Pamela Groberman Media Goes Green

More and more offices are beginning to consider the environmental impacts of the resources they use, but very few take their concerns to the level of Pamela Groberman Media and Public Relations in the pursuit of an eco-friendly work environment. Over the past year, Pamela Groberman has carefully redesigned its office space to be as green as possible, down to the very last detail.

"Pamela was very committed to the eco-friendly process," says Simple owner Kelly Deck, who designed the new office.

Going green is a complicated endeavor, as every aspect of office design including furniture, paint and hardware must be considered carefully for its ecological impact on the environment. Despite these challenges, Deck and Groberman worked together to create an office that fulfils the needs of both sustainability and style.

"We wanted it to be beautiful, friendly and hip, but also ecologically friendly," Deck says.

The goal of the office was to include pieces made of woods, glass, metals and fibres that were recyclable and had the least negative impact on the environment, in addition to being esthetically pleasing. This resulted in all desks, the bar and the boardroom table being built with reclaimed fir and chairs constructed with aluminum and recyclable plastics. The office also features a custom-built recyclable sofa comprised of hemp and rubber. But though these furniture choices are ecologically conscious, they certainly don't sacrifice style: Deck was careful to choose classic designs, including a Noguchi table and Eames chairs built by Herman Miller, an environmentally responsible manufacturer.

"We did our best to use design icons," says Deck.

All furniture options were carefully researched for hours by Deck before any orders were made, and once decisions were finalized, certain pieces (such as the California-made sofa) took months to be custom-built.

"Getting every piece has been painstaking," Deck explains.

The office was also hand-painted with water-based, no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints, which are non-toxic and safer for your health as well as the air. Painter Peter Polivka, along with his crew from Sophia's Studio, spent two and a half weeks (8 hours a day) painting the 4000 square-foot office by hand to avoid using harsh sprays used by other businesses for large spaces.

But in the end, all the detail-oriented work was worth the effort. The loft-style space is bright, open and welcoming, with a contemporary West Coast chic flavour, and its uncluttered, simplistic design is fresh and relaxing.

"There's an elegance to it," says Deck.

With its stylish yet sustainable decor, the new green office doesn't conform to long-existing stereotypes about what it means to be eco-friendly, breaking the mold and challenging old assumptions.

"We want to be leaders," says Pamela Groberman, "We want to show that to be sustainable, you don't have to have a low-style office."

But the consideration of the environment doesn't end with the interior design. Pamela Groberman Media implements a full recycling program, including the recycling of paper, glass and plastic. The company prefers to be energy smart and replaced all lighting to accommodate power-smart bulbs and installed low-flush toilets. New business cards will be printed on 100 % post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable inks and all documents are printed on recycled paper, something the company encourages its clients to consider when they are designing their own reports and promotional materials. With all of these unique office features, Pamela Groberman Media and Public Relations shows that it is a business with a conscience that cares about the future of the environment.