The Green Office Trend Is Transforming The Economy

Julie Starr • May 29, 2020



When Wiliam Blake described the “dark, Satanic mills” of the industrial revolution, he articulated what nineteenth-century people thought: industrialization was at odds with nature. 

In the early days, the effects of trade and commerce on the environment were relatively limited. Factories were still incredibly rare. And the average country didn’t have the scientific apparatus to collect data on the environment. Nobody knew if burning coal in factories was poisoning the lungs of children. 

Today, though, things are different, and we fundamentally appreciate that modern economies take a toll on the environment. The goal now is to create some kind of win-win situation – one in which we keep our current lifestyle, and enable the planet to survive the next million years.

Businesses have a role to play in this process. Not only do they need to make sustainable products, but they also need to ensure that their working practices are green. Many companies, therefore, are investing in green premises – campuses that will confirm them as eco-conscious brands. 

The supporting industry behind this trend is now considerable. Thousands of architects and design firms are churning out reprographics that minimizes water and carbon usage while providing amenities for green modes of travel, like bicycle storage. Firms are also looking to provide full bathroom facilities on site so that people can freshen up after journeying to work under their own steam. 

The trend for green business premises, however, isn’t just changing the workplace but also transforming the economy as a whole. Companies across sectors now realize that if they want to impress consumers and clients about their green credentials, they have to walk the walk. They can no longer justify cramming people into high-rise offices that guzzle the Earth’s resources. They need something fundamentally more sustainable

Already we see firms experimenting with all kinds of solutions. Vertical gardens, for instance, adorn the cladding of many buildings. Companies are also installing solar on their roofs and special glass to help with insulation and heating. 

Innovations, however, are arriving all the time. Architects, for instance, now understand the importance of creating “energy-positive” buildings that produce more energy than they consume, providing the necessary slack for going carbon neutral.

Companies are also investigating the concept of creating “living walls” in their office complexes. Building surfaces could become replete with plants and shrubs , creating a kind of urban rainforest effect. Planners believe the overall impact will be positive because it will help to scrub the air of pollution while also assisting pedestrians in feeling relaxed.

Another innovation concerns that of floating settlements. Land space is limited and precious, and urban sprawl is creating problems for habitats and wildlife. Planners now see the potential of constructing floating communities or even entire cities offshore with no ground-based footprint. These structures would sit on the sea, allowing cities to expand beyond the shoreline instead of the wilderness. 

Therefore, the greening of business premises will transform the economy and change the way we work. As technology improves, costs will fall. And that can only be a good thing. 

 

By Julie Starr July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.
By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.