NEW YORK – March 17, 2009 - While many people are spending today eating green bagels and corned beef sandwiches, READY366 had something else in mind. After 3 months of planning and construction, they are officially moving into their new "green" space at 33 East 17th Street in Union Square. "We believe that sustainability is a way of thinking and behaving, and in order to create successful green solutions for our clients, we needed to live by our own words. That’s why we committed to greening our own work space and practices.", says Susan Palombo, Managing Director of READY366.
Last October, READY366 hired Robin Wilson, pioneer in eco-friendly design and frequent spokesperson on CBS Early Morning Show, to assess their space and convert it to something more eco-friendly. "Designing an office space for READY366 was about understanding the unique personality of the agency to find the perfect style and mood to inspire creativity, with eco-friendly, practical and cost-effective solutions", says Robin Wilson.
Many of the changes include practical choices, like using low VOC paints, recycled carpet tiles, reclaimed furniture and solar shades to keep heat in during winter and heat out during summer to save energy. They also broke through some exterior walls and added windows to gain more natural light in the space, reducing the need for overhead lights. Other changes concern workflow and actual behavior. They invested in new software that can enable an entirely paperless workflow between creative development and client presentation. And, in addition to standard recycling, they added a composting bin for weekly drop-off at a collection area across the street from their office.
The space is on the penthouse floor in a NYC landmark building overlooking the Union Square Green Market. "We call it The Tree House. But at this point, no birds or squirrels have been invited in", notes Kurt Kretten, Creative Director.