Benefits of LEED Certification
In addition to implementing interior modern office design, workplaces committed to environmental sustainability may choose to lease or own buildings that are LEED certified. Although becoming LEED certified isn’t the right path for every business or building owner, seeking this certification may be advantageous if your company places a high priority on energy efficiency and sustainability. Interested in learning more about LEED certification? We share the details here.
What is LEED Certification?
The acronym LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. This certification program is sponsored by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is a multifaceted program and its primary goals are to improve the energy efficiency of buildings to improve human health and reduce waste.
According to the USGBC, buildings are responsible for 41% of all energy consumption, 13.6% of all potable water usage, and 73% of all electricity consumption in the United States. The LEED program seeks to reimagine how buildings and communities are designed, constructed, and maintained in order to secure a sustainable future.
LEED certification covers a broad range of possibilities, from new construction to existing buildings, and the certification operates on a rating system, in which green building techniques are awarded points across several categories. To become certified, your building must earn a minimum of 40 points. Earning additional points by meeting more green building criteria will boost your project to one of the higher rating levels. The rating levels and points needed are:
- Platinum: 80+ points
- Gold: 60-79 points
- Silver: 50-59 points
- Certified: 40-49 points
What Are the Benefits of LEED Certification?
If you’re a business owner, it may be beneficial to obtain LEED certification to demonstrate your commitment to sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices. This is especially important if these attributes are essential to your company’s core values.
If you’re a real estate investor, the economic benefits may be an appealing factor for you. LEED certified buildings tend to command higher rent, attract tenants more quickly, and help you qualify for tax incentives.
LEED certification is the international gold standard of sustainable building design and construction. Even if you don’t plan to seek this certification, you can upgrade your company’s image simply by investing in modern office design. To make your vision of the ideal workplace come to life, consider working with a team of design professionals. Our team has the expertise necessary to handle any project you have in mind, from space planning and design to move management and beyond. To learn more about how we can help achieve your goals, please contact us.
Our Favorite Work From Home Design Solutions
The coronavirus pandemic has made working from home a mainstay in many industries. Whether your company is working from home until further notice or you expect this to be a permanent change, creating the ideal environment will help you maximize productivity at home. If you’re still in the process of setting up your home office, the products we share here will help you plan an office room design that you love.
Mesh Office Chair
When you work from home, it can be tempting to grab your laptop and clock in from the bed or couch. However, you’ll likely find that this is uncomfortable (especially for a prolonged period of time) and makes it easy to become unfocused. Creating a dedicated workspace is the best solution for most remote employees, and an ergonomic mesh chair enhances comfort so you can stay focused. We source a host of excellent options, including the OTG11921B mesh-backed chair and the Global Vion Mesh Task Chair. Many of our options are customizable so you can select the perfect color and size for your needs.
Adjustable Height Desk
Like a comfortable office chair, the right desk is a crucial component of your home office space. We like adjustable height desks, since they can be used as a standing or sitting desk. They’re also handy for home offices that are used by more than one person. Regardless of the size you need, we can help. The ESI Enmo electric adjustable height desk is highly customizable to suit your space and the base comes in three modern finishes to complement any home office.
Desk With Storage
If you’ll be working from home long-term and need storage space to stay organized, a desk with storage cabinets will be useful. Laminate desks and storage drawers are often a practical and aesthetically appealing choice for the home office, as the options we source are well-made and similar to what you’d find in a corporate office environment.
Additional Accessories
If you’re working in a small space and need to save room, we like the ESI Motific Portable Tech Table. This product is incredibly mobile and is perfect for accommodating phones, tablets, or laptops. If a laptop is your preferred device for working from home, we love the Hana Laptop Support from ESI. This handy product allows you to adjust height and angle so your neck can remain in a comfortable position as you work. Working with a desktop? The Hana Monitor Riser from ESI is available in three convenient settings so you can find your ideal viewing height. Its metal base with wood finish is looks stylish and sleek in any setting.
We believe that you’ll find working from home more productive and enjoyable when you have a functional, stylish home office. We love helping our clients bring their office room design vision to life, and we’re here to help you create a customized space tailored to your needs. From seating to desks and beyond, our design team can assist you in achieving a home office that you’ll look forward to spending time in for years to come. To schedule a consultation, please reach out to us.
Design Strategies for Creating Open and Inviting Spaces
Planning to make the transition back into the office soon? If you’d like to make it easier to practice social distancing, you may be interested in strategies to create an open, inviting space. The office design ideas we share here may help you make the most of the area so employees will have plenty of room to feel comfortable and safe.
