It’s a Material Thing
Case Study: Transforming a Company’s Flex Space in San Francisco, California
Photo courtesy of Garden on the Wall®
A work space is transformed into a natural setting with preserved gardens.
This preserved garden installation provides a backdrop for meetings, breaks, and collaboration, allowing employees flexibility and adaptability in their work environment. The installation features eucalyptus, forest, fern, and flower foliage over a flat moss canvas. The preserved-plant gardens are multi-panel installations with corner turns wrapping around two large free-standing wall structures in the open workspace. The vertical garden sections are 24 feet wide and more than 12 feet high. With their height and size, the open space is transformed into a natural setting, allowing individuals the perception that they are working outdoors.
Photo courtesy of Garden on the Wall®
Incorporating third-party certified materials and products results in confident design decisions and the real enhancement of comfort, productivity, and efficiency across age and ability groups.
Certified Materials For The Future
The percentage of Health Hazard Evaluations (HHE) that the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted related to indoor air quality increased from 0.5% of all evaluations in 1978 to 52% of all evaluations since 1990. This means that, in a span of less than 25 years, the evaluations related to air quality concerns have increased from one of every 200 evaluations to one of every two.15 Resolving the health of buildings means ensuring the well-being of occupants. Much of the solution to indoor air quality issues, and overall IEQ, lies in the materials used for building and renovating.
For architects, designers, and builders dedicated to providing the best IEQ for clients’ health, the choice of materials and products becomes even more critical. In order to optimize design and beauty in their projects, incorporate cutting edge innovations, and achieve IEQ goals, third-party certifications provide decision making with assurance. Third-party certificates and registries offer independent, transparent, and valuable assessments that save time and money and bring to market safer and more reliable products that will perform well and result in a happier and healthier client.
Case Study: Google Nest Offices
Photo courtesy of Garden on the Wall®
Biophilic designs support overall building certification goals, including LEED, WELL, and Living Building Challenge.
n their opening ten years, Google became the first major company to be carbon neutral. In their second decade, Google was the first company to achieve 100% renewable energy by becoming the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy.13 By 2030, Google aims to be the first major company to operate carbon free. Google’s stated goals for building are to pursue third-party green or healthy-building certifications for office projects, such as LEED, WELL Building Standard, and Living Building Challenge.
At its California Mountain View Campus, there are a total of 13 LEED certified office buildings.14
A beautiful vertical garden using preserved plants was designed for Google’s Nest Office. The structure is a multi-panel installation integrated into the recessed space created by onsite millwork. Forest, fern and flower foliage species are overlaid against a flat moss canvas.
At the Nest Cafe, planter inserts are integrated into the millwork planter boxes.
Amanda Voss, MPP is an author, editor, and policy analyst. Writing for multiple publications, she has also served as the managing editor for Energy Design Update.