Sustainable office spaces are gaining popularity worldwide. Sustainable design reduces the carbon footprint but also has a positive effect on employee wellness and productivity. As more and more companies are embracing sustainable design, it is important for design students to understand and learn how cost-effectiveness and sustainable goals can be aligned without compromising the aesthetics.
If you wish to pursue an interior design bachelor degree, here are some useful insights on creating a greener office building:
Use daylighting:
An office that receives plenty of sunlight and views of the outdoors creates a calm and welcoming environment for employees. Daylight exposure not just boosts creativity and productivity but also promotes good quality sleep by regulating the body’s circadian rhythms. For efficient lighting at a workplace, a well-throughout combination of daylight and artificial light needs to be used. Here are some effective strategies to use daylight and artificial light:
- Roller shade systems: A roller shade systems let in natural light. As the shades can be adjusted, employees can adjust the brightness to suit their needs.
- Use lights that mimic sunlight: Skylights are a great option to flood the office with natural light but in the evening or on cloudy days, they may not be the most effective option. Luminous ceiling fixtures that mimic sunlight are ideal for the workplace as it has been found that exposure to white or blue light improves alertness and performance.
Incorporate biophilic design:
Biophilic office designs are gaining popularity all over the world. Biophilia is defined as the human instinct to connect with nature. Biophilic office design can be incorporated by maximizing natural light through an open floor plan, large windows and skylights and bringing in greenery in the form of potted plants, climbing gardens and green walls.
Use sustainable building materials:
A very important part of making a green building is to use environmentally friendly building materials. By using sustainable materials, the impact of construction on the environment can be reduced. Interior designers are widely using reclaimed wood, recycled glass or natural products such as bamboo and cork. Even organic paints are being used to reduce the negative impacts of the toxins released by paints.
Improve indoor air quality:
In recent years, there has been a lot of emphasis on indoor air quality in offices. An office with poor air quality and lacking air circulation is definitely not the ideal environment for productivity. Interior designers are making use of natural and mechanical ventilation to improve indoor air quality. Interior designers are expanding outdoor space by building balconies or installing large windows for cross-ventilation. High-volume low-speed (HVLS) fans and exhaust fans are being integrated into the design so that comfortable and energy-efficient office environments can be created.
Looking for the best designing colleges in India?
Among the best designing colleges in India, Unitedworld Institute of Design (UID) offers B. Design Interior & Furniture Design and M. Design Interior & Experience Design that are designed to offer students a creative learning experience that involves a lot of hands-on training under the guidance of learned faculty and industry experts. Industry internship and graduation project are part of the both the courses.
Karnavati University
Unitedworld Institute of Design