Utilize Natural Light
Whether you’re on the search for a new office building or you have the freedom to make changes to your existing space, finding ways for natural light to illuminate the room will make any size area feel more open. Look for offices that have desirable features such as skylights or an abundance of windows so your employees always have access to sunlight and views of the outdoors.
Prioritize High Ceilings
Like natural light, soaring ceilings come with the benefit of making any space feel larger and more inviting. In addition to being aesthetically appealing, buildings with high ceilings are easier to keep cool and promote a more comfortable work environment. Their versatility also gives the office designer more creative license to experiment with lighting and art to further enhance the space.
Set Up Multipurpose Spaces
Modern offices are increasingly moving toward the trend of offering multipurpose spaces. Gone are the days of employees sitting only at an assigned desk for the duration of the day. Now, multipurpose spaces encourage flexibility and creativity. Flex areas, such as a lounge area or breakout space, are great for promoting mobility and providing team members with a convenient place to break up their day with a change of scenery.
Add a Pop of Color
If you’re on the search for ways to make the workplace more inviting, look for opportunities to add a pop of color. If want to go big, a statement wall may be an excellent choice for incorporating a bold color. Looking for something more subtle? A brightly colored couch or lounge chair will add some personality to the room.
Creating the ideal office environment will help your employees maximize their productivity and feel at ease. The office design ideas mentioned here will contribute to an open and inviting space that your team members will look forward to working in. If you’re interested in redesigning the workplace with modern trends, our team is here to help. We offer a broad spectrum of services, from space planning and design to move management and leasing. To learn more about how we can help you achieve the vision you have for your office space, please contact our team for a consultation.
An Inside Look at Environments Denver’s Design Process
Office design speaks volumes about your business. If you’re interested in investing in a professionally-designed space with the best office furniture, our team can help. Curious about our process? Here, we share an inside look into how we operate to help you create the ideal workplace:Read more
Transitioning Back To The Workplace From A Remote Setting
Restaurant Seating in a Post COVID-19 Atmosphere
Dining at restaurants is a great way to support the local economy and break out of a social distancing rut. However, the restaurant scene looks a little different in light of social distancing requirements. Commercial interior designers have tried to maintain a fun and hospitable atmosphere while ensuring that seating guidelines are upheld. Here’s how local restaurants are adhering to social distancing concerns through seating arrangements.Read more
Post COVID-19 Commercial Bathroom Design
With many states reopening public spaces, larger establishments, including universities, airports, convention centers, and event arenas, must consider how to host people safely and successfully. Providing hand sanitizer, posting hand washing signs, and encouraging social distancing may not be enough. An area under much scrutiny is, not surprisingly, the bathroom. By their very nature, public restrooms are high-touch areas with little ventilation or open space. Designers are considering innovative ways to create safer spaces that foster public health and wellness. Here are a few new trends you may see in commercial bathroom design.Read more
Addressing Human Needs Within Design
We know our ancestors had vastly different needs than we do in today’s modern world. Humankind living during a paleolithic era would have required durable tools, collapsible shelters, warm clothing, and sustenance. In many of today’s developed societies, people survive and thrive under a much different set of social, economic, and legal rules. Needs continue to grow and shift with our forward progress, giving designers the opportunity to continuously create and recreate spaces, products, and practices that foster and support human needs.Read more
How Designers are Addressing New Workplace Design Concerns
Post-COVID, work as we know it will continue to change alongside health and safety practices. Thus far, more employees are executing their jobs from remote environments or isolated offices. The typical open office plan is being swapped for solitary desks with partitions, along with sanitizing stations and cleaning checklists. While the transition to a new normal is bound to feel different, designers are working behind the scenes to address ever-changing workplace concerns. Here’s what you need to know about COVID office design trends.
Office Floor Plans
Small, enclosed spaces are now a concern, due to the need for proper ventilation and six-feet social distancing guidelines. Floor plans are beginning to meld the spaciousness of the open floor plan with the individualized aspects of a partitioned layout. These hybrid conglomerations help designers pick and choose elements that fit best for the industry, work environment, and health concerns.
Instead of many rooms, solitary offices, and communal waiting areas, some new office plans will invite guests into a common area that looks similar to a typical waiting room. However, this space will be outfitted with key items to keep both staff and clients safe and spaced apart. Partitions will provide a safe barrier between receptionists and guests, while mobile chairs with wipeable fabric will offer comfortable seating, but can easily be reconfigured depending on the number of guests.
Gone are the days of crowding around a conference room table in a glassed-in room. Common meeting areas will likely remain open or have movable partitions for privacy. Open roof concepts allow for ventilation while keeping sound concerns in mind.
