IV
1 2 3
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
You are Where You Work H O S P ITA L IT Y
Finding Your [Third] Place S U S TA I N A B I L IT Y
Putting Down Roots
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
You are Where You Work “There is much more to a window seat than a view.” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agen-
measured in sick days. In a study by BrightHR, “58
cy, humans in modern societies spend approximately
percent of those who had not experienced workplace
90% of their lives indoors. We can safely assume that
fun had been off sick for 11 or more days.” (It Pays to
for many, most of those waking hours are spent in
Play). Through changes large and small, the work day
the office. We design our homes, select our hospitals,
can be drastically transformed for your staff including
and choose our schools based on their impact on our
equitable access to the outdoors, respite spaces, and
wellbeing – why not our work spaces?
environmental mood.
Workplace design in the United States was once
Removing barriers is just as crucial to maximizing
dominated by the notion that stationary employees
employee health and wellness as the amenities add-
with limited access to distractions resulted in higher
ed to the workplace experience. Workplace wellbeing
quality, efficient work. Now, we understand that we
should be shared by the newest employee to the
take our workday home with us, and the quality of our
most senior, and the first step is ensuring that the
contribution is influenced by our mental and physical
best of the office environment is accessible to all who
health, whether we like it or not. The deterioration
spend their time there.
90% Approximate percentage of time humans in modern societies spend their lives indoors
58%
Percentage of people who had not experienced workplace fun had been off sick for 11 or more days
of productivity and employee morale is often best
DID YOU KNOW? “Without exposure to normal 24-hour light-dark cycles, a person’s sleep-wake cycle can stray by as much as two hours per day.” (“The Benefits of Natural Night,” Architectural Lighting, 2014)
H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S
Our Take When you think “workplace wellness� ergonomic desk chairs and air-purifying plants may come to mind. While such factors have a time and place for deliberation, health and wellness in the workplace begins at the location itself. Consider the shared amenities offered by the building and proximity to healthy food options, parks, and fitness centers. For IKM, moving to 11 Stanwix in downtown Pittsburgh retained the qualities we loved about our previous location while enhancing access to the outdoors and space for hosting events. Our new home is a 5-minute walk to Market Square which continues to be a social hub for the city. Easy access to Point State Park and access to on-site garden plots and outdoor recreation space makes 11 Stanwix a place to stay connected to the outdoors. Without a location that matches
Point State Park access
On-site garden & outdoor space
Indoor & outdoor yoga options
Market Square for food & events
Shared Health & Wellness Amenities
the values and needs of your company, even the
led to conversations about all 5 senses including the
most health-forward, sustainable office space can
use of white noise and temperature control.
be a source of stress and anxiety for employees and
KEY CONSIDERATIONS
clients.
The power of furniture, fixtures, and equipment will
In addition to maximizing the collective experience
employee wellbeing. For example, the office-wide
of a workplace, empowering individual wellbeing
feedback we collected determined that spaces for
whole staff?
requires attention to sensory details that impact
shared activities and space for nursing mothers
What accessory amenities at your
individual experience. Beyond the transition to
were significantly lacking in our space at 1 PPG. Our
location does your staff desire?
an open-plan work environment, the 95-windows
office now supports a community of moms who do
How much control does your of-
wrapping around the office at 11 Stanwix provided
not have to interrupt their nursing schedules by the
fice have to regulate daylight and
considerable opportunity for daylighting and provid-
demands of work, and large open space that can
mitigate existing conditions?
ing a visual connection to the outdoors. Not only will
be configured for many uses now supports weekly
natural light make employees 15% more creative,
yoga classes or workshops. As we’ve found, the
workplaces with quality daylight has proven to boost
most impactful office features originate from mak-
productivity and sales from 3% - 40% (“The Benefits
ing the employees active members in crafting a new
of Natural Light,” Eco-Business 2016). Implementing
space that not only welcomes, but also energizes.
always play a role in improving or detracting from
How can your organization spread the creature comforts of your work environment to the
Is your location going to attract talent germane to your office culture?
appropriate daylighting and shading technologies
Daylighting & Productivity
95
Windows around office perimeter
15%
Percentage natural light can increase creativity
3-40%
Percentage natural light can boost productivity & sales
HOW WE DID Natural light is the unsung hero of an inviting office space. Moving from an office with little to no daylighting to one that requires little overhead lighting at all has made a marked difference on our staff’s mood and wellbeing.
glare “ The reduction & lower ambient light levels have really reduced my eye strain.
light and “ Natural views are great.
