High angle view of business people discussing at lobby. Male and female professionals are in office. Focus is on executives at workplace.

For Better Productivity, Go Green

December 20, 2017

This is part six in our ongoing series on increasing employee productivity. In a 2007 study published by Building Research and Information, 12 U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) buildings (including courthouses, offices, etc.) determined that workers’ productivity is higher in …

Categorized: Buildings

Businesswomen sitting in offices behind glass screen. Mature female manager at desk on left with two younger women sitting at table on right.

How Customizing the Workspace Boosts Productivity

November 29, 2017

This is part five in our continuing series on employee productivity.   More and more offices are moving to an open-workspace design, which can be great for team collaboration. These kinds of workspaces often include low-walled cubicles, shared workspaces, and …

Categorized: Buildings

Businessman with briefcase walking in minimalistic interior with blank wall. Mock up, 3D Rendering

Green Products, Part One: The Wool-Based “Smart Wall”

October 18, 2017

Walls have lagged behind in terms of efficiency and technology. According to Lucas Johnson, a Seattle-based consultant for 475 High Performance Building Supply:   Most walls are built with toxic materials and end up being vapor retarded or, in many …

Categorized: Buildings

Saint-Hyacinthe, Сanada - October 24, 2016: SYNERGIA COMPLEX Built at the corner of Casavant Boulevard and East Johnson Street, Saint-Hyacinthe. The tower at prestigious offices will be built according to strict standards of sustainable development and seeks LEED certification. The building with modern architecture present an apparent wood structure as well as imposing fenestration, allowing access to natural light and great views.

Earn LEED credits with Cradle to Cradle certified products

September 27, 2017

In 2002, German chemist Michael Braungart and U.S. architect William McDonough wrote a book called Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. The book was a manifesto, suggesting that we rethink the existing industrial “cradle to grave” strategy …

Categorized: Buildings

Close up of elderly person with walking zimmer

Better design means fewer falls

September 20, 2017

According to The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury or death among people 65 and older. According to the American Geriatric Society, most falls for this population occur in hospitals and nursing homes, …

Categorized: Buildings

Interior of walkways and skylight in modern office building

Daylighting can save you 33%

August 9, 2017

Daylighting is the practice of allowing a controlled amount of natural light into a building to reduce electric lighting costs. A daylighting system includes skylights and windows along with a daylight-responsive lighting control system. Such a system can reduce energy …

Categorized: Buildings

Close-up of a fire alarm.

Categorized: Buildings

Blue metal roof on an industrial building.

Green Retrofitting, Part Two: Cool Metal Roofing

July 12, 2017

This is part two in an ongoing series that will explore ways in which facilities can affordably retrofit to recoup energy costs and help the environment. This month we are focusing on cool metal roofing.   Metal roofs have been …

Categorized: Buildings

Futuristic office building

Green Retrofitting, Part One: Window Film

June 28, 2017

Get ready to have your mind blown. According to a study by the Electric Power Research Institute, energy-related expenditures costs companies $800 billion annually in the US. And what’s more, nearly 42% of heating and cooling energy is wasted. The …

Categorized: Buildings

Directly Below Shot Of glass Skylight in a modern building.

The energy and LEED benefits of reflective roof coatings

April 19, 2017

A facility in coastal Texas had a major problem. The roof of its 1,000,000 square foot facility had multiple, persistent leaks caused by high heat, humidity, UV degradation, and tropical storm damage. The leaks were so bad they caused work …

Categorized: Buildings