Tips for a Low-Carbon, Environmentally Friendly Office Move

While many growing enterprises face an ever-changing list of issues, one issue that remains constant is the need for more space as the business expands. Asset disposal can become a pressing issue for many startups as they slowly but surely begin to expand, and running out of room for much needed new equipment and technology is an issue that should not be taken lightly. As such, many companies may opt to move to a new office and relocate their office equipment so that they can have more room to work with and in order to reduce the need for asset disposal. Furthermore, some companies may feel that it is best to start fresh and replace all of their existing office furniture and appliances with new furniture and appliances. However, while tempting, this complete 180 approach may cause serious issues in terms of one’s carbon footprint. Here, we will provide you with some tips that will help make your office move a low-carbon and environmentally friendly one, so that you will not only reduce your carbon footprint, but also save money and time in the process.

Get Everyone Involved

It goes without saying that an office move is not something that happens randomly. Thus, you will want to implement a forward-thinking strategy that will facilitate corporate expansion and perpetual growth, while also carefully factoring in the present and future needs of both your workforce and your customers. Moreover, you must strongly consider the wellness and health needs of your clients and your employees, and also ensure that LEED certifications and other associated requirements are met. However, to meet all of the aforementioned needs, you must prioritize them, as an office relocation does not happen arbitrarily. Also, the reduction of your company’s carbon footprint must be incorporated into your forward-thinking strategy, ensuring that it is one of your top priorities.

In fact, you can further aid your conservational efforts by declaring to all of your workers that reducing the company’s carbon footprint during the move is of the utmost importance. By doing so, you will help govern the behaviour and mannerisms of all of the people involved and define or set the search and research parameters from day one.

Handle Inventory Management

When you plan your eco-friendly office relocation, you should consult everyone involved instead of simply appraising your designers and architects of your environmentally friendly strategy. That is, all of your stakeholders should also be informed of your plans, as should your customers, real estate agents, staff, and business partners. When everyone is involved in the end goal, the company and all its stakeholders will also be fully aware of your plans from start to finish so that there are no unexpected surprises along the way.

You should form a structure that facilitates the open exchange of feedback and ideas between all parties involved. Committees will also need to be formed in order to deal with land procurement, sourcing, and searching for viable workspace. These committees will need to determine which items must be thrown out, donated, or recycled.

In sum, everyone who is a part of your organization in some meaningful way will need to be routinely updated on your eco-friendly plans. Early engagement is key so that all of the relevant stakeholders will essentially be accountable to each other, ensuring that operations will run smoothly. In fact, it can be argued that waste and duplication will be significantly reduced, as engagement can help foster strong communities that value transparency, integrity, and honesty.

Perform a Lifespan Analysis

We would also highly recommend that you conduct an inventory before the move. That is, you should assess what you currently have as well as how long the items will last. You will also need to find ways to help your existing inventory last longer in order to maximize your return on investment. Furthermore, your staff will value their workstations and desks more if they are ergonomically calibrated for them. Thus, when you are creating your inventory, you should also factor in the intrinsic value that your staff associate with the office equipment that they use on a routine basis. By doing so, you will help encourage the proper care and maintenance of your office equipment and furniture. This will reduce wear and tear over time and help your corporate assets last longer, thereby reducing waste.

Moreover, conducting an inventory may allow you to discover that you actually need fewer new supplies than initially believed, which will save you money and reduce the amount of waste generated. In fact, you can save even more money by refinishing shelves and re-covering chairs that simply need a little repair or maintenance work. By conducting and managing an inventory system, the end result is the number of office supplies, furniture, and electronics that end up decaying in a landfill will be drastically reduced.

Perform a Lifespan Analysis

You should perform a lifespan analysis of each product that you are considering buying for your new office before you commit to the purchase. For instance, consider the standards that were adhered to while the item in question was being manufactured as well as the condition that it was in when it was being fabricated. You should also look into the maintenance or upkeep steps that need to be taken in the future for the item, as well as what steps must be taken when certain components of the product become worn or defective and will need to be disposed of. In sum, we would suggest that you try and purchase products that can be upgraded or repaired with replacement parts, as they will leave a smaller carbon footprint and will yield longer lifespans. If you would like some more eco-friendly moving tips or need help with your asset disposal initiatives, then please visit Michael’s Global Trading at our website or give us a call at 888-471-5066.

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