15
”
”
feel most “ Icreative in the
Point lounge... The natural light in this area creates the most inviting creative area.
”
10
5
1
2
3
4
LIGHTING: EMPLOYEE APPROVAL RATING
5
6
7
8
9 previous office
10 new office
H O S P ITA L IT Y
Finding Your [Third] Place As the workplace is asking more of its workers,
It’s not just your staff who crave a third place. De-
workers and clients are asking more of their work-
signing office space that can accommodate staff
place: and it’s not just free coffee and Wi-Fi. For many
and visitors from the outside opens the possibility
companies, the need to accommodate increasingly
of a memorable encounter. For clients this means
varied tasks and hours among staff is answered by
pulling back the curtain to immerse them in your
incorporating elements of third place environments
world. For too long, the board room was only a narrow
within office walls. The coffee shop is our tried and
example of a client-appropriate space, but with third
true example of a successful third place environment
space concepts, it is possible to invite client decision
with its warm residential elements combined with the
makers into the office so they can be part of the
technology-rich capabilities to promote focused work.
creative process. Having these spaces in your office
They’re the least engaged generation in the
Despite the allure of remote work in the home and
will empower staff to find the right meeting space for
workplace, and that lack of engagement
coffee shops, “when workers leave the workplace to
visitors based on the task at hand. With the rise of
and loyalty costs the US economy US$30.5
work, it separates them from their coworkers, orga-
the nomadic worker, it’s helpful to form a space for
nizational resources and culture” (Steelcase, “Real
working sessions for outsiders to get out of their own
Work”).
organization and into your process.
Millennials in the Workplace
21%
Millennials who have changed jobs within the past year
60%
Millennials who are open to a new job opportunity at any time
DID YOU KNOW? It’s not just a talent war, it’s a perk war: “21 percent of millennials have changed jobs within the past year, and 60 percent are open to a new job opportunity at any time.
billion per year (JLL, Future of Work, “Build a
$
Place of Experience for Your People,” 2017)
30.5
Billion per year the millennials lack of engagement & loyalty costs the US economy
H O S P ITA L IT Y
Our Take Whether you work on a suburban campus or an
face-to-face interactions. We found ways to incor-
work or riding scooters from one office destination
urban core, minor changes can be transformation-
porate aspects of fun into our new office design
to the other. We also share what is best. The Point
al. At IKM’s office, we traced the evolution of the
with elements that mark a sense of place from one
Lounge commands one of the best views in the
architecture industry and identified a shift in how
room to the other. Selected fixtures like bean bag
city, overlooking the confluence of the Monongahe-
our work is done. In the early 20th century, the
chairs, writable walls, and a lounge seating have
la, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers. This is a communal
drawing table was the workstation, meeting area,
given staff the ability to create their own sense
space for all and is used for lunch during the day
and breakroom. Today, our mobility has created
of home. These changes also support new social
and happy hours at night.
the opportunity for more fruitful and dynamic
norms such as occasionally bringing their dogs to
KEY CONSIDERATIONS What parts of your process would your clients’ benefit from seeing firsthand? What types of events do you host? How can you incorporate greater freedom of movement throughout the workday? Consider the age of your employees, what inspires them?
The place I socialize most is? point lounge my work area break room all areas
HOW WE DID Breaking out our gathering spaces to accommodate a wide-variety of group settings has made our office a place that reinvigorates staff, clients, and guests.
informal “ The meeting spaces
and collaborative 15 atmosphere is really creating some great energy for the office.
”
“
I really enjoy coming in to work at this office.
