Kokuyo, a Tokyo-based company, wants to improve worker efficiency and cut down on corporate carbon emissions so it has come up with the idea of moving its employees outside. The century-old company which started out manufacturing Japanese-style bookkeeping ledgers in 1905 has set up a rooftop garden office with trees, a man made pond to cool intense summer days and movable solar panels to block direct sunlight on its workers. Electrical outlets and wireless have been installed on the roof.
It's not the only innovation the company has for its plans to reduce its corporate carbon footprint by 56 tons annually. Kokuyo's Tokyo headquarters underwent a complete renovation recently and divided up its office space layout so some areas can stay dark when not in use. That knocked power consumption down by 28 per cent. The company has also set up panels on its floors near the entrance to store power when people walk over them.
Having workers outside could lessen the company's carbon emissions by more than five tons a year. Company president Akihiro Kuroda thinks that the move will not only be good for the environment but also motivate workers. “Workers can work more efficiently in a natural environment,†he says. “I hope it will lead to changes in employees' mentality.â€
The 140 employees are expected to spend one third—or about 90 days a year—of their work time in the garden office. On rainy days, workers can go inside but even in the winter, employees will be encouraged to work in the garden office with blankets to keep them warm.
Via Mainichi and TechOn
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