Would you like to book an office in Brussels in an eco-friendly environment? Do you own a company of any size and are you looking to apply certain green practices? What is certain is that you will considerably reduce your ecological impact. The main idea of sustainability is to reduce waste. Encouraging this principle in businesses can therefore help you save time and money. You will discover that at WAO Coworking we are undeniably sensitive to environmental protection. This is why we have chosen to create offices with a neutral ecological impact, or at least reduced and available in an eco-friendly environment.
What are the characteristics of an eco-friendly office?
Using "second hand" in your office space
A company’s premises are constantly adapting to its growth. With each move, the company transforms its offices to its new location. New premises are equivalent to new furniture, new decor, etc. In this case, it is both the company’s budget and the carbon impact that pay for the cost of the move. So why not opt for « second-hand » offices. There are so many companies that decide to throw away their furniture and equipment because they deteriorate over time. Or they decide to renew the decoration, choosing to redo their spaces rather than trying to repair them. It’s a moment to seize to get it all back! Remember to recycle, by exchanging your old furniture, it will give you a new look, while avoiding waste!
This is what WAO has resolved to do by recovering up to 1.5 tonnes of material. Whether desks, bay windows, waste bins, tables or chairs. From light bulbs, wooden boards for lighting, and even soap and towel dispensers. Without forgetting plants and paint! The aim is to give a second life to these materials and tools by reworking and repairing them. With a little time and creativity, the results are sometimes amazing!
Recycle, compost and garden!
One of the most effective ways to make your offices eco-friendly is to sort your waste and recycle. According to the Belgian statistics office, the economy whose offices and workspaces as well as Belgian households generated approximately 63 million tonnes of waste in one year.
By sorting its waste, your company becomes the first link in the recycling chain and actively contributes to environmental protection. Indeed, the recycling process involves the use of secondary raw materials from waste. This avoids all the extraction and processing phases of natural raw materials. A process that is both polluting and energy-intensive. This is what we have undertaken: selective waste sorting, which also helps to raise the awareness of our customers.
At WAO we have prioritised the investment of indoor compost. We dispose of coffee grounds, tea bags or loose tea, apple cores, and any other organic waste… Placed on our roof, the plants feed on it and it’s ecological! Composting is a real natural amendment, it improves the quality of the soil by enriching it without destroying micro-organisms.
This is why our Start-up has committed itself to the construction of a vegetable garden on the roof of the premises in order to bring nature to the forefront and blend it into everyday professional life. On the one hand, this green innovation is a way of positioning ourselves as a responsible company. On the other hand, it makes our clients aware of the importance of ecology and the positive impact that the creation of such spaces has for the biodiversity of a city. Beyond its friendly image, it is above all a dynamic of sharing between colleagues. It allows time to clear one’s mind outside. It is a real vector of well-being at work!
Banning coffee capsules
Although they are trendy and easy to use, coffee capsules have the major disadvantage of being disposable and therefore not necessarily recyclable. Coffee capsules are so popular that more than 9 billion coffee capsules are produced worldwide every year. These 9 billion units sold each year generate 40,000 tonnes of waste according to some estimates.
So many polluting packages that are also reflected in the price of the coffee… So without hesitation, we decided to switch to coffee beans. In addition to being ecological, it has the advantages of being tastier and healthier!
Eliminating disposable cups means opting for sustainability
Cela parait si simple et pourtant c’est si rare en entreprise, la tasse lavable et réutilisable à l’infini, est en voie de disparition. C’est pourtant elle l’ainée de ce gobelet à usage unique en carton, ou pire en plastique, que l’on jette au quotidien. Pourquoi l’avoir délaissé si vite? Sans doute par fainéantise de la laver après chaque utilisation. C’est regrettable pour la planète, mais aussi pour l’entreprise. Comme pour les capsules à café, tout ce qui se jette, se paye! Chez WAO nous avons été malins. Nous invitons les clients à utiliser des gourdes et des beaux thermos. De plus, nous mettons uniquement à disposition des tasses ou des verres réutilisables.
Cultivating your plant garden in the heart of the office
The working environment has always been a subject of study, because quite simply, a third of our days are devoted to work. Enriching an office with plants increases productivity by 15%. (According to Marlon Nieuwenhuis, researcher in psychology at Cardiff University in the UK).
Beyond the point on efficiency, it is also a question of conscience. It is estimated that 8 computers switched on for 8 hours produce one tonne of CO2. To reverse this trend, at least two trees are needed. However, it is impossible to integrate trees into the office. So the best option is plants that allow us to work with the environment.
At WAO we have arranged our spaces in such a way that it is possible to book an office in Brussels in an eco-friendly environment, real green offices! This, by spreading different types of plants everywhere. They improve the quality of the air, thanks to their purifying action. The air becomes more pleasant because they neutralise the toxic dust particles generated by computers, photocopiers, etc. Creativity, productivity and well-being are also developed and multiplied by their presence. In addition, they bring a new, attractive and warm atmosphere that says a lot about our image. Some of them even have virtues on your concentration at work!
As you will have understood, there is the possibility to book an office in Brussels in an eco-friendly environment at WAO. Coworking spaces that promote respect for ecology by allowing you to be efficient and develop your business. We offer various services, related to ecological development and all in this healthy environment.