10
”
degree view “ 360 helps enhance mood / reduce stress.
5
” 1
MOOD RATING
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9 previous office
10 new office
S U S TA I N A B I L IT Y
Putting Down Roots When you make the commitment to moving or
the actions necessary to achieve it. When sustain-
community discussion and action plans can have
renovating office space, you are breaking ground
ability becomes the new normal, it moves from
a powerful impact on your brand story. Unfortu-
on the collateral changes that follow: better culture,
“someone else’s problem” to “everyone’s commit-
nately, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. A
efficient workflows, and stronger reputation to
ment.” Given the greenlight, employees and stake-
meaningful sustainable strategy should not just be
name a few. Among these rare opportunities is
holders from all facets rise to the challenge, creat-
seen (see: greenwashing) – it must be supported
the chance to hit the “reset” button on your use of
ing a culture of purpose (Harvard Business Review,
by a foundation that permeates every layer of your
resources in ways that the convenience of the ex-
“How to Make Sustainability Everyone’s Problem”).
organization.
isting conditions would limit. Sustainability is about
In fact, over half (58%) of building owners see at
more than a corporate responsibility statement, it’s
least a “medium level” of improvement in employee
a culture change that impacts employee wellbeing,
satisfaction and engagement rates, and half (29%)
financial health, and of course, the environment.
of these owners report a high level of improvement (“The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings Report
While most executives agree that sustainability is
2016”). Once genuine organizational ownership
and should be a priority, few take ownership over
is established, the intrinsic values that stem from
DID YOU KNOW? The United States Green Building Council estimates that, on average, green buildings reduce energy consumption by 30%, carbon emissions by 35%, water consumption by 30% to 50%, and waste costs by 50% to 90%. (“Sustainable Design is Good,” AD&V, 2017)
S U S TA I N A B I L IT Y
Our Take Three words: Location, Location, Location. IKM is
for the design of our new home. We determined
and variability based on the way spaces are used
an urban employer with urban clients, and after
our greatest areas of impact would fall into two
around the office. We also made small, but mean-
some thinking and analysis, we decided it’s best to
buckets: office policy & documentation and office
ingful changes to office life: removing garbage cans
stay urban. We chose a LEED Gold Certified build-
participation. Under office policy, we decided to
from individual desks, providing magnetic writable,
ing with access to public transportation and onsite
move to heavy reliance on task lighting to supple-
tackable surfaces to reduce printing and paper use,
outdoor amenities, and the big decisions took care
ment a robust daylight harvesting plan. All of our
and substituted all paper serve-ware with china and
of themselves. From there, we had the opportu-
electric lighting is LED based. We also modified
flatware.
nity to implement a holistic sustainable approach
existing mechanical systems for greater control
KEY CONSIDERATIONS Do you own your building or are you renting office space? Are your employees willing &
The most successful sustainable feature of our office is?
ready to commit to a sustainable culture? How would you involve your employees in the process of designing and sustaining resources? What metrics will you use to measure success across sustainability goals?
replacement of disposable tableware with real tableware LED lights omission of waste basket & addition of recycling bin at desk day lighting water conservation all features
HOW WE DID From 1 PPG to 11 Stanwix, small changes yielded big results with little interruption to staff culture. Of course, we’re always taking steps towards improvement - one K-Cup at a time.
ENERGY REDUCTION COMPARISON
100%
Reduction from the PPG lighting energy use
Implementation of LED Fixtures at 11 Stanwix
WASTE REDUCTION COMPARISON
previous office
400
new office
350 Energy (kwh/day)
83%
450
300 250 200 150
With killswitch integration
With killswitch & occupancy sensors integration
100
1
previous office new office
50
.8
60%
.6 .4
Reduction of waste a month at 11 Stanwix
.2
Trash
(tons/month)
Recycling (tons/month)
to pinpoint one thing. “ ItAllisthehardsustainable features combined
together are what make it great. The one thing I would like to change are all the wasted k-cups.
”
ikm architecture eleven stanwix street, suite 2200 pittsburgh, pa 15222 412.281.1337