Space Reconfiguration, Renovation, and Construction
Follow these sustainable strategies for space reconfiguration, renovation, and construction projects. Federal projects should meet or exceed the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings. Consider commercial building certification systems and standards that can help meet the Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings and other sustainable federal building requirements. Refer to the Apply Section of SFTool for representative project case studies to discover key practices, benefits, results and checklists.
For sustainable strategies specific to non-office workspaces, such as cafeterias and labs, refer to the Explore Section.
Planning and Getting Started
- Define the key sustainable strategies for the project early
- Gather a team of creative, dedicated professionals who spur new ideas and ensure a collaborative, integrative design process
- Engage occupants and other stakeholders during the design process to address their needs
- Detail sustainable strategies, materials, and practices in the construction documents and specifications
- Choose a green building, if relocating, with sustainable site attributes such as mass transit, services and amenities for occupants, and a property management company using sustainable practices
- Phase work, when renovating in place, to minimize potential for cross contamination between occupied and construction areas
For Building Systems (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Acoustic Systems), refer to Building Systems Upgrades
Construction
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Test for hazardous materials and appropriately handle hazardous materials removal
- Divert construction waste from landfills and facilitate the recycling of construction waste through the standardization of processes
Structure/Envelope
- Include commissioning of the building envelope in the commissioning plan to identify areas of concern such as air and water infiltration
Materials and Finishes Selection
- Follow federal environmental and energy guidelines for product and service purchases
- Select products and materials having environmentally preferable attributes as certified by a third party, and locally sourced where possible
- Consider reusing durable elements and materials when renovating spaces
- Select local materials and artifacts to create a workplace grounded in the regional ecology and community
- Minimize waste
- Consider products, such as carpet and acoustical ceiling tile, from manufacturers with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), or take-back, programs
- Maximize access to daylight:
- Select products and materials with high surface reflectance for walls and ceilings to diffuse daylight throughout the space
- Protect Indoor Environmental Quality:
- Select Green Label Plus
products certified as low-emitting by the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) - Maximize product and material longevity:
- Dry vacuum regularly and follow with a wet vacuum water extraction machine to protect indoor air quality (IAQ)
- Prevent stains by cleaning up spills promptly, starting with cold water and blotting cloths
- Select Green Label Plus
Occupant Health and Wellness
- Provide indoor plants to enhance the visual appeal of the space and promote health
References/Resources
- Acquisition.gov | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 23 - Environment, Energy, and Water Efficiency, Renewable Energy Technologies, Occupational Safety, and Drug-Free Workplace
- Acquisition.gov | Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 52 - Solicitation Provisions and Contract Clauses, Subpart 223
- USGBC | LEED Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) Rating System and LEED Reference Guide for Green Interior Design and Construction
- City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development | Creating a High Performance Workplace: Portland's Green Tenant Improvement Guide (access requires creating an account)
Related Topics
Adjustable Equipment
To promote occupant comfort, equipment should be adjustable. This includes ergonomic seating and desks, well-designed cleaning equipment, occupant controlled lighting, and controllable daylight/glare control.
Construction
Construction and Demolition Waste
Unlike operational waste, which is made after a building is built, construction waste refers to materials and debris generated during construction, renovation, demolition, or dismantling of structures, buildings and associated infrastructure. Material types in operational and construction waste differ from operational waste, so reduction and diversion strategies also differ. See Whole Building Design Guide | Construction Waste Management.
Daylighting
Daylighting uses natural daylight as a substitute for electrical lighting. While it will likely be counterproductive to eliminate electrical lighting completely, the best proven strategy is to employ layers of light - using daylight for basic ambient light levels while providing occupants with additional lighting options to meet their needs.
An effective daylighting strategy appropriately illuminates the building space without subjecting occupants to glare or major variations in light levels, which can impact comfort and productivity.
