Industry News
January 2010
New UK Office Greenest in the Avon World
AVON’S new head office in the UK has been described as a landmark building, with every effort taken to incorporate the very latest technology in line with today’s focus on sustainable design.
Opened in October, the building is home to local, regional and global colleagues who are being encouraged to play their part in this new eco-conscious environment, which has a BREEAM rating of ‘very good’. This is an internationally recognised assessment standard for sustainable, environmentally conscious design.
Energy and water saving features include instant boiling water from a tap to avoid the need for kettles, toilets flushed with rainwater harvested through a series of special roof drains and filters and solar panels to capture heat from the sun.
Extensive use of specially treated glass ensures maximum natural lighting, with sensor-activated additional lighting as needed, both indoors and in the car park. Recycling bins have been incorporated into the design of central ‘tea points’ on each floor, which also house multi-purpose devices for print, fax and copying to eliminate individual desktop use.
Floor mats are made from recycled car tyres and fan belts, carpets are from similar materials and kitchen worktops come from recycled yoghurt pots. Non-toxic paint has been used throughout, and employees’ feedback helped in the selection of ergonomically designed chairs for maximum comfort and posture support. Desks are made from 60 per cent recyclable material, so they can be easily disposed of at the end of their life.
Chief Executive Officer Andrea Jung, who flew in to perform the opening ceremony as part of the UK’s 50th anniversary celebrations, paid tribute to the project team who spearheaded the re-development of Avon’s site. She said, “The remarkable architecture of this new office space, with its breathtaking river views, brings together the UK business with regional and global colleagues in a spectacular and sustainable environment – the ‘greenest’ facility in Avon’s global real estate portfolio.”
Support for green issues across all sectors is higher than ever on the corporate agenda. In addition to profit (financial performance) and people (philanthropy), there is now a growing awareness that environmental stewardship is equally important. In the United States, Avon has been recognised as one of the Top 25 global green companies.
As part of its plan to reduce travel, the UK office has implemented state-of-the-art technology to enable more effective communication. The focal point is a dedicated meeting room offering a high-definition version of video conferencing. Known as ‘telepresence’, this allows users to feel they are in the same room as other participants, seen life-size on large, flat-panel screens with touchbutton controls to zoom in on documents, share laptop presentations and so on.
The first of six Avon locations to employ this facility, it will dramatically cut down on travel and conferencing costs as well as keeping the company’s carbon footprint down.
Other examples include VoIP (voice over internet protocol) telephony, where computers and telephones share the same network connection. This supports flexible working, allowing people to move around the site and login to any telephone using a personal identification number. Wireless network around the building supports laptop use, not only in meeting rooms but also for visitors, who can access the Internet if they wish.
The opening of the office was the culmination of a major project and a sign of confidence in the future. Property and Site Development Manager, Darren Jameson said, “We now have a building we can rightly be proud of that reflects Avon’s position as a leading beauty company and a major employer in the town. This is just the start of an ongoing process in which employees will be involved and encouraged to play their part not only here but at home.”
