7 Ways to have an Eco Conscious Home Office
The pandemic completely changed our relationship to work. Since work from home mandates, many professionals have not gone back to the office or their job has moved to a hybrid model of work. This has made having a home office a top interior design priority. If you want to have an eco-conscious home, redesigning the home office represents a green interior design challenge. If you already have a home office you could be ready to upgrade to a more environmentally friendly work from home environment. The following are a few things to consider if you are embarking on an eco-conscious home office upgrade:
Light and Heat
Your home office should ideally be situated in a part of the house that gets a lot of light and heat, often the south side of the home. This means you automatically cut down energy consumption and also enjoy a workspace with natural light that can elevate your mood and help with sleep.
Re-Evaluate the Home Heating System
Whatever home heating system you use, your home office use will be heavy on heat consumption, especially if you are working full time. The decision to work remotely may need to accompany design choices that integrate the whole home. Installing a heat pump that manages heating and cooling within the same system makes your home more energy efficient and cuts out fossil fuels. You may also need to triple glaze windows in your home office and elsewhere to get the full benefit of an upgraded heating system.
Use Energy Star Devices and Devices in Low Power Mode
A home office upgrade may require a re-evaluation of your devices and power use. “Energy Star” devices are devices that have been rated as more energy efficient. You can also use energy saving wall outlets and keep devices in low power mode. Laptops use less energy than desktops, and electing sleep or hibernate modes for computers (especially if you are using it every day), saves money and prolongs the lifespan of your computer without subjecting the parts to wear and tear that can happen during frequent shut-downs.
Furnish Your Office with Thrifted, Upcycled Furniture Made of Sustainable Materials
Instead of buying all-new office furniture, you can get second-hand furniture in online exchanges or in thrift stores. You can upcycle older furniture by sanding, painting and varnishing the furniture or using the wood for new projects. If you are buying new furniture be sure to buy eco conscious, cruelty free products made with materials sourced from sustainable forestry and plant-based materials like cotton and linen.
Reduce Office Supplies
Reducing the use of office supplies such as printer cartridges, sticky notes and pens can be achieved by recycling printer cartridges, doing less printing, using newer, more efficient devices, and switching to using a whiteboard or chalkboard from using paper reminders.
Be Informed About Where You Get Your Houseplants
House-plants are a trend that exploded during the pandemic. They look beautiful, they can promote calm and alleviate stress, and they can even reduce carbon when planted in volume. Unfortunately many house plants, especially certain endangered species, are not sustainably sourced. The trend for succulents and cacti have impacted ecosystems through “plant poaching” when plants are taken from their natural environments and sold. Certain plants, like some long-lived cacti and succulents are under threat from the plant trade. When you are buying a house-plant it’s best to buy from a local supplier, inquire about their origin and research whether the plant is a vulnerable species. Buying sustainable species grown in a local greenhouse also cuts down on the carbon impact of imported plants.
Use Non-Toxic Materials
It’s estimated that the average person will spend one third of their time at work. The home office should be a space that is healthy and free from toxic fumes and materials. Certain insulating materials, plastics, paints and fire retardants can be damaging to human health. If possible strive to use natural, non-toxic materials in insulation and upholstery and use low or “no-Voc” paint, which is paint that doesn’t release toxic volatile organic compounds as it dries.
When you are doing a home office upgrade as part of an eco-conscious home redesign or to make your space work-from-home ready, it’s helpful to do an audit of your daily routines and the tools you depend on. At Earth Science Design our biophilic design consultants bring ten years of research into the science of biophilic design and green interior design to all our consultations. We can help you ensure that your design decisions work together as a coherent whole and that your work-from-home space is integrated into your overall space as part of an environmentally conscious home design strategy. We have offices in La Jolla, CA and can be available for in person and remote consultations. Please contact us to learn more about our biophilic design services.
