer considerable financial cost savings. By utilising a smaller office space, you not only reduce your rent costs, but you’ll also cut down on how much you spend on lighting, heating, cooling, and even cleaning.

4. Desk Plants

Indoor plants make a wonderful addition to any sustainable office and are a great way to optimise your desk space. While they enhance the aesthetics of the space, they also help to improve air quality and reduce allergens. Research by NASA shows that plants purify the air by removing pollutants and releasing oxygen. They can also help regulate humidity levels and reduce the need for energy-consuming humidifiers or dehumidifiers. A large desk plant can also provide shade and insulation, reducing the office’s reliance on heating and air conditioning systems. Plants can also create a sense of calmness in the office and help to reduce stress and boost productivity. Some of the most effective desk plants to have in the office include the rubber tree plant, English ivy, parlour palm, peace lily and Chinese evergreen.

5. LED Lighting

Switching to LED lighting in your office can significantly reduce your workplace’s energy consumption. LED light bulbs are extremely energy-efficient and consume 80% less electricity than traditional lighting. They last much longer than standard bulbs, emit less heat and don’t contain any harmful substances such as mercury which could impact the environment. LEDs are also recyclable, reducing your office’s carbon footprint even more. Furthermore, studies in Europe and the US have also found that switching to LED lighting can boost productivity in the workplace by more than 3%.

6. Recycle As Much As Possible

Office recycling is likely to become even more of a priority in 2023. A huge amount of office waste ends up in landfills each year, but this can be avoided by introducing some key initiatives. For example:

• Educate your staff about the proper way to recycle and why it’s important
• Set recycling targets for the office
• Provide clearly labelled recycling bins around the office for paper, glass, plastic, food and electronic waste
• Work towards becoming a paperless office by switching to digital or cloud-based alternatives
• Partner with recycling services for the collection and processing of your office recyclables
• Perform regular waste audits to identify any areas for improvement

7. Green Challenges and Incentives

For your green initiatives to be effective, you need staff buy-in. Introduce regular goals or challenges to keep things interesting for staff and promote awareness of environmental issues. For example, set a monthly recycling goal and reward the team that achieves the highest rate with a small prize. Offer the incentive of a gift card or other small reward to the employee or team who has consistently been the most energy efficient. You could organise a competition among staff to encourage green-commuting options such as walking, cycling or car sharing. The teams or individuals with the most sustainable commuting habits can get a small reward. You can even challenge staff to come up with innovative ideas to reduce the office’s carbon footprint, with the best idea getting a small bonus.

Eco-Friendly Office Space at Tanshire Business Park

With an increasing focus on environmental sustainability, businesses are recognising the importance of adopting eco-friendly and sustainable business practices in the workplace. From utilising an on-site café to minimise travel or introducing green challenges and incentives, there are many ways you can boost your office’s green credentials. If you want to make your workplace more eco-friendly in 2023, Tanshire Business Park is committed to helping businesses reach their green potential. Contact us today to learn more about eco-friendly office space at Tanshire Business Park and how we can help you create a greener future for your business.