This month, the Office of Sustainability made the much-anticipated move to its new sustainably renovated space. Fittingly, the design process considered energy, material life cycle, indoor air quality, construction and demolition waste recycling, and occupancy health.

Some of the visibly sustainable features of the new office include daylight tubes, occupancy sensors, reclaimed wood flooring, and Homasote ceiling tiles.

 Daylight tubes are connected to the roof. Their reflective surface bounces daylight down the tube and delivers it to a diffuser panel mounted in the ceiling to light up a wide area underneath. Occupancy sensors turn the lights on or off automatically depending on whether the room is occupied.

Homasote ceiling tiles consist of 98% post-consumer paper and newspaper. They and other Homasote products are renowned for their environmentally friendly, weather-resistant, structural, insulating, and extremely durable properties.

Less visible, but no less sustainable, features include Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood, which supports environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests; carpet manufactured from recycled materials; flooring made with reclaimed wood; and zero VOC paint, which releases much less toxic emissions into the air than traditional paint.

The Office of Sustainability encourages visitors to stop by 70-72 Whitney Ave. and experience the new space.