Reducing Carbon with Sustainable Offices – DBF
How can we reduce our carbon footprint?
Each material manufactured that is included in your construction plan produces carbon gasses as does transporting the materials from anywhere in the world to your location. The amount of carbon your works produce can be calculated and this gives you a figure which is termed as your ‘carbon footprint’.
How can we reduce our carbon footprint?
Many complex questions have both complex and simple answers!
The simple answer is to produce less building and you will decrease the carbon footprint of your new building or extension. Do you really need all the space you have designed or can you produce a thoughtful brief limiting how much space you need?
- Engage with your designers and work towards a quality brief that is constructing less but delivering more?
- Prioritise spaces that add value and reduce others that do not? If you do not have all that storage, will you have to improve your ‘Just in Time’ (JIT) ordering process? It is long recognised that surplus inventory can be a liability rather than an asset.
- Plan how AI will change your future business practices and how will this impact on space requirements?
- Are there areas that can be used for multiple purposes?
You should set out to work with builders and designers who understand your sustainability goals and generate plans and specifications in a cost effective and energy efficient way. The team should analyse your business and focus on a profitable outcome for you, rather than just making what you already have larger.
By following this approach, you will focus on profitability by acting in a more sustainable way. Every square metre of floor space costs more to construct and a smaller well designed efficient space is easier to build, ventilate, heat, cool and maintain.
Building less will cost you less.
DBF Melbourne Team are here to help you develop your commercial space and turn concept into reality. Give us a call.
