Working Sustainably
Part of the Climate Change exhibition.
Part of the Climate Change exhibition.
Millions of people around the world work in offices. Today, many buildings are designed for low impact on the environment, including the climate.
The Bay Education Center, Providence, Rhode Island, has a 560-square-meter (6,000-square-foot) planted roof that captures and filters storm water.
The Doyle Conservation Center, Leominster, Massachusetts, has renewable and recycled-content materials for flooring, furniture, carpet, and wall coverings.
The Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park, New York City, collects rainwater and gray water from sinks, air conditioning units, and steam units, and uses waterless urinals, saving approximately 7.7 million gallons of water each year. Total water use in the Tower is over 40 percent less than other buildings of the same size.
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Annapolis, Maryland, uses waterless urinals. A single one can save about 40,000 gallons of water per year.
Council House 2, Melbourne, Australia, has vertical plantings that run up the north façade to provide shade from the hot afternoon sun.
The Institute for Forestry and Nature Research, Wageningen, Netherlands, draws in outside air to heat and cool its enclosed garden atrium.
The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies, Oberlin College, Ohio uses a 1,263-square-meter (13,600-square-foot) photovoltaic array to convert sunlight into electricity, saving about 142 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year.