Sustainable architecture
Large building projects for increasing ecological, social, and economic sustainability are important, no doubt about it. Sustainable architecture also brings in a lot of positive publicity. Less spectacular, but just as important, are the many rigorously pursued small steps to adapt an existing building to a more sustainable building. When you add these small steps up, they produce substantial results. In this context, the key to success is keeping your eyes open as you go about your daily work and drawing the right conclusions in line with sustainable business activity and production. This is especially true when talking about buildings. The Eppendorf headquarters in Hamburg grew and still grows at the same location for more than 50 years.
The heart of the company consists of buildings built in different decades, connected to each other and constantly modified to meet the needs:
- New windows with improved insulation
- Improved insulation of outer walls
- Replacement of classic light bulbs by LED lights where replacements make sense
- Dedicated facility management team in close co-operationship with Health-Safety department
- Focus on local crafts enterprises to support local economy
All new Eppendorf buildings designed in the last years comply with major requirements in respect to energy savings like up-to-date wall insulation or 3-level windows for optimal energy usage. Besides classic green aspects, office structures are constantly updated and re-designed to fulfill optimal working conditions for the employees.
Platinum Standard
Eppendorf herbal garden
he colleagues from Eppendorf India have created a green oasis of around 50 square meters in front of their office in Chennai. The idea behind it: Provide information about traditional Indian plants and simple home remedies.From Aloe vera to mint to Andrographis paniculata, one of the best-known plants in Ayurvedic medicine, customers and colleagues will find a colorful mix of traditional plants and herbs in the newly created garden. Most of them are Indian, plus some that can also grow in the conditions prevailing in India.Besides the look at the plants and herbs, everyone can learn more about them as QR codes with further information for each plant have been engraved in granite. Sankaranarayanan Vancheeswaran, Vice President Eppendorf India, explains: "This is an element of our GoGreen initiative. After we moved into the new building in March 2016, we started adding as much greenery as possible around the office so that it is not just an area of concrete. We have a gardener who takes care of the plants. Some beautiful herbal plants started growing in the office, like Aloe vera and tulasi.