Single cubicles with open sides and mid-sized partitions allow staff to continue collaborative efforts while remaining safer. Providing employees with their own area facilitates autonomy in cleaning and minimizes the sharing of office supply items. Should an employee fall ill, these spaces help reduce points of contact and minimize mitigation efforts after the fact.
Mindful Materials
Instead of plush fabrics and natural finishes, interior designers are transitioning into hardier surfaces that can stand up to continuous cleaning and chemicals. Vinyl may replace fabric on armrests and seats, while laminate may be the preferred choice for tabletops. Polyurethane coatings allow the use of eye-catching natural materials while helping their surfaces stand up to sanitization.
Touch-less Interactions
Wall-mounted check-in stations will replace standard sign-in sheets, eliminating the need for multiple touch points. Sanitizing stations will also be hands-free and mounted at various locations throughout the office. Opening doors, flipping on lights, and turning a faucet will eventually be phased out for motion sensors, automating this process and removing some of the most infections areas of communal spaces.
Staff who traditionally work in communal office spaces can expect many changes upon returning to work, including a shift of office furniture design trends. However, designers are confident that workplaces can be created to keep health and safety in mind while making the space lively and engaging. Environments Denver provides design solutions that cater to the well-being of employees while making office spaces functional and aesthetically pleasing. Contact us today to learn more.
The Importance of Investing in a Proper Task Chair
For some of us, our office chairs are our most-used pieces of furniture, but we don’t often consider how much time we spend in them. Some individuals might invest thousands into mattresses, couches, dining chairs, and so forth, but economize when it comes to office furniture. It’s crucial that task chairs live up to their lofty jobs of providing support, fostering productivity, and maintaining their stature over time. Here’s what you should know before purchasing your next office task chair.Read more
Office Design Throughout the Decades: The 1980’s
The 80’s is often referred to as the decade of decadence, and for good reason. Not only did this decade usher in hip-hop, big hair, Metallica, and Reagan-era politics, but it also brought a more global focus to culture and community. Post-Vietnam War sentiments confirmed the interconnectedness of the world and gave rise to large, multi-national companies. This decade saw significant changes in political, social, and technological landscapes, all of which directly influenced office design trends. Here’s how.Read more
Furniture Pieces Worth Splurging On
Your office furniture and design speak volumes about your service, products, and brand. Cutting costs on certain items can diminish their appearance and leave a poor first impression. Regardless of the size or scope of your business, every company should prioritize spending money on certain furniture items while saving on others. Here are six pieces of furniture that are worth the splurge.Read more
Key Design Elements in a Medical Facility
Medical facilities are constantly changing and growing in complexity to suit the ever-shifting healthcare environment. Now, healthcare operations must consider redesigns to better suit variable COVID-19 restrictions. Fortunately, some office interior design elements are timeless and contribute to a more approachable and efficient medical facility. Here are a few changes to consider incorporating in your medical facility redesign.Read more
Redesigning Your Office Space After COVID-19
As employees begin to return to the office, a primary focus will be safeguarding the health and wellness of all who enter the workspace. To promote social distancing, encourage cleanliness, and mitigate the spread of germs, certain changes and even an office redesign may be necessary. Environments Denver understands the importance of rearranging your office to help minimize the spread of COVID-19. Here are some redesign tips to help you navigate this new territory. Read more
Tips for Managing Office Inventory
Keeping track of office inventory may seem like a daunting task. However, establishing and maintaining a consistent tracking system ensures that no item goes to waste. Just as you would compile a list of office and break room supplies, cataloging your office’s furniture, décor, lighting, and technology can save money, minimize waste, and eliminate shortages. Here are some helpful tips for creating and managing an office inventory.Read more
2020 Workplace Lighting Trends
Thoughtfully curated office lighting design has the ability to communicate your company’s message, boost staff moods, and attract business. The design elements you choose, including light fixtures, can make or break the feel of an entire workplace. Here are some new trends shaping the way we light our offices and workplaces.Read more
Adding Ambient Sound to Your Office Space
It’s no secret that listening to certain types of music and sounds increases productivity, boosts moods, and helps efficiency. Utilizing ambient sound throughout an office space can greatly improve the overall workplace atmosphere, helping staff operate at peak performance, complete tasks efficiently, and leave each day with spirits high. Here are the benefits of ambient noise in your modern office design.Read more
Choosing the Perfect Location for a Home Office
During this uncertain time, many of us have had to cope with our daily life being upended. Instead of grappling through this difficult transition into a new normal, plan ahead to set yourself up for success. For some, working from home is a dream, while others struggle to concentrate, stay productive, and maintain focus. Choosing the perfect location for a home office may have a great effect on your output and the ability to get things done. Here are tips to help you determine where to set up your work-from-home space.Read more
