Integrating the Triple Bottom Line in workplace design.

With growing awareness of the construction industry's environmental impact, sustainable design has begun to filter through every level of real estate, from environmentally aware large-scale developers to ecologically-minded homeowners and office workers.

To meet this demand, the United States Green Building council is expanding the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system to accommodate varying scales and types of projects, including commercial interiors.

The recently released LEED-CI system does better represent an important segment of project work--for clients renovating, say, an office floor in a multi-tenant building--and LEED is an important benchmarking tool. However, forward-thinking design firms are calling on their clients and peers to look beyond LEED, to address issues of social and economic, as well as environmental, responsibility.

These three concepts--awareness of social, economic, and environmental responsibility--comprise the Triple Bottom Line. Although not a new concept, more companies are building all three into their corporate mission statements.

One design firm which has taken this approach is Perkins+Will, an international architectural, interiors, and planning firm with offices around the world. The firm is a leader in sustainable design, having eight projects that have earned LEED Certification, including two Platinum, as well as 60 more pending Certification. One of the Platinum projects is their own Seattle office, completed in 2006, in which the team disconnected from the HVAC system and went with an entirely naturally ventilated cooling system.

When Perkins+Will New York decided to move their offices, they capitalized on the opportunity to devise a working environment that functions as both a test place and showcase of their ideas about workplace design. The newly completed 4th floor at 215 Park Avenue South houses 85 architecture, interiors, workplace planning and strategies, and support employees. Guided by the office's knowledge of workplace and sustainable strategies, the design for the new space implements elements that address each of the areas of triple bottom line.

In the new Perkins+Will office, every staff member from principal to intern has a standard 6'x7' workstation. The layout eliminated both corner and perimeter offices to promote universal collaboration. The open plan layout allows each employee access to both natural daylight and views, as well as visual connection to the activity of the entire office. The bays are comprised of fixed spines and mobile furniture that can be reconfigured in multiple ways, depending on personal workstyles and preferences, as well as changing team formations.

The workplace strategies team extensively evaluated the implications of varying workstation panel heights, and chose a calibrated balance between privacy and visibility.

Team rooms along the main corridor provide space for small meetings, private conversations, and staff visiting from other offices, while larger, flexible conference rooms accommodate a range of meeting sizes and privacy requirements.

The firm consciously chose a new office space with a smaller footprint, even though the firm has continued to grow, to both maximize the feeling of community and collaboration within the office and minimize the financial impact of the move. To minimize material usage and reduce the construction budget, the design team left the floor and ceiling ductwork exposed. Multi-functional elements, such as magnetic team room walls used for display, further reduced material use.

During construction, the team salvaged and reused over 30% of the furniture, including filing and seating. To ease the constraints of moving into a smaller space, the office instituted a purge of outdated drawings and papers before the move, moving closer to a paperless design process.

The ventilation system brings in a high percentage of fresh outdoor air to keep employees energized, efficient, and healthy--and productive. The redesigned lighting and heating systems provide a higher level of control to keep the temperature more comfortable and the employees productive throughout changing conditions. Just steps from Union Square, the park functions as a front yard for the office, and provide an additional perk for employees.

Many elements of the design address environmental sustainability issues, and the office is expected to earn at least a LEED-CI Silver Rating. The relocation of the office to Union Square, close to many more public transportation options than the previous southeast Midtown location, encourages the staff and visitors to use mass transit, as does a nationwide corporate mass transit subsidy. Additionally, a shower is provided for employees who choose to bike to work and further reduce their carbon footprint.

Daylight sensors located throughout the office adjust the ambient lighting levels depending on the amount of daylight entering the space, to minimize wasted energy and reduce costs. Zoned lighting throughout the office provides flexibility during off-hours, and all team rooms are equipped with occupancy sensors. Under-shelf task lights at every workstation allow for further customization of light levels.

Low-flow self-powered sensored faucets use water flow as hydropower to use little or no energy, and sensors to limit unnecessary water use and minimize the passage of germs. Waterless urinals and dual flush toilets further reduce the burden on the municipal water supply and waste water systems. The interior designers took care to select low-emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, and coatings to reduce indoor contaminants and harmful fumes. The firm supplies the cleaning crew with non-toxic, environmentally-friendly cleaning products and restroom refill supplies.

BY ABIGAIL CARLEN, LEED PERKINS+WILL