The lighting changes at Pennsylvania Power and Light are part of a number of green design strategies used by program planners, office designers and property managers to improve the work environment. Green offices conserve resources, improve air quality and use natural light to the greatest extent possible.

Incorporate green design strategies and you'll improve morale because you've designed foremost with the people in mind. Since labor costs are about 100 times the cost of energy, even a modest increase in an office worker's productivity is of far greater value than reducing-or even going as far as eliminating- the entire energy bill!

This article will discuss design principles and management strategies within the capability of most employees and managers. Remember, those who work in leased space can still improve the quality of the work environment because we manage resources every day. Explore "greener pastures" at work and change is only a day away.

Veterans Affairs Regional Office - Atlanta 1700 Clairmont Road, Decatur, GA The interior architecture and finishes were specifically designed to create an upgraded corporate feel while still being fiscally responsible as well as maintainable over the usable life-cycle of the building. In addition to the overall image, the design solution also placed circulation as much as possible along the insulated exterior glass. This feature, along with energy conscious lighting and HVAC systems, makes the building extremely energy efficient, lowering overhead costs for the VA. The inclusion of the facility management firm during the planning, design and construction phase was an important step in ensuring the energy performance of the facility.

It's Audit Time

Start by taking an inventory at your own office. What equipment uses the most energy? The major consumers are typically computers, copiers, fax machines, lighting and appliances. Machines that run continuously or those that don't go to "sleep" mode will always make the list.

Does your office recycle or reuse material resources? Paper, toner, glass, cardboard and electronics are among the materials recycled at Southface. How is space at your office utilized? Are certain workspaces crowded or poorly designed? Space can almost always be used more efficiently.

Does your office have poor air quality? Do the interior finishes or furnishings off-gas toxically? Do some fixtures produce irritating noises or give off harsh light? If you're a manager, gather input from your employees or co-workers. Staff input will help you better understand how energy, lighting and morale are all related. Be prepared to hear more than you've bargained for.

Here comes the sun

In office buildings in Japan, engineers simulate the outside environment by making computer controlled random changes to lighting, temperature and airflow. As workers are typing away, a mechanical system will occasionally inject a trace fragrance to stimulate the workers' senses, while subtle changes to lighting keep the brain subconsciously alerted.

Had the west adopted this design strategy we might occasionally be alerted by the soft patter of a rainstorm instead of a strong cup of coffee. Instead, designers can vary a commonly static environment by allowing natural light to enter the building. As the sun enters the building, workers are kept alert by the changing patterns of cloud cover that dynamically alter the sun's light. Call it Japanese engineering at a fraction of the cost.

In southern climates, architects should specify energy efficient glazing (windows, skylights, glass doors, etc.) with both a U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) of less than 0.40. Good windows allow visible light to enter and reduce undesirable summertime heat gain. Daylighting isn't the only way to save on energy. Since offices tend to be over illuminated, simply reducing the number of light bulbs will lower energy use.

Think about installing compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs that use one-fourth of the energy of a comparable incandescent. Intelligently designed lighting systems ease eyestrain and minimize discomfort.

	The Atlanta Financial Center, completed in the late 1980s, was retrofitted to ENERGY STAR standards in 2001 and 2002. Major effort was put into HVAC components-chilled water, condenser water and airflow were all balanced, and the cooling tower was overhauled, increasing capacity by 10 percent.
	The Ashford Perimeter offices, constructed in 1983 were certified Energy Star in 2004 after both infrastructure retrofitting and attentive management practices. In addition, the buildings' lighting was retrofitted from T12 to T8 bulbs and where possible, incandescent and reflector bulbs were replaced with compact fluorescent bulbs.

Lets talk numbers

Photocopiers use heat and pressure to fuse toner onto paper. A $4,000 photocopier, if it operates continuously for its seven-year expected life, may use as much as $24,000 in paper and $15,000 in toner-nearly ten times its purchase price. Buying an ENERGY STAR(r) photocopier, using recycled content paper and copying on both sides can reduce power needs by 70-80 percent and cut operating costs in half. The heat produced by office equipment adds to the cooling requirements in the summer and does very little to offset the heating required from other sources during the winter. So a copier that goes to "stand-by" mode is not only energy efficient, it can save money on air conditioning as well. Buy or lease an ENERGY STAR photocopier when you replace your existing one.

A desktop computer CPU uses 50 watts of energy and the monitor uses 100 watts so turning off the monitor when not in use saves 2/3 of the energy needed to run the machine. In comparison, a continuously operating photocopier, even in "stand-by" mode, may use as much as 400 watts. Laptops and LCD flat screens use between 15-25 watts and because they use less space they make a workspace multifunctional. Purchase flat screens when updating your office equipment or buy power-saving software.

Power management software regulates energy use by searching for computers that have been inactive for a while. Files are saved, applications are closed and the system is shut down. When the user returns to boot up the computer, the software provides positive feedback in an on-screen log of energy savings and greenhouse gas emmission reductions. The software can be downloaded for free at www.energystar.gov. The Department of Energy's website is an excellent resource for information about energy efficient offices as well. If you've done all you can to reduce energy use, you can go one step further and improve indoor air quality. Office furnishings are usually constructed of synthetic materials that may off-gas and be detrimental to health. Select furnishings, wall coverings and carpets that have been GREENGUARD certified as low emitters of volatile organic compounds (low VOC). Choose flooring made from natural materials such as cork or bamboo. Reward Good Behavior Start by encouraging telecommuting, help pay for public transportation or provide bike racks at work. Ask each employee to purchase a compact fluorescent bulb for his or her workspace and buy lunch for those that do. Charlie Garlow, an attorney with the Environmental Protection Agency, helped establish an extensive office-recycling program for glass, newspaper, cans, plastics and even yellow sticky notes! The money went to help fund an on-site daycare. Taking simple steps such as these can make a difference at your office. One Atlanta office sponsored a voluntary "weight-loss competition" among employees. Each Friday they brought out the scale and the winners were the ones that came closest to the goals they set for themselves. Have your office establish a similar green goal. Here are some ideas: cut paper use in half, offset carbon emissions or buy a year's worth of green power. The included chart (page 8) lists Atlanta offices that have taken a proactive approach and have been awarded for their efforts. They have achieved ENERGY STAR for commercial buildings or have been LEEDTM certified. These buildings use less energy and fewer resources but are healthier and often less expensive to operate. Contact Southface at www.southface.org or call 404/872-3549 x127 to learn how the new Southface Eco Office expansion will be a model for green design in commercial construction.

Southface's role in "greening" your office Southface Green Building Services provides technical assistance on environmentally sustainable building and community design, building science, energy efficiency and renewable energy. Clients include the private sector, government agencies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and utilities. As a 501(c)3 educational non-profit with a research and technical assistance base, Southface does not directly provide design or construction services, but rather serves as a consultant to the owner or design team. Contact Southface for help with: • Training and consulting on environmentally responsible building design and construction • Eco-charrette facilitation including providing sustainable design and construction expertise • Design reviews and in-field training and diagnostics • LEED™ process guidance and administration, including scheduling, task management, documentation, and submittal preparation • Environmental materials research and technology recommendations • Energy performance modeling and building optimization • Commercial and residential energy code training and compliance documentation • Sustainable community and building case study development and promotion • Development of educational and outreach materials and programs