Here are my top 3 tips for greening your office move:

1.  Reduce Packing Material

Compared to traditional cardboard boxes, reusable plastic crates are more environmentally friendly for your office move.

Keeping in mind that cardboard packaging material accounts for one third of landfill waste, incorporating reusable plastic crates into your office move is an important part of making an eco-friendly transition to your new location.  Also, compared to corrugated boxes, reusable plastic containers:

• Require less energy to produce
• Produce less solid waste
• Generate less greenhouse gas emissions

The durability of plastic crates allows moving trucks to be packed more efficiently which reduces the number of truckloads necessary for your move and the amount of fuel burned. This not only results in a greener move but less money spent on moving.

A big concern for many people is what happens to these crates when they are retired.  Afterall, cardboard decomposes faster than plastic so, in some ways, it would be better for cardboard to end up in the landfill than plastic.  To solve this problem, when renting crates for your move, be on the lookout for companies that make their crates from 100 percent recyclable plastic.  We recommend companies like Rentacrate who not only make their crates entirely out of recyclable plastic but use that plastic in the production of new crates.

2. Purge, Purge, Purge!

Our mantra at the Golden Gate Company is “Purge, Purge, Purge”.  We consider this to be one of the most important parts of a move, not only for organizational purposes, but for making an eco-friendly transition.

Through getting rid of items you no longer need, you’re reducing the number of truckloads necessary for your office move and the amount of fuel burned.  You’re also reducing the size of your real estate footprint which means less energy spent on a larger office.  And you have the added bonus of being more organized in your new office!

It’s important to consider recycling as a key component of your purging program.  You’ll not only want to recycle paper, but any surplus equipment as well.  You’ll want to thoroughly research any equipment recyclers as some unscrupulous vendors simply dump the equipment in a third-world country instead of recycling it as promised.  In the San Francisco Bay Area, we work with Electrotech Recyclers – they recycle telephone, computer and server room equipment in a responsible and reliable manner.

3.  Hire Green Vendors

Everybody is jumping on the green bandwagon these days which makes it easier to find a sustainable vendor for every part of your move.

In terms of furniture, purchasing used furniture is a great way to keep something out of the landfill and save money.  At the same time, new furniture manufacturers are offering cradle-to-cradle design which means it was created using sustainable practices and can be retired using sustainable practices as well.  Most used furniture wasn’t designed to be retired in a sustainable manner so you’ll have to consider this when making a decision on office furniture.

In terms of equipment, you’ll find that manufacturers are offering equipment with energy efficiency in mind.  This means fewer machines needed in a server room because of greater storage space or virtualization.  It also means machines process energy more efficiently because of improved design.  Many companies use a move to upgrade their technology which could mean new servers, flat screen monitors or a new telephone system.  Evaluating new technology based on energy efficiency not only means creating a more sustainable office but reducing ongoing operational costs.

Conclusion

Many companies think about sustainability when designing their office but often forget about greening the move itself.  As you can see, it’s an important part of becoming an eco-friendly company.  Keep in mind that a move is a great time to implement new sustainable processes in your office as well.  Afterall, it makes no sense to have 3 different bins for sorting rubbish if nobody is trained on how to actually sort their trash into garbage, recycling and compost.  Leveraging your move to implement sustainable practices is a huge step towards becoming a greener company.

Article written by Rachel Walls, principal and senior project manager for The Golden Gate Company www.goldengatecompany.com.  We specialize in helping companies plan and coordinate an office move.  Our clients include: McKinsey & Company, Grant Thornton, Hotwire, San Jose State University and San Francisco University.

