Green office design 'part of a holistic approach'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 09-12-2008

Green office design could sit alongside other sustainability concerns as part of a holistic approach to eco-friendliness for firms.

Writing for BusinessWeek, Dov Seidman explains that individual efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints are not enough.

Rather, he encourages companies to adopt a widespread approach to environmental responsibility.

Doing so could also prove to be a source of competitive advantage as firms attempt to "outgreen" one another.

In the 21st century, outgreening the competition is one of the most effective ways of gaining an advantage, he stresses.

And green office design is one suggestion of how to do this, with renewable power one proposed means of improving a firm's eco-profile.

The suggestions mark a move away from Mr Seidman's previous contention that companies should look to "outbehave" one another.

But they continue his observation that pre-21st-century concepts such as outthinking and outpricing the opposition are no longer enough to assure victory in the present market.