Google thinks green all year long and not only on St.Patrick’s day Here are a few of the design strategies that google implements to make the office buildings as green as possible. And Google thinks that they might even give you some ideas for greening your own home.
Reduce, reuse, recycle
Google has frugal roots from our start-up days, so when Google remodels an office, Google seems to reuse as many materials as possible. This strategy saves us money, and it avoids the environmental footprint associated not only with manufacturing and transporting new goods, but also with disposing of the old stuff. Construction and demolition waste makes up about 40% of the solid waste stream in the U.S. In the San Francisco office, we reused everything from partition walls and door assemblies to carpet and furniture left behind by the previous tenant. Plus, more than 64% of what we did throw away was recycled.
Healthy and sustainable
Sometimes, the simplest defense is the best defense, like the “Larry and Sergey Sniff Test”: if it smells bad, it’s probably bad for you (Larry and Sergey are a little busy to do all the sniffing themselves, so we help them out sometimes). The all-too-familiar new paint or new carpet smell is usually the sign of toxic VOCs (volatile organic compounds) off-gassing into the air we breathe. Of course, we have to go on more than just our noses, so we also rely on third-party certification programs (like Cradle to Cradle, Scientific Certification Systems, and those incorporated into LEED) and information from manufacturers to ensure that we use the healthiest products available. All the paints, sealants, adhesives, carpet, and furniture we purchased for the San Francisco office had the lowest possible levels of VOCs and formaldehyde, both of which have adverse effects on indoor air quality and long-term health. Google also looked for sustainable materials that are locally manufactured, high in recycled content, and free of environmentally harmful materials like PVC.
Keeping it cool (or warm)
Google makes every effort to heat, cool and light our offices with the minimal amount of energy needed, and use building controls to ensure these systems are only on when we need them. Some of these strategies work everywhere, like installing motion sensors to control lighting and purchasing Energy Star-rated office equipment in the U.S.
Every drop counts
Water is one of our planet’s most undervalued natural resources, and we’re always looking for innovative and cost effective ways to use it more wisely. In San Francisco, as well as most of our other offices, we installed efficient faucets and flush valves in the bathrooms and kitchens. In locations where Google has more green space like Mountain View, Google uses drought-resistant landscaping when possible.
Location, location, location
If you visit the Google San Francisco office, you might not notice the low-VOC carpet, but you definitely won’t miss the spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay and the Bay Bridge. Access to natural light and views increases Googler productivity and happiness, and decreases our energy costs by reducing the need for artificial lighting. Plus, like many of our offices, the San Francisco office is centrally located and easily accessible by public transit. Google also provide preferred parking for carpools and vanpools, on-site bike storage, showers and changing facilities.
As the official Google blog says, Google has done a lot of work to be greener, but that doesn’t mean we’ve reached the end of the rainbow and that pot of gold yet. People at Google are constantly learning more about green building and ways to save energy.
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