1. More Work, Less Energy
   For many people, a computer is the central tool at work. Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver. Set computers to energy-saving settings and make sure to shut them down when you leave for the day (“standby” settings will continue to draw power even when not in use). By plugging hardware into a power strip with an on/off switch, the whole desktop setup can be turned off at once (make sure to power down inkjet printers before killing the power—they need to seal their cartridges). Printers, scanners, and other peripherals that are only used occasionally can be unplugged until they’re needed. And of course, turn off lights in spaces that are unoccupied.
2. Digitize
   It does seem a bit strange that in the “digital age” we still consume enormous amounts of mashed up, bleached tree pulp, most of which gets used once or twice and then tossed or recycled. The greenest paper is no paper at all, so keep things digital and dematerialized whenever possible. The more you do online, the less you need paper. Keep files on computers instead of in file cabinets (this also makes it easier to make offsite backup copies or take them with you when you move to a new office). Review documents onscreen rather than printing them out. Send emails instead of paper letters. New software helps eliminate blank pages from documents before printing and can also convert to PDF for paperless document sharing.
3. Don’t Be a Paper Pusher
   When buying printer paper, look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and the minimum of chlorine bleaching. Even recycled paper gobbles up a great deal of energy, water, and chemical resources in its processing (toxic pulp slurry is the paper recycling industry’s dirty secret). When using the real stuff, print on both sides of the page when appropriate and use misprints as notepaper. Try to choose printers and photocopiers that do double-sided printing. If your office ships packages, reuse boxes and use shredded waste paper as packing material.
4. Greening the Commute
   American workers spend an average of 47 hours per year commuting through rush hour traffic. This adds up to 3.7 billion hours and 23 billion gallons of gas wasted in traffic each year. We can ease some of this strain by carpooling, taking public transit, biking, walking, or a creative combination thereof.  If there’s no good way to phase out your car, consider getting a hybrid, electric vehicle, motorcycle, scooter, or using a car sharing service like Flexcar or Zipcar.  Some employers are even giving a bonus to bike and carpool commuters and special perks to hybrid drivers. For those who think bike riding is for kids and tattooed couriers, consider a high-tech folding bike or an electrically assisted one (see below for more).
5. Green Sleeves
   You might be amazed how sharp work clothes from thrift stores can look. If you buy new, get clothes made with organic or recycled fibers. Avoid clothes that need to be dry cleaned, and if they so demand it, seek out your local “green” dry cleaner.
6. Work From Home
   Instant messaging, video conferencing, and other innovative workflow tools make effective telecommuting a reality. If you can telecommute, hold phone conferences, take online classes, or otherwise work from home, give it a try. It’ll save you the time you would have spent on the trip as well as sparing the air. As a bonus, you get to work in your pajamas. Telecommuting works for 44 million Americans (not to mention the TreeHugger staff). Also, consider the possibility of working four ten-hour days instead of five eight-hour days (a consolidated workweek), cutting the energy and time spent on commuting by 20% and giving you some lovely three-day weekends.
7. Use Green Materials
   Some paper use can’t be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods. Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones. Use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen, and provide biodegradable cleaners for the custodial staff. Buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste are reduced, and reuse the shipping boxes. Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and recycled replacements are cheaper than new ones.
8. Redesign the Workspace
   Greening the space in which you work has almost limitless possibilities. Start with good furniture, good lighting, and good air. Furniture can be manufactured from recycled materials as well as recyclable. Herman-Miller and Steelcase are two groundbreaking companies that have adopted the Cradle-to-Cradle protocol for many of their office chairs. Incandescent bulbs can be replaced with compact fluorescents and there is an ever-growing selection of high-end LED desk lamps that use miniscule amounts of energy. Not only is natural daylight a free source of lighting for the office, it has been proven to improve worker productivity and satisfaction (as well as boost sales in retail settings). Workspace air quality is also crucial. Good ventilation and low-VOC paints and materials (such as furniture and carpet) will keep employees healthy (look for How to Green Your Furniture coming soon).
9. Lunch Time
   Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest (and healthiest) way to eat at work. Getting delivery and takeout almost inevitably ends with a miniature mountain of packaging waste. But if you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order (more efficient than many separate ones). Also, bring in a reusable plate, utensils, and napkins. If you do go out for lunch, try biking or walking instead of driving.
10. Get Others in on the Act
    Share these tips with your colleagues. Ask your boss to purchase carbon offsets for corporate travel by car and plane. Arrange an office carpool or group bike commute. Trade shifts and job duties so that you can work four long days instead of five short ones. Ask the office manager to get fair trade coffee for the break room and make sure everyone has a small recycling bin so that recycling is just as easy as throwing paper away. Ask everyone to bring in a mug or glass from home and keep some handy for visitors so that you reduce or eliminate use of paper cups.

