green-inside-out blog

Greener From The Inside Out

The landscape of workplace design is an exciting opportunity for the innovative thinking and creativity of green design. No matter how corporate the culture, attracting and keeping top talent hinges upon the ability to adapt. Tapping into the same out of box thinking with your office design will create a destination that keeps your staff engaged and productive. Solid research meets aesthetic when dynamic design teams up with green design for well-being and productivity.

Dynamic office spaces are taking on a pivotal role in office design. It is an effective design trend that enables your space to multitask. In a sea of open plan design, providing adaptable areas that allow for continuous and productive activity plays right into the aesthetic of modern green office design. Dynamic spaces are moveable, constantly fluctuating, engaging, and can quickly transform from a space for company parties and activities into traditional conference rooms, training spaces or impromptu meeting areas.

Dynamic spaces offer the opportunity for businesses to be more creative with the use of their space. Interior designers know that businesses are constantly evolving and becoming more flexible, allowing colleagues and staff to innovate how, when and where they work. Dynamic spaces are defined by lightweight and moveable furniture with wheels, garage doors that open up the space to the outside, mobile plant containers, mobile storage benches, moveable living wall dividers, acoustic walls, white boards or chalkboard walls.

Green Design Creates Sophisticated Workspace Environments

As mentioned in the previous blog, Biophilic design is also changing the way we work, live, and operate within the built environment. Biophilic design at its core uses natural elements as an architectural framework, weaving the patterns and forms of nature into the built environment through the use of textures, patterns, natural lighting, and live plants. It’s been present for some time now in the more creative and progressive office spaces of large tech hubs, in high-end hospitality design and across the construction and engineering industries.

Biophillically designed workspaces continue to become more commonplace as WELL and LEED work collectively to embed and ingrain biophilic benefits into industry standards. But you don’t have to go all out with this trend. Smaller offices can achieve the same benefits by simply creating groupings of live plants in unused corners and conversation areas. Ongoing research extolling the benefits of incorporating biophilic design elements is being released regularly. Some of the benefits of live plants in the workplace include:

  • Reduced employee absenteeism
  • Improved health
  • Increased mood and feeling of well-being
  • Improved productivity
  • Increased employee engagement
  • Reduced stress levels
  • Mental restoration & reduced fatigue

Austin continues to be a key player in green design with not only new construction but redevelopment. What better way to go green on the inside than to repurpose a space with LEED design elements at the helm on the outside. Austin generated over 20 LEED certifications in 2017: 5.2 million square feet in all, according to American City Business Journals research. One of the developments leading the way is Mueller, the North Central Austin master-planned community that has received LEED Gold certification, one of the largest communities in the world to earn the honor. Multimedia behemoth South by Southwest (SXSW) just broke ground on its new “green” headquarters in downtown Austin.

Office Furniture NOW! has been a part of the Austin green building scene from the beginning. Buying pre-owned and refurbished office furniture earns LEED points that can not only save you money but lessen your environmental footprint. Our refurbished and pre-owned products, in particular, earn huge points towards LEED certification due to their recycled content. Many of the newer furnishings we sell are green-certified. When it comes to space planning and design, we can provide you with strategic solutions to create the green designed dynamic office space your team requires for productivity.


teresa-blogMEET TERESA ALVAREZ:  Teresa is an office furniture specialist who can help your business find the best short or long term solution for your needs. With 12 years experience in the office interiors and office supply business, she can guide you to the best dynamic office design solution for your green office. Contact her via email at teresa@officefurniturenow.com or give her a call at 888-910-3769 x139.