Green office, its features and importance for sustainable environmental management: A comparative review in search for similarities and differences

Abstract

In the recent decades, there is a growing importance of green office, a practical environmental management system for the offices, as it is an environmental service for offices with the main goal of bringing an environment, which is good for the health, for conservation of energy, diminishing emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the ecological footprint of the offices. This article aimed to describe the purpose and principles of green office, features of green office as green building, steps to set up a green office and analysis of the green offices in some countries as Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland, UK, USA and Thailand so as to find out the similarities and differences in its practice, features and aims and objectives of the green offices. The article was carried out through review of available literatures in books, journals and internet sources. The article concluded that green office in the work places can be promoted through behavioral changes and efficient office management practices, by reducing the consumption of natural resources, promoting sustainable lifestyles through enhanced employee environmental awareness.