Determination of the level of compliance of offices with sustainable development criteria was carried out by assessing the contribution of companies to activities aimed at:
The study involved 33 offices of 29 companies. Information was collected through a questionnaire. The questionnaires were filled out by 1,187 respondents from 17 Russian cities, from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Syktyvkar and Novosibirsk. As part of the “Sustainable Development in Offices 360” study, the following leaders of the “Green Offices of Russia 2017” rating were identified: Adidas, The Boston Consulting Group, L’Oréal, EY, Aeroclub.
It was important for the researchers to identify the main reasons why companies sought to make their office more sustainable. The survey showed that policies and procedures developed at the management level companies and whose implementation is controlled at the corporate level, have a much greater chance of implementation and compliance than the initiatives of company employees (Graphs №1 and №2).
Graph 1: Sustainability 360 – Administration
Graphs 1 and 2 show the average data on the questionnaires of representatives (1 – administration, 2 – employees) of the studied offices. Participants’ responses are divided into five levels of maturity according to their performance in each area: the farther the score is from the center, the more advanced the area is considered to be. At the same time, the maximum, fifth level, was adopted based on the actual best practices identified in the study.
Graph 2: Sustainability 360 – Employees
With a high level of development of the company, there is a developed strategy for sustainable development, reports are published (Graph №3). At the initial level of development, the company has separate regulations: for example, requirements for sorting waste, using reusable dishes, turning off computers after the end of the working day.
The study showed:
Graph 3: Maturity levels of environmental policy
With a high level of development in the company, various events are held, the purpose of which is to educate employees in the field of ecology in the form of lectures, master classes, volunteer events, regular thematic mailings, posting information on environmentally responsible behavior on public stands.
The study showed:
Graph 4: Involvement in environmental activities
The fact that the building has been certified according to one of the internationally recognized certification schemes for green building standards (LEED, BREEAM, DGNB) already indicates that the building was built or operated taking into account environmental protection requirements, a comfortable atmosphere has been created inside the building, and the finishing has been completed. qualitatively, attention is paid to the issues of reducing energy and water consumption.
The study showed:
To identify the environmental impact of the transport used by employees to travel from home to work, questions were included in the questionnaire to determine the shares of public and alternative transport in the total number of trips (Graph №5).
The study showed:
Graph 5: Type of transport used
The assessment of the environmental friendliness of finishing materials and furniture was determined by several parameters: the presence of recognized environmental labels (EPD-certificates, CradletoCradle for finishing materials, furniture with Blue Angel, Nordic Swan, Green Guard, FSC eco-labels, etc.), the use of recycled content in materials and furniture, the use of finishing materials with low levels of volatile organic compounds (Graph №6).
The study showed:
Depending on the level of development of sustainable development measures in companies, either comprehensive policies for responsible purchasing, or recommendations for certain types of purchased products, such as FSC paper, as well as requirements for the share of recycled content, can be developed.
The study showed:
Waste sorting can be the first step in developing a company’s environmental responsibility.
The study showed:
Companies could confirm sustainable use of materials through accepted rules for the use of reusable tableware, double-sided printing, the preference for hand dryers over paper towels, the use of reusable cloth towels or paper towels with recycled fiber and eco-labels.
The study showed:
An important criterion for a green office is the use of cleaning chemicals that are safe for people and the environment (the absence of chlorine, phosphates, phosphonates, anionic surfactants), the availability of eco-labels for them (EU Ecolabel, Blue Angel, ICEA), and the rejection of aerosol air fresheners.
The study showed:
62% of offices use eco-friendly or eco-labeled detergents and cleaners;
only 16% of offices do not use aerosol air fresheners.
Employees can be motivated to maintain a healthy lifestyle by providing corporate discounts to the gym, organizing sports competitions and infrastructure on the outside or inside of the office (bike parking, separate areas and facilities for sports) (Graph №6).
The study showed:
Graph 6: Employee Physical Activity Level
The extent to which the mental health aspects of employees are worked out depends on the presence of activities in the company that give employees the opportunity to reduce the level of stress in the workplace: for example, through flexible hours, organizing a recreation area, working from home, holding thematic events such as work-life balance training. life, stress resistance (Chart No. 7).
The study showed:
Graph 7: Stress levels in the workplace
To identify the positive and negative components of the quality of food, first of all, an analysis of the available infrastructure was carried out (the presence and quantity of a canteen, a cafe, a restaurant, a kitchen area with a refrigerator and the possibility of heating food near the office). The assessment of the level of food quality, similar to the level of comfort, was carried out taking into account the individual preferences of employees (Graph №8 and Graph №9). The availability of drinking water in the office was also analyzed (availability of built-in tap water filtration systems, coolers, domestic filters, bottled water).
The study showed:
Graph 8: Level of development of food infrastructure near the office
Graph 9: Quality of food during working hours (1 point – poor, 5 points – perfect)
The maximum impact on the energy efficiency of a building or office is possible during the design and construction period. To assess the energy efficiency of the office, information was collected on the fact that the design and construction took into account the best world practices, conducted energy modeling, energy audit with the assignment of an energy efficiency class to the building (Graph №10 and Graph №11).
The study showed:
Graph 10: Popularity of energy efficiency measures among respondents
To identify the implemented water-efficient solutions, it was determined whether the companies had programs to reduce water consumption, the use of plumbing equipment with low water consumption, aerators, and touch-controlled faucets. If there is a landscaping zone on the adjacent territory of the building, the absence of an irrigation system was considered a water-efficient measure. The presence of technologies for the use of gray water (wastewater in washbasins, bathtubs, showers) was revealed.
The study showed:
Graph 11: Popularity of measures to improve water conservation
The assessment of the comfort level is based on the satisfaction of employees with the conditions in the office, based on individual preferences. In addition, the presence of visual comfort zones and landscaping in the office is considered.
The study showed:
Graphs №12 and №13 show examples of positive and negative environmental factors.
Graph 12: Positive factors of the internal environment
Graph 13: Negative factors of the internal environment
As part of the analysis of accounting for CO2 emissions associated with the life of the company, the following activities were considered:
The study showed:
Graph 14: Implementation rate of CO2 accounting
As a result of the study, it was revealed that the desire of companies to improve the environmental friendliness of offices is associated with the factors reflected in Table №1.
Table 1: Maturity status of the green office market
Most of the companies that participated in the survey have developed sustainable development strategies or policies in certain areas and carry out environmental education activities. When decorating the offices, eco-friendly materials and furniture were used. Measures implemented at the operational stage include separate collection of waste (up to three fractions), eco-labeled paper towels, safe detergents are used. Many offices offer flexible working hours. Based on the responses of employees, it can be seen that in general they are satisfied with the offices of their companies. This suggests that the level of inquiries of employees is correlated with the level of maturity of the companies in which they work. For example, if a company provides various services and additional conditions for comfortable work, then the quality of employees and the requirements from them grow.
The journal Executive Director No. 1 (February-March 2018) published a study by HPBS “Sustainable Development in Offices 360”, the purpose of which was to determine the compliance of the office space of each of the participants in the study with environmental and social indicators, to stimulate the creation of favorable conditions for people, business and nature , i.e. green office culture, and maintaining sustainable development practices in the corporate culture.
Benefits of international certification of buildings LEED, BREEAM and WELL