In order to provide equitable access to daylight ensure the space is optimized to disperse daylight well. Locate private offices toward the core of the space and specify low workstation panels. Use glass walls and light-colored surfaces on walls and desks to disperse daylight throughout the space. In all daylighting strategies, it is important to consider glare and to take steps to minimize it. Find more strategies below:
GSA | Saving Energy through Lighting and Daylighting Strategies
DOE LBL | Tips for Daylighting with Windows
Divert
Divert and diverting refers to the redirection of materials that might be placed in the waste stream to recycling or recoverying. Divertering waste reduces landfill burdons and promotes resource conservation.
Doors and Windows
Building doors, windows, and skylights. Products in this category may also apply to the acquisition of construction services.Entryway Systems/Walk-off Mats
Toxins are tracked into a building on occupants’ shoes. Entryway systems, like grates, grills, and walk-off mats can greatly reduce the amount of outside dirt, dust, and particulates brought into the building. This makes for a cleaner environment, and cuts down on the amount of cleaning necessary to maintain a high level of cleanliness in the facility.
Ergonomics
Ergonomic workspaces are designed to facilitate work while minimizing stress and strain on the body. They also accommodate user preferences and comfort. They include height-adjustable desks that can be easily moved around on casters, fully adjustable chairs, monitor arms, keyboard trays, footrests and document holders. It is important to train employees on how to adjust their workspaces to maximize comfort and health.
Flexible Workplace Design
Today’s workplaces are often in flux. Organizations change direction or develop new services. People move to new spaces and take on new responsibilities. Teams form and re-form. The spaces themselves are transformed to meet these new needs. These changes are much easier to accommodate, when the workplace design supports flexibility.
Glazing
Tinted glass and glass with a reflective coating are glazing alternatives that reduce heat gain. One example, low-e glass, has a thin metal coating to allow light to pass through the glass; heat remains on the side where it is originating (it keeps the sun’s heat out of the building and mechanical heating inside the building). Low-e coatings contribute to energy efficient window assemblies.
Whole Building Design Guide | Windows and Glazing
Healthy Buildings
Health, as defined by World Health Organization in its 1948 constitution, is “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This definition of health has been expanded in recent years to include (1) resilience and the ability to cope with health problems and (2) the capacity to return to an equilibrium state after health challenges.
These three health domains - physical, psychological, and social - are not mutually exclusive but rather interact to create a sense of health that changes over time and place. The challenge for building design and operations is to identify cost-effective ways to eliminate health risks while also providing positive physical, psychological, and social supports as well as coping resources.
Learn more about Buildings and Health.
Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are designed to work together to maintain occupant comfort. From residential to commercial settings, HVAC systems help to keep people comfortable and healthy by maintaining good indoor air quality and comfortable temperatures.
Whole Building Design Guide | High-Performance HVAC
Noise Pollution
Noise pollution is the presence of unwanted or unpleasant noise. Noise pollution comes from improperly functioning HVAC equipment, street noise, or the conversations of others. Besides the fact that it is obnoxious and distracting, noise pollution can be detrimental to human health. It is therefore important to consider ways to eliminate noise pollution in project planning.
Whole Building Design Guide | Indoor Environmental Quality
Nonwater/Waterless/Dry Fixtures
A nonwater fixture is a type of high-efficiency fixture. There are nonwater toilets and nonwater urinals, although nonwater urinals are far more common. Nonwater urinals have no flush mechanism. Liquid travels through a gel-filled cartridge which forms a seal designed to prevent odors from escaping. Maintenance involves the replacement of the cartridge after a certain number of uses, specified by the manufacturer. There are various types of nonwater toilets including foam, incinerating and composting - all of which eliminate the need to flush water down the toilet during normal operation.
Occupant Comfort
Workspaces should be designed and operated to support the functional and environmental needs of occupants. Design for thermal comfort should be based on ASHRAE Standard 55. Design for air quality should be based on ASHRAE 62. Occupant comfort should be assessed frequently once a building is occupied, using ASHRAE’s Performance Measurement Protocols for Commercial Buildings.
