In an age where carbon footprints are under the microscope due to the state of the planet, it’s important to ensure that your company premises meet the requirements that are outlined by the governing bodies. Creating an eco-friendly workplace is something that every business should be looking at in 2020 – if we don’t there may not be a planet to inhabit in 50 years, according to scientific studies on the matter. Check out the steps you can take as a company to minimise your carbon footprint and create a sustainable workplace for the future in our guide to environmentally friendly features for the workplace.
DOORS
One overlooked feature that can have a huge impact on your carbon footprint is the doors that you use, both internally and externally. External doors will be larger and tailored to heavy-duty usage when loading and unloading trucks, meaning they need to have great heat retention capabilities to ensure that a consistent temperature is maintained. High-speed industrial doors are the ideal fit in these settings, with their faster action allowing them to retain heat, which helps to cut down on energy usage whilst also helping to protect temperature-sensitive goods such as food.
Internally, fire doors are an intelligent choice; they add an extra layer of protection in the event of an emergency, allowing you to ensure that your staff are kept safe through the use of the built-in wicket doors. Hormann produces high-quality fire doors that are constructed using responsibly source materials and sustainable production methods, which makes them a brilliant choice when moving towards an eco-friendly target.
DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS
Another heat-retention facility that you can utilise in your company premises is double and triple glazed windows – these introduce a further barrier against heat loss, which again allows you to minimise the energy required to maintain the required temperatures. These windows are a simple fix and are fairly easy to get installed, so if you’re looking at taking the formative steps towards transforming your workplace to an eco-friendly space, the windows are a great way to start.
RESPONSIBLY SOURCED MATERIALS
Another major factor in a company’s carbon footprint is the materials used throughout the company premises, as it’s a huge step if you can use sustainably and responsibly sourced materials in your plans. Looking to use these materials in the products that you make and distribute is also a great way to encourage a greener company landscape.
Recycling
We all recycle at home, but on a larger commercial level, recycling is something that is often left to slip – at such a scale, the difference that effective recycling can make is enormous. You can encourage an eco-friendly culture in the workplace by integrating instruction on how to recycle common workplace items during new employee induction sessions and by clearly pinpointing the designated recycling points throughout the building. If an entire company was to start recycling effectively, the difference made to the environment could be huge. Educating staff on which items can be recycled and how to recycle them is a great step in the right direction, so try to instil this mindset into your employees as soon as possible.
In addition to this, you could also begin to use recyclable packaging for your products and look for more efficient and eco-conscious transportation methods to further trim down your company’s effect on the environment.
Reducing corporate carbon footprints is a vital part of the ongoing fight to save the world from the current global warming crisis, so action must be taken as soon as possible to ensure a safer, greener future for all.
