Shades of Green in the Workplace

Are you Green in the workplace? What does your business do to employ "green" practices? 

Businesses across the country are taking baby steps and eventual larger strides towards reaching various goals in creating a very sustainable workplace.  Some green practices are simple and others are more involved. This is what one local company is doing...

Turner Construction Company, which has over 40 offices in the US including one in Albany, NY, has seriously committed to making their offices greener and more inviting to their employees as well as visitors.  To date, 43% of their main offices have become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.  LEED is a rating system developed by the US Green Building Council that is designed to measure if a new or renovated building or office meets various requirements to reach a certain level of sustainability. A project can be certified at a Platinum, Gold, Silver or Certified level.  Obviously the higher the level, the more resources are needed.  BUT, the object here in the workplace and at home is to get ideas to start small, save some dollars, enhance even further, save more dollars, and ultimately sustain an efficient, organized, and comfortable setting.

An example of a new initiative introduced in a few of Turner’s offices is the use of interactive touch-screens which lets employees and visitors see live changes in office electricity and water usage, compare energy consumption office to office, and learn about the green features that help offices conserve resources.

Learning from others about basic and advanced practices, as described above, can also lay the foundation for sustainable operations and maintenance practices going forward.. Upfront planning for green operations and maintenance can help building owners and operators ensure that the building performs to its full potential.

Understanding how and when we use energy and other resources can help us evaluate and change our patterns of usage, and make informed decisions to reduce our environmental impact.  This can happen at the workplace or in your own homes.  Take pride in any setting you are in.

Submitted by Michael J. Stewart, LEED^® AP
Senior Project Manager
Turner Construction Company

TRIP Board Member