Article from:  Planet Green

1. Check your lease. Your lease will tell you exactly what’s required of you when moving out of your old office.   Generally, the lease requires that the tenant leave the office in broom-swept condition, however, I’ve also seen the lease require new paint, removing all cabling, furniture, phone system and security system.   It helps to have a heads up on anything that will require extensive work or expense.
2. Check with the landlord. Your lease may say one thing but if the new tenant is planning to gut your old office then it really doesn’t make sense to re-paint the walls.   After reading your lease, ask your landlord what he/she requires as it may be less than what the lease asks for.   You also may be able to negotiate leaving your old furniture and phone system in place as the landlord may have an easier time leasing your space when it’s left in plug-and-play condition.
3. Liquidate. If you plan ahead, you may be able to find creative things to do with your old stuff that doesn’t require putting it into the landfill.   You can try selling your stuff on Craigslist or finding a non-profit to donate it to.   If you’re going to be disposing electronics, you can send your items to a local recycler.   In the San Francisco Bay Area, we’ve worked with www.electrotechrecyclers.com and they’ve been incredibly reliable.

I recommend starting this process at least several weeks before your move date.   Putting some thought into cleaning out your space can save money and make things easier when planning your move.

There are several things that you need to think of when wondering if used furniture is for you: cost, convenience and flexibility.

Cost. Used furniture is definitely less expensive than new furniture.   A used cubicle (with installation) will probably run around $650 each while a low-end new cubicle (with installation) will probably run around $1350.

Convenience. The installation on used furniture probably won’t go as smoothly as new furniture – which may increase your costs and delay your move.   Be sure to have a solid space plan drawn beforehand – with a confirmed inventory of the parts needed – and schedule your installation several weeks before your move-in date so that if you need to order new parts, you’ll have time.   You also won’t have much flexibility in selecting colors and features and, instead, will be subject to purchasing whatever’s on the market at the time of your move.

Flexibility. If you think your company will be increasing it’s headcount in the near future, keep in mind that it will be next to impossible to find matching furniture if you purchase used.   To solve this problem, you can either plan ahead and purchase enough used furniture for your future headcount or purchase new furniture for your current headcount and order more only when you need it.   Reconfigurations can also be tough if you’ve purchased a discontinued line of furniture and need to order more parts so you may want to call the manufacturer to double-check before making a used furniture purchase.

And for those who would like to green their office, re-using furniture is the best thing you can do for the environment, without question.   However, keep in mind that most new furniture manufacturers are using sustainable materials and processes these days, so if you decide to go the new route, you can ask your dealer about those particular lines.

So, where do you find all these deals?

Craigslist. This is where you’ll find the best deals, hands down.   This is where you’ll find companies that are selling their surplus furniture so you’ll get the extra benefit of not having to pay a broker or dealer.   However, I’d like to add a word of caution here.   First, Craigslist people are flakes.   You should especially keep this in mind if you’re selling your used furniture here.   Not being furniture experts, they may tell you things about the furniture that isn’t true so take everything they say with a grain of salt.   Second, it can be pretty beneficial to have a broker or dealer involved who has experience in installing cubicles and can tell you what’s going to work and what won’t.

Used Furniture Dealer. Although you’ll pay more than if you purchase your furniture directly from Craigslist, most used furniture dealers will draw a space plan for you and confirm the inventory has the parts you’ll need to build your layout.   They’ll usually oversee installation and will have access to several different inventories at one time which will give you purchasing options.   Used furniture dealers can be found easily through a simple search on Google.

When looking for used furniture, feel free to contact me with a list of what you’re looking for.   Not only do we have several relationships with reputable used furniture dealers (who ship anywhere in the country), but we have clients who are moving and may be liquidating exactly what you’re looking for.

Purchasing used furniture can be more time-consuming and complicated than new furniture but it can also be less expensive.   When deciding whether to purchase used or new furniture, it’s critical to weigh your options before making a decision because price isn’t everything.

The presentation was by Scott Openshaw, Human Factors and Ergonomics Manager at Allsteel, who pointed out that most baby boomers plan to work into traditional retirement.   To get a sense of the size of this group, every 7 seconds somebody in America turns 50.   In 2007, 17.5% of the workforce was 55 and older.   By 2015, 20% of the workforce will be 55 and older.  Clearly this is a huge population!

The question is – how can we adapt the workplace to meet the needs of both younger and older employees?   Scott had some great ideas.

1. Increase illumination by 20%
2. Use special purpose lighting techniques to make low-contrast targets more visual
3. Avoid the use of small print in instructions, orders or on equipment
4. Consider using LCD displays
5. Sound masking/dampening strategies

Scott’s presentation reminded me of a client I worked with recently who was moving their office that was looking for used furniture as a way to save money.   I drew the space plan and then we started to look for used furniture that might meet their needs.   I remember one of their vice presidents telling me that they were willing to spend more money on chairs because they were an older office and they needed the comfort that an ergonomic chair would bring.  It makes sense.   Just think how much time somebody spends sitting in their task chair!   And I think this is a sentiment that the younger generation would agree with.

The boomer generation brings experience and maturity to the workforce and, when planning a new office space, some thought needs to be given to their needs.   Hopefully these ideas will inspire changes in your workplace so that everybody can work most productively.

I recently watched a documentary that said that most of the e-waste from the United States is dumped in places like Africa and Asia.   The documentary showed images of poor countries that have been turned into computer wastelands.   There were piles of old computers and monitors that had almost taken over villages and plumes of smoke from people lighting computers on fire to extract valuable metals.   Children played soccer around these piles.   I could only imagine the toxicity to these people’s health.

Furthermore, the documentary highlighted people in these countries who specialize in removing confidential information from your old hard drive.   It’s very easy for somebody to pull up financial information from your old hard drive even if you’ve taken the time to wipe it clean.

But what can we do?   We have to do something with our outdated technology and we can’t just throw it into the landfill.   Here are my tips for dealing with your e-waste:

1.   Get to know your vendors

Of course, it’s impossible to know everything about the vendors you do business with, but it’s important to ask tough questions and contact references when dealing with recyclers – just as you would any vendor you do business with.   Keep in mind that price isn’t the only factor. In fact, an unusually low price might be an indication that your vendor is doing some unscrupulous. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we work with Electrotech Recyclers who have made a commitment to recycle items domestically.

2.   Destroy your hard drives

By this, I mean that the only safe thing to do with your old hard drive is to use a hammer and smash it into a bunch of tiny pieces.   It can be very satisfying.   But if you’re cleaning out your office and have dozens of hard drives to destroy, it can be very tiring as well. For a small fee, companies like Electrotech Recyclers will destroy your hard drives and provide you with a certificate of destruction that you can keep on file for compliance purposes.

E-waste continues to be a problem.   The only way to really stop the problem is to forsake all technology which is pretty much impossible in today’s world.   And, in some ways, technology even helps to green our planet.   Taking the time to make sure that e-waste is disposed of properly is the best way to reduce technology’s impact on the environment and help people in other nations.

As a move coordinator, I’ve been asked many times to guide an IT department through a seamless transition from one location to the next.   This is a huge responsibility for the IT department as a company can lose a lot of money if they experience significant downtime on their network or phones.   Here are my top three tips to successfully moving your server room:

1.  Order your phone lines months in advance

This is probably not news to you, but the phone company is famous for delays and mixups.   Not only does a regular order take several weeks to process, but it’s not uncommon for there to be a problem or miscommunication.   Waiting for the phone company is the biggest reason companies have to delay a move to their new location.   You can get your order expedited but that will still take a couple of weeks and it will cost you (even if the delay is their fault).   I recommend starting this process several months in advance to insure your phone lines are up and ready when your company is ready to move.

2.   Pre-build your server room

I always recommend to my customers to pre-build a skeleton server room so that they can make a quick cut-over during move weekend.   You’ll not only want to pre-build racking, but it can be helpful to have a firewall, ethernet switch, UPS, and wireless access points setup and ready to go in the new server room.   Also, you should have plenty of patch cables and power strips on hand so that you have everything you need to reconnect the servers when they reach the new location.   We recommend using companies like B & B Electronics because they provide great advice and offer a huge selection on this type of equipment – and it definitely simplifies matters to work with a single vendor.   Think of it as an opportunity to upgrade old technology!

3.   Hire a few helping hands

The IT department will have a full schedule over move weekend so it can be helpful to hire a team to disconnect and reconnect your desktops.   There are IT companies that specialize in this kind of thing.   They will place everything at the new location as it was previously arranged on each users’ desk and they will test each system to insure that it’s working so that your employees can settle in quickly on their first day in the new office.   This takes a huge burden off the IT department and allows them to focus on higher-level issues.

The movement of the server room is one of the most important parts of a move.   Although it can be complicated, if you follow my top three tips, you are well on your way to a smooth transition from one location to the next.

Here are some inexpensive ideas on bootstrapping your way into creating the look of a multi-national corporation on a startup’s budget:

1.   Get somebody to answer your phones This is more realistic than you might think.   Companies like RingCentral.com offer an auto-receptionist to answer your phone calls and give people the option of pressing “1″ for sales, “2″ for customer service and “3″ for accounting.   Your callers don’t need to know that all options lead back to you or any contractors you’ve hired to handle, say, the accounting.   There’s no hardware to buy and nothing to maintain.   And it’s really inexpensive – plans start at only $9.99 per month. RingCentral even offers a free trial so you can play with the system to make sure you like it before committing.

2.   Create a website This may sound obvious but many people get caught up in paying a web designer lots of money to create a gorgeous website with all the bells and whistles.   This is totally unnecessary for most companies starting out.   When purchasing a hosting plan, Super Green Hosting will throw in free site building software that’s as simple as point and click.   They’ll also throw in a free domain name for life, unlimited email accounts, unlimited hosting space and instant setup.   All this for only $3.95 per month.   Yes, you heard right – $3.95 per month.   If you already have a website, they’ll transfer your domain for free so you can take advantage of their great pricing.   And on top of it all, Super Green Hosting is a green hosting service.   So don’t pay a web designer tons of money when your website can be up and running in a week for the cost of a latte.

3.   Purchase high-quality marketing materials Nothing is worse than being handed a business card that somebody printed out on their home computer (ok, there are lots of things that are worse but this is pretty bad).   Your business card and brochure are one of the first impressions another person has of your company and you really need to put your best foot forward.   We’ve worked with PSPrints many times when ordering move announcements, new business cards and stationary for our clients. They’ve worked out really well. Not only do they offer high-quality but low prices.   According to their website, they are even offering 50% off business cards until July 15^th – so there couldn’t be a better time to go for it! Having started and run my own company for the past 6 years, I certainly know the challenges of a business owner.   From our experience working with Fortune 500 companies, we’ve taken cues from them on how to create the look of a large corporation without the expense.

For starters, one important example of a cost that is often overlooked is staff downtime. To fully understand the value of this soft cost, just imagine how much it would cost your company to have your entire staff unable to work for a full day or a few hours because of a massive furniture problem, a lack of Internet connectivity, or worst of all, your phones sitting on every desk without dial tone.

Another way to avoid downtime during a company relocation is to create an hour-by-hour schedule for your move weekend to ensure that everything happens exactly when it’s supposed to happen, with no glitches, no hitches, and no surprises. This is a proactive way to work out all the kinks before the pressure is actually on.

One more example of managing your next move’s soft costs is by keeping employee morale high. Because a move is often seen by employees as a time of uncertainty, most companies report a higher than normal rate of dissatisfaction, with some personnel even quitting out of frustration. After all, employee turnover can be an extremely expensive proposition for any company. To avoid this negativity when you’re just moving your office, we recommend employing a company-wide communication strategy to keep your employees in the loop, help them feel like they’re part of the decision-making process, and assuring them that the company is still going ahead at full speed.

While keeping employees informed and updated is a good thing, it’s important not to overwhelm them with the details of the relocation or how much it’s costing the company. Another example of a soft cost that companies need to monitor is maintaining productivity. When not carefully planned, a move can often take over a company’s normal operations, throwing everyone into chaos mode. Many companies ask an employee who is normally very productive at their job, and turn them — unwillingly — into the move coordinator for several months.

Golden Gate Company has identified 300 items that need to be accomplished with every move. (That’s possibly 75 more than the average company could identify.) Because of our vast expertise, it’s impossible for the average employee with a temporary title of move coordinator to handle both the management of the relocation and his/her regular duties. Plus, this definitely isn’t good for business. That’s why we strongly recommend hiring a move coordinator so that your business can focus on what you do best and continue to make money.

In summary, managing the soft costs of your move is a critically important component to consider when planning your move budget. Employing a detailed logistical schedule and communication strategy is a start to making sure that your business continues to operate at maximum efficiency throughout your relocation.

To receive a complimentary quote on your next office move in the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose and Oakland, please contact us today: (415) 513-4490 or email: sales@goldengatecompany.com.

Being a relocation coordination firm, it’s easy for us to foresee and prepare for potential hitches in a plan. After all, we’ve “been there, done that” by coordinating dozens of small- to large-scale office moves.

In fact, we’ve known many companies that have decided to coordinate their move themselves and later told us that they wished they had hired us. Why? Because a natural, a technical or a personnel disaster occurred that put them out of business for several days — or longer. It’s hard to imagine the amount of revenue that each company lost from being out of business, not to mention, the long-term impact to each company’s image.

If your company is planning a move and you’ve never planned an office relocation before, it’s easy to overlook any potential hitches or oversights in the plan. With so many extra tasks to be accomplished during a move, an organization’s resources can be spread extremely thin and little thought might be given to the “what if” scenarios.

As one of the Golden Gate Company’s best practices, the ultimate goal of a successful move is to minimize the impact of a relocation on your company’s day-to-day operations. That being said, special consideration should be given to contingency planning.

The Best Defense Is Always a Good Offense
From our experience, one of the best ways to ensure a successful move is through preparing to avoid any possible disaster. Common disasters that can hit your move include lost or damaged equipment, inadequate space planning, and selecting the wrong vendors.

First, to avoid tragedy through lost or damaged equipment, companies should have a computer contingency plan. This particular plan should have emergency, back-up, recovery, test and maintenance plans. Adequate computer contingency planning should help firms to quickly regain their capabilities to process information, communicate through email and/or their Intranet, and get back in business.

Second, companies often find out too late that their space planning was inadequate and will not actually accommodate their staff after the relocation. Imagine the embarrassment and anguish when you discover this as your furniture is being moved into your new office. But you don’t have to imagine how this can severely destroy your move schedule. We received emergency calls from a company that decided to do their own space planning and found out — during move weekend — that their measuring was incorrect. Since they were half-way through their move, there was no way for their employees to resume working until they received the correct-sized cubicles. That’s why we highly recommend that companies have a move coordinator, space planner or furniture vendor double-check their measurements long before the move date to avoid this type of disaster.

Third, the least expensive vendor is not always the best one for your project. Companies should carefully evaluate each vendor from whom they get estimates for their move so the companies can fully understand each vendor’s capabilities and make sure that they can fulfill the job requirements. Finding out over move weekend that your movers can’t complete your job can often make it impossible to resume working on Monday morning. (Or even Tuesday, Wednesday or more mornings!)

In summary, protecting your equipment, double-checking your space planning and selecting the right vendors are just a few ways to protect your move from disaster.

Keep in mind that there are literally thousands of details to consider when moving a company and each company’s contingency plan can vary based on the particular industry, size and scope of your business. But by taking the time to consider potential problems with your move proactively, you’re a step ahead of the game and you improve the likelihood that your company will survive and recover quickly.

For more information regarding your next office relocation, please contact Rachel Walls, President of The Golden Gate Company today: 415.354.4208.