Coworking spaces have disrupted traditional work environments. They have been the biggest trend in the past few years to evolve the space. And have moved from building affordable workspaces to offer much more than just a simple workspace. Features such as WiFi, conference rooms, snack bar, game zone, community, etc. have moved the perspective from a luxury classification to a generic one. Moreover, coworking spaces are trying to offer new features and amenities to meet their demand of customers.
So, what is the latest trend in the coworking spaces industry? The answer is Go Green.!
Green buildings refer to any eco-friendly construction that does not harm the environment and implements tools and techniques that are sustainable and cost-efficient. Green spaces not only promote a healthy workspace but also tends to increase the productivity of a startup.
According to the World Green Building Council, in 2018 alone, 27% of green building initiatives were successfully carried across the globe, and it is expected that more than 60% of new constructions projects will shift to green buildings by 2021. The green building market in India is expected to hit $35–50 billion in the next three to five years. This is also one of the hot-selling factors which provide an edge to a coworking space as opposed to its competition.
The major reasons behind coworking space to adopt greener building structure are,
- It reduces operations cost
- It conserves natural resources like water and electricity
- It ensures minimum wastage of land and maximum utilization of resources
- It uses renewable materials for construction and maximizes the use of recycled materials
- They help in reducing the carbon footprint in the workspace
- It promotes a safer environment by eliminating toxins
- It offers a better quality of living and promotes occupants health as a whole
Further, Green buildings also help people in the workspace. A few reasons to help you claim this are,
- Increasing their productivity and focus
- Creating a positive, healthy environment
- Improve morale
- Improve cognition and creativity
- Reduce absenteeism
- Creating comfortless
According to ANAROCK, the real estate sector produces 40% of waste and 35% of greenhouse gases. Also, this sector uses up more than 25% of water and energy resources. So there is no other option other than opting for greener solutions. Also, it adds a liveliness to the workspace environment as well. So yes, the future of coworking is greener workspaces to work on. Sooner or later, all coworking spaces will have this green building structure as their basic facility in the space.
Here are a few ways on how you can employ green and sustainable shared workspaces,
Reduce Your Daily Water Usage
Water being the most scarce resource in today’s world, reducing its usage it’s the first step of going green. From restricting the water flow in taps to the usage of water in washrooms, it needs to plan efficiently. Follow rainwater harvesting techniques and reusing water methods which can save water. Also, if your workspace is a building, try installing rainwater harvesting. This way, you are giving your share of nature back to it.
Rethink Your Paper Products
Use recycled paper in your printer and copier. Use a recycled paper towel. Use recycled toilet paper. It sounds simple, but doing so can create a huge impact. And, these are all easy to find and available in bulk at a low cost.
Get the Right Lights
Install motion sensors on your lighting, this will significantly reduce your electric usage and bills. Use LED lights, which can save electricity, at the same time which can give brighter lights. Wherever possible try to make use of natural lights during the day time.
Go Low VOC
Paints and building materials contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). Choose low VOC paints and products to keep harmful pollutants out of your space.
Clean Green
Use natural cleaning supplies in your space for wiping down counters and tables, doing the dishes, mopping floors and cleaning the bathrooms.
Green the Air with Plants
Closed space can contain a variety of pollutants, and using plants can improve the air quality of the space. Here are five air improving plants to put in your shared workspace — Spider Plant, Dracaena, Ficus, Boston Fern, and Snake Plant. Thinking of investing over that $500 air purifier? Think again & make a wise decision to invest in these sets of plants.
Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
Create a culture where recycling is practised in all things — make your members use only recyclable things. Ditch the disposable cups, plates, and flatware in your space and invest in real, reusable ones like you have at home. This way, collaboration & creativity could also find their fit among various other factors of the workspace.
Say NO to Plastic
Wherever possible, reduce or eliminate the use of plastic in your space. We all know that plastics are eating our planet and all the reasons you need are just a Google away!
Consider Solar
Solar energy can greatly reduce energy consumption and help in saving money too. It’s a one-time investment that is worth investing in. It might take a few bucks from your pocket for initial investment, but for longer runs, it’s worth every penny.
Conclusion
While there still be a market segment that refuses to adapt to this shift, there are players who have already placed into the process. Even customers prefer a space which is green & offering a lively environment. So, when is the shift taking place? Well, much sooner than you think. Empowerers Coworking City is one of those prominent coworking spaces in Delhi which offers its customers a green workspace for a healthier you. Excited to visit us? Drop-in your details today!