ASHRAE.org | Standards 62.1 and 62.2
Occupant Engagement
Occupant engagement involves communicating with, enabling and empowering building occupants to help meet sustainability goals for the building. This can involve providing information on actions occupants can take to improve building performance and resource efficiency, while making it easy and appealing for occupants to do so (e.g. actions that improve productivity).
Occupant Sensor/Automatic Lighting Control
Occupant sensors and automatic lighting controls can save energy by turning lights off when occupants are not present or when enough daylight is present to light the space. These controls can also help occupants take advantage of the benefits of natural light.
Plants
Plants not only contribute to the appearance of the office and provide aesthetic value but they can help reduce air pollutants and introduce more oxygen to increase air quality.
http://greenplantsforgreenbuildings.org
Recycling
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials (that would otherwise be thrown away as trash) and remanufacturing them into new products. Recycling support stations and the education of occupants and janitorial staff are the backbone of a successful waste diversion plan. Start by confirming with the recycling hauler and compost service what materials are acceptable and the proper collection method. Separate, color-coded, well-labeled and strategically placed recycling containers and waste receptacles make sorting and collection convenient and support occupant participation.
Reuse (Waste)
Similar to recycling, reuse refers to finding new uses for items instead of sending them to landfills. Can furniture be reused in another department of the company? Can electronics be donated to charity? Even using an empty soda bottle to make a hummingbird feeder is a way to reuse items instead of trashing them.
http://consumersunion.org/pdf/ZeroReport.pdf
Solid Waste
Waste comprises all materials that flow from a building to final disposal. Examples include paper, grass trimmings, food scraps, and plastics. Responsible stewardship tries to divert as much waste as possible from the landfill. This can mean recycling paper, mulching or composting grass trimmings, and reusing large items, such as furniture.
EPA | Land, Waste, and Cleanup Topics
Space Reconfiguration and Renovation
As needs change over time, tenants often need to convert space or phase the conversion of individual space or rooms to meet these changing needs.
Speech Privacy
Speech privacy is the inability to overhear other people’s conversations and the ability to have a conversation without others overhearing. Poor speech privacy is the most widespread problem in commercial buildings.
Vegetated (Planted) Roof
A vegetated roof is a layered system of growing medium (soil), filters, and waterproof membrane on the roof of a building. Some or all of a standard roof can be converted into a planted roof. Planted roofs absorb heat instead of reflecting it, reducing Heat Island Effect. They can also serve as gardens and provide excellent insulation.
Penn State | Center for Green Roof Research
Ventilation
Ventilation is the process of "changing" or replacing air in any space to control temperature; remove moisture, odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, and carbon dioxide; and to replenish oxygen. Ventilation includes both the exchange of air to the outside as well as circulation of air within the building. It is one of the most important factors for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality in buildings.
Views (to the Outside)
Building occupants with access to outside views have an increased sense of well-being. Keeping employees happy and healthy is good for business, as happy employees show higher productivity and increased job satisfaction, resulting in less employee turnover. In order to provide equitable access to views, it is recommended that private offices are located toward the core of the space and that low workstation panels are installed to allow for maximum daylight penetration. Use glass walls and partitions to enable views out from interior spaces.
Waste Diversion
Waste diversion is the process of diverting waste from the landfill. Waste in landfills and incinerators create greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Ways to increase waste diversion include recycling, reusing, and source reduction.
Worker Productivity
Productivity is the quality and/or quantity of goods or services produced by a worker. Good indoor environmental quality – access to views, comfortable temperatures, comfortable lighting, good acoustics, and ergonomic design, etc. – supports employees’ ability to do a good job. On the other hand, compromised IEQ hinders their ability to work. It makes good business sense, then, to keep employees happy, healthy, and productive. This, in turn, creates more and higher quality output for organizations.
