Our latest library entry features an article written by Joe Aki Ouye, Ph.D. of New Ways of Working and Hal Levin from the Building Ecology Research Group. Here is their introduction:
Despite what has been described as a “perfect storm” that will result in significantly increased corporate attention on environmental sustainability, the opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) by how, where and when we work remains largely untapped. For instance, in the recent New Ways of Working alternative workplace benchmarking study, “sustainability” was ranked near the bottom as either a driver or benefit of alternative workplace programs. And yet, we will show there is tremendous potential for improving sustainability by changing how, when and where organizations work—what we call organizational workstyles. Our article is largely based on the reports, Sustainability Through New Ways of Working, and Work 2020, of the New Ways of Working.
The corporate real estate/workplace community has mostly focused on energy efficient buildings, and yet a worker working from home or a satellite office close to home three days per week and sharing a desk with four others, is reducing his/her personal GHGE by 60%. The environmental benefits of alternative workplace programs can vary, depending on commuting patterns, personal activities, and the nature of the home, workplace and equipment use, but, in general, telecommuting is more sustainable than working in a central office.
