How Coworking Spaces Fight Climate Change

Global climate change is a reality in our daily lives. There’s no avoiding this fact, and we all face the need to reduce our environmental impact on the planet. This applies to businesses of all sizes, too, and their workplaces. The goal is to make them more eco-friendly and reduce their carbon footprints.

Many people don’t realise that coworking spaces can help fight climate change! We’ll take a look at how these workspaces can reduce our impact on the planet.

Environmental Benefits of Coworking Spaces

Coworking spaces offer many benefits, such as working in a collaborative space and saving money over the cost of a traditional office. However, coworking spaces also provide many environmental benefits that can reduce our carbon footprints in the following ways:

1. Efficient Energy Consumption 

Coworking spaces bring several companies together to share resources in one place. One valuable, expensive resource is energy. When organisations use a coworking space, they share energy consumption with other companies and reduce their overall energy use.

For instance, there’s one climate control system rather than five (one for each business). That’s only one way energy consumption is reduced.

Coworking spaces also reduce energy consumption by providing recreational areas, kitchens, and more under one roof. These areas become hubs where everyone can gather rather than head out for lunch or coffee. In addition, fewer lights are needed in the workplace.

Coworking spaces are a great way for companies to reduce their carbon emissions and become more eco-friendly by sharing energy with other organisations in the same place.

2. Less Material Use

Whether you work from home or in an office, materials are used on a regular basis. Consider all the materials used to create walls, furniture, storage, and more.

On the other hand, a coworking space provides everything a company needs to run. This includes all the materials in the form of office furniture (desks & workstations) and more. What’s more, everything is simplified, including the workstations.

Workstations and other office implements are used by several organisations. For example, hot desks are used on a rotating basis. One person may need to be at the desk for a couple of hours. When they’re finished, that position can then be used by another individual. More than one person is using the same workstation, which means saving on materials.

The same applies to breakout spaces, kitchens, and more. When several organisations and individuals are sharing the same materials, less is taken from nature. That cuts production and transportation, too. So, materials are saved, and this can have a positive impact on the environment.

3. Minimised Waste Generation 

While we’re on the subject of materials, we must also consider waste generation. Traditional offices have several sources of waste, including electronics, paper, and more. And consider the business clothing needed at a traditional office. Many of these pieces require dry cleaning, which is hard on the environment and creates more harmful waste.

On the other hand, when you choose to work in a coworking space, it’s possible to lower waste production. For one thing, fewer garbage bins are required. Less paper is used, too, as most communication and other office operations are done online. And the more casual dress code in many coworking spaces means less energy and cleaning chemicals are needed to get them clean.

The result is that waste generation is minimised, saving the planet and reducing the effects of climate change.

4. Natural Lighting

Many coworking spaces take advantage of large windows that allow plenty of natural light into their spaces. Not only is natural light more beneficial to employee health and wellbeing, but it’s also better for the environment.

Artificial lighting is still necessary; however, the use of more natural light reduces the dependence on and use of electricity, including energy from renewable sources.

So, everyone benefits from feeling better by being exposed to natural light. And the use of electricity is lowered when the coworking space uses more natural lighting.

5. Space for Plants & Gardens

Studies have shown that humans need access to nature to feel happier and healthier. For this reason, many coworking spaces use biophilic design, which uses plants and other natural materials to bring nature indoors. Plants are one of the easiest ways to bring nature in.

Plants and gardens in the coworking space also work to clean the air. Plants have been shown to reduce dust and CO2 levels by as much as 30%. They also maintain humidity at healthy levels to keep the environment more comfortable for humans.

6. Promote the Use of Public Transport

Using your car to head to the office everyday uses quite a bit of energy and produces exhaust that causes air pollution. However, organisations using coworking spaces may encourage the use of public transport and carpools.

When several people use public transport and carpool together, they work to cut emissions. They’re not using their own vehicles to get to work. Sharing the ride cuts emissions and reduces the amount of energy used (such as gas or electricity).

Many coworking spaces are built near public transport hubs and offer free parking, further helping reduce climate change.

7. Use of Alternative Energy Sources

Some coworking spaces also make use of alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar energy. This makes them more energy efficient for those using the spaces.

Many renewable energy sources (such as solar panels & wind turbines) usually are placed in large areas in order to provide a useful amount of energy. Coworking spaces may have space for solar panels (or other renewable energy production machinery) on-site. They can then produce their own clean, renewable energy.

When organisations and individuals use these coworking spaces, they are promoting the use of renewable and alternative sources of energy that have been shown to reduce the effect of climate change.

Summing It Up

Coworking spaces can help an organisation become more sustainable and reduce its effect on the climate. As the climate continues to change, the hope is that more businesses and individuals will understand that shared spaces, such as coworking spaces, are a great way to lower their emissions and save the planet at the same time.