The development of green office standard: Thailand initiative

Abstract

Green Office encourages companies to promote the wellbeing of their personnel, for example by promoting everyday exercise and a good working atmosphere. Undeniably, the operation of all activities has required and consumed either resources or energy and at the same time emitting a certain environmental impact into the earth. Think about the consequence, all offices produce huge greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which the main cause of climate change and global warming that is becoming a significant environmental crisis widely affecting to the quality of life of most populate around the world. The Department of Environmental Quality Promotion has collaborated with the Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University conducted a study on development of Green Office Standard. Objective: To develop standards and associated criteria for assessment of Green Offices and to examine the empirical research that grounds the development methods and application of green office standards for promoting environmentally friendly activities at both public and private sectors including local administration organizations. Design, Method and Setting: The research framework is outlined grounding on an integration of 3 standard protocols; ISO14001 environmental management system, Greenhouse Gas Management, and Waste Minimization Pollution Prevention which rather beneficial for modelling the best standard of environmental management in the office. Six academic environment and energy research databases (SCImago, EnvironmentAsia, ThaiJO, UNEP-GRID, NETROnline and BBC-Science and Nature) were interrogated, the websites of 24 agencies associated with the study topic were investigated. A multi-method strategy was employed over the period March 2016 to August 2018. A major research designs are particularly using EDFR (Ethnographic Delphi Futures Research) and survey method for collecting baseline information and setting the green office standard criteria. Subjects: 10 pilot organizations where exclusively adopted the green office initiatives and first conducted in June 2016. Since these pilots to receive the assessment of standardized green office from a Commission on Certification of Green Office Standard-accredited Green Office Assessor who had the following: a master or doctoral degree, at least 5 years of monitoring and supervising environmentally friendly activities, and familiarity/experience with green initiative instruction in various settings, so then the assessment is to equip the organization managers and their staff with the information, protocols, and guidance to serve as eco-friendly building tool at their institutions. Measurements: We used panellist's critiques and ratings to make sequential revisions in a series of 3 EFDR rounds of workshop. Standards were rated as to whether they were clear, necessary, and appropriate. We rated criteria for the associated standard as to whether they were useful, helpful, clear, specific, and consistent. Results: We developed a final set of 7 criteria, 19 activities, and 88 associated indicators to measure the Green Office standards. The accepted standards include the following: Organization Management, Operations of Green Office, Energy and Resource Utilization, Office Waste Management, Indoor $\&$ Outdoor Environment, Eco-friendly Procurement, and Continual Improvement. Conclusions: The 7 standards and associated indicators developed in this research project could be used not only for the government organizations or local administrations but also to business processes, strategies and decisions in environmental management. The success of the Environmental Management System depends on the commitment of personnel at all levels and all functions in the organization led by top executives in the organization. Further research should include validating these standards/criteria among responsible citizenship within our society representing different types of environmental protection and awareness settings.