Summer, 2011

Hi from Robin

During a golf outing a businessman asked bluntly what designers actually DO. I explained that we optimize the work environment, plan for the future, and reduce costs, all at a fraction of the improvements themselves. The man paused. "I don't know why everyone doesn't use a designer," he said.

Recently a financial advisor client told me she can speak to a large group of people about the debt ceiling, but wouldn't even know how to start to plan for her new office location.

Take a second to think of all the time you spend in your office environment-doesn't it just make sense that the more your office space is designed to meet your needs, the more productive and comfortable you will be?

Whether it is basic or complex, a good design is always good for business. Our first design consultation is always free. E-mail me at rstroebel@intlogic.com and I'd be delighted to set up a time to talk.

InteriorLOGIC Wins Corporate Report Wisconsin Award

Corporate Report Wisconsin, a statewide business magazine, recently announced that InteriorLOGIC won the Silver Award in the "Best of Commercial Interior Design" category during its seventh annual "Best of Wisconsin Business Awards" luncheon at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Nearly 2,000 readers cast their votes online to determine the winners. We are honored to be recognized by the readership for our commitment and success in the planning and design of workplace environments-thank you!

Resilience Research Center Update

Watch construction progress on this LEED-Platinum project from your computer. The Resilience Research Center (RRC) on Rimrock Road in Madison is the future home for Center for Resilient Cities, an organization that works with individuals, nonprofits, and government partners to create healthy, high-quality environments. From the installation of its geothermal wells to the solar tubes and photovoltaic cells on the roof, you can be right there to see how it is done. Visit RRC

Sustainable design (also known as "green" construction) is just as important for the inside of the building. The "green" elements for the interior of RRC can easily be part of your own office space. For example, it is our standard practice to specify no- or low-VOC paints and coatings for every project (many VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are dangerous to human health). By eliminating VOCs there is virtually no odor during the painting process. This reduces headaches and other irritations staff may experience from regular paint fumes. All the wall paints selected for RRC have a reflectivity of 70 percent or higher, which contributes to the daylighting requirements for LEED-Platinum certification.

Daylighting (or access to daylight) is important for good health, productivity, and low turnover in the workplace-for example, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has shown that exposure to daylight improves student health and performance in schools. The collaborative goal of the RRC design team is to provide high-quality light while reducing energy use for lighting and cooling.

Carpet tile we selected for RRC has a minimum 65-percent recycled content and "post-it" installation is virtually odorless with zero VOCs. Construction waste from carpet tile is about 1.5 percent, compared with 8-12 percent with rolled goods. According to GreenFloors, carpet tile typically installs 20 percent faster than rolled carpet and reduces office downtime by 50 percent when renovating existing space. Carpet tile can also save on long-term maintenance costs. When a tile becomes stained or damaged it can be easily replaced, compared to ripping up an entire room of rolled carpet.

About 3,000 square feet of spruce, pine, maple, and cherry have been reclaimed from the site. This material will be used for interior features throughout the facility.

We have also specified low-VOC concrete stains and sealers for RRC's concrete floors. Concrete is a locally produced material with recycled content such as fly ash, slag, and other waste materials from energy production and manufacturing. Colored concrete floors emit no toxic materials and can be used for radiant heating systems. Construction waste or excess concrete is crushed and used on-site as fