Over the past 20 years, the office environment has changed radically. Even if a business has survived the same activity over the past two decades, the modern office is a far more dynamic place with information being continually accessed and shared by sometimes hundreds of users, at unfathomable speeds.
The modern office as compared to its less sophisticated predecessor has over 10,000 times more internal wiring and contains 100 times more electrical appliances. Environmentally speaking, electricity consumption in offices has now become a significant issue.
With the advent of desktop computers and the increasing use of the Internet and electronic mail, one would expect a reduction in the use of paper, but in fact, the opposite is true. Paper consumption has continued to escalate over the last decade.
To celebrate World Environment Day 2002, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and City Developments Limited (CDL) are proud to launch the first phase of Project: ECO-Office, a nation-wide outreach programme that will inspire and educate office workers of all levels to do their part in helping to preserve the environment.
“Bearing in mind that the average working adult spends between eight to ten hours a day in the office, which represents a major portion of our day, we see this as an opportunity not only to encourage key business decision makers to take up the environmental banner for the company, but also to inspire all office workers to adopt environmentally proactive lifestyles,” says SEC’s Executive Director Ms. Penelope Phoon.
A veteran supporter of environmental projects, CDL, an established commercial landlord is the co-organiser of this project. Says Mr Kwek Leng Joo, CDL’s Managing Director, “The ECO-Office message is an important one which has been neglected so far. Many businesses may not be aware that high paper usage and high energy consumption are extremely damaging to the environment. We hope that by taking the lead in spreading the benefits of reuse, reduce and recycle, more companies will be convinced that such good practices will not only positively impact their bottom line, but will also make the workplace far more conducive for their overall well-being.”
Organisers’ Objectives:
Project ECO-Office is aimed at fostering an understanding of environmental impact stemming from office operations. It hopes to reach out to individual office workers, helping them to appreciate the importance of preserving the environment. Most importantly, it calls for a lifestyle change, ultimately transferring the benefits back to the community. Project ECO-Office also hopes to encourage greater use and as a result, generate a larger market for environment-friendly office products.
Implementing Project ECO-Office
As the first phase of the programme, the organizers will be distributing Project ECO-Office kits to offices nation-wide, starting with 450 of CDL’s tenants. The kit comprises the following:
- Series of posters carrying environmental messages.
- Series of stickers carrying environmental tips for placement on electrical switches, document control areas, and workstations.
- Copies of ECO-Office Green Procurement Guide to assist managers in the procurement of environment-friendly office products.
As part of the Project: ECO-Office launch, the organizers will be unveiling an exhibition on office greening. The exhibition will be part of the Project: ECO-Office road show, which will tour commercial buildings. The first of these roadshows is now on at CDL’s flagship building, Republic Plaza, from 5-7 June, 12 noon to 2.00pm daily.
Environmental issues highlighted through Project: ECO-Office include recycling, waste minimization, energy conservation, pollution prevention, and indoor air quality.
Phase one of Project: ECO-Office involves educating office workers of the need for them to play a part in environmental protection and empowering them with the knowledge of how they can go about doing it.
The organizers propose to embark on Phase two during the early part of 2003. During this phase, participating offices will be given the means to conduct an environmental audit of their commercial space. A ‘Greenest Office’ award will be based on results from these audits.
Project ECO-Office Roadshows (between 12 noon - 2 pm):
Republic Plaza : 5 - 7 June
City House : 18 - 19 June
Hong Leong Building : 9 - 10 July
Plaza by the Park : 16 - 17 July
Palais Renaissance : 23 - 24 July
IBM Towers : 30 - 31 July
Chinatown Point : 6 - 7 August
Central Mall : 13 - 14 August
New Tech Park : 20 - 21 August