Chronicle 36: Designing Healthier Office Spaces

THINK. DESIGN. PROCESS. 

Sustainable design also means healthier design - and healthier processes. Most of us spend over 1/3 of our lives inside office buildings. This makes the design of buildings and office space very important to our environment and our health. Creating healthier workplaces is a central part of Centric Design Studio's sustainable design strategy. The ways in which we use energy, and our choices of materials and processes, are the most effective way to reduce fossil fuel emissions and contaminants released from materials and processes.

Case Study for SpaceLab, Detroit, MI

Take a look inside one of our recent design projects. SpaceLab Detroit opened their doors for their first public grand opening June 8th, 2017. SpaceLab Detroit is a co-working office space in downtown Detroit area, conceived by husband and wife team, Bobby and Karen Burton. It is a state of the art, efficiently designed work space for today's entrepreneurs, architects, engineers, and construction service providers.

Natural Lighting
On this project, the south facing windows maximize the benefits of daylight from both the morning and evening sun. Sunlight is a natural source of vitamin D and is critical for facilitating vision and our bodies' ability to regulate hormones, which in turn keeps processes related to alertness, digestion, and sleep functioning properly.

Electric Lighting

Prioritizing around  natural light minimizes electricity usage, the largest source of carbon emissions. In addition, most of the lighting used in the space is LED, which uses energy more efficiently than traditional lighting and emits less heat. Motion sensors cause the lights to turn off when there is no movement in the room. Using less electricity helps us keep our environment healthier and adds up to big financial savings for the owner and tenant. 

Ventilation

Adding to the comfort level and energy efficiency of this space was a switch from steam heat to gas, allowing the occupants more control over temperature. The radiators were kept to maintain the character of the space, however, the duct work was reconfigured to facilitate the new system.

Use of Materials

Acoustical ceiling tiles are used in the offices for noise reduction. Environmentally-friendly materials were used for the carpeting, which also utilizes processes to maintain clean indoor air quality. Designer roller shades will give occupants maximum control over the amount of natural light to allow in, while also providing protection from UV light. 

Located in the heart of Detroit, SpaceLab is a model for the future of design and economic growth. Design challenges within the city's 2030 District consist of a delicate balance between maintaining buildings historical intellect while deploying healthy, sustainable, aesthetically pleasing key elements. All of this adds up to a reduction in fossil fuel energy use and costs. LED lighting also qualified the business owners for a sizable rebate from DTE Energy.  What is not to like about implementing sustainable design?

Chronicle 19 - Earth Day!

By Damon Thomas - Design Director, LEED AP, NOMA

It’s Earth Day everyone!  I turned on the news as I got ready for work this morning and noticed all the segments on how we all can adopt greener or sustainable habits to protect Mother Earth.  After my busy day, I decided to share with everyone some of Centric Design Studio’s Green Practices.

Here at Centric Design Studio (CDS) we practice Architecture.  On top of that much of our architecture work requires a LOT of graphic design, so we do a LOT of printing.  We make it a habit to purchase paper that is at least 10% recycled and/or registered with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) which sets standards & guidelines in forest management toward sustainable outcomes. We also try to print on both sides of the sheet when possible.

We are conscious about electrical usage.  Our office in Detroit, MI doesn’t get as many sunny days as some other states like California, but most days have enough sunlight for us to work up to 4 hours on natural sunlight.  Some time around 1pm - 2pm, the natural light starts producing a lot of glare so we then draw the shades and turn on the lights.

Here at CDS we recycle too.  I personally drink a lot of water (so does Saundra).  Our coffee maker uses a lot of water too.  So we collect a lot of bottles which we recycle in our office.  The cool thing about the building we work in (a place called TechTown) is that they are conscious about recycling as well, and we are more than happy to chip in recyclables in their bins.

Last but not least, we made an effort as a company to become LEED Accredited Professionals.  This means we are qualified to assist you in making your building more sustainable through the LEED standards.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  This is a rating or point system created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) as a standard for rating how sustainable a building is.  We can consult and be a technical resource for a company, building owner or developer and inform them on energy and operating efficiency.  Did you know DTE Energy has an Energy Efficiency Program for Business that can cover retro-fits, major renovation & new construction?  We are currently assisting TechTown with this program to see if their 1^st floor renovation qualifies.

There is always more that can be done but even if you change one habit to be sustainable you are making a positive impact.  Happy Earth Day everyone.  Thanks for reading.

Damon Thomas