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Will Affect Commercial Design
We are living through an unprecedented time, and although pandemics have swept through the world before, we haven’t before lived under such an intertwined, global economy. As new developments continue to unfold regarding public health, virus containment, and economic stagnation, we can find solace and inspiration by looking forward to a post-coronavirus world. While this new world is unknown, we are certain that commercial office design will adapt to further promote staff health and safety. Here’s how COVID-19 might affect and influence workplace interiors and practices in the coming years.Read more
Creating a Homeschooling Space
With many schools across the country officially closed, parents are being tasked with homeschooling their children and may need to do so for the remainder of the school year. While it can seem daunting, once the family hits a rhythm with the new school set-up, homeschooling can be simple, straightforward, and fun. To keep the kids in a regimented routine, it’s important to have a space where school begins and playtime ends. Utilizing classroom furniture, implementing fun school supplies, and creating reading/study nooks are all creative ways to create a homeschooling space. The following will help guide you:Read more
Incorporating Black in Your Interior Office Design
The color black is utilized throughout art, fashion, and architecture to communicate power, courage, and strength. Its striking impression is captivating and alluring without overwhelming the senses. When planning a commercial office design, consider implementing this bold color to underscore your brand and beautify your workplace. Here are some simple and effective ways to incorporate black into your office aesthetic.Read more
The Impact of Interior Design in a Restaurant
A restaurant’s interior carries just as much importance as its cuisine. The design of an eatery, fine dining establishment, or fast-casual joint has a definite psychological impact on guests. A positive design may entice patrons to stay longer, order more, and even render your spot their go-to date night locale. Each decorating decision – from the restaurant furniture design to the wall art – speaks volumes. Here are some of the ways interior design may help a restaurant’s overall success and longevity.Read more
2020 Office Design Trends
As we move away from 2019 and fully embrace the start of a new decade, businesses may consider a redesign of their interior space. Over the past decade, we’ve seen workplaces shift from a focus on individuality and privacy to promotion of company culture and communal work environments. Many of this year’s design trends facilitate a positive work-life balance and a healthy well-being by incorporating sustainable office furniture, comfortable domestic finishes, and natural elements. Here are some more exciting office design trends we look forward to seeing in 2020.
Dynamic Elements
As businesses become increasingly innovative and progressive, so too do our workspaces. The communal office aesthetic is here to stay, but companies are also set on providing their staff with private break-away zones to work individually. Keeping this ever-changing office concept in mind, designers have improved traditional pieces and made them malleable, mobile, and lightweight. This year we’ll see movable partitions, collapsible tables, and mobile furniture make their way to our workspaces. Each versatile piece helps offices create the space they need for the project at hand.
Natural Materials
As we continue to become a more health-conscious population, we crave a workplace that benefits both our mental and physical well-being. The desire for white-washed, windowless office spaces is waning and the need for sunlight, engaging design, and natural touches is growing. Materials reflective of our earth’s environment are making appearances in office spaces around the country. Wood fixtures, stone features, and live plants help bring the outside in and boost moods and productivity.
Community Engagement
Businesses are realizing the value in fostering a positive company culture that encourages coworkers to collaborate, share, and engage throughout the day. Creating an open workplace is the most straightforward way to facilitate collaboration and inspiration. Large tables, movable desks, and break-out zones bring staff together while still providing a necessary and functional workspace.
Domestic Touches
Taking the sense of community one step further, 2020 trends show the incorporation of domestic touches throughout the office. Comfy couches laden with throw pillows, plush lounge chairs with footstools, and large, colorful area rugs adorn communal office spaces. Not only does this trend lend itself to a pleasing overall aesthetic, but it also entices employees to stay longer or come in earlier. Creating an office space that looks and feels like home will also encourage any remote staff to drop in more frequently. Foster a loyal, caring company culture by providing comfort and convenience for staff members.
Sustainability
As concern for our environment grows, businesses are called to minimize their footprints wherever they can. Utilizing sustainable office supplies and designing with furniture made from recycled materials is becoming increasingly important and easy to do. As 2020 unfolds, we will see offices move even closer toward green practices. Now more than ever, there are myriad sustainable office design options available that are affordable and visually pleasing.
At Environments Denver, we make it our top priority to outfit your office with the most updated and innovative designs. Contact us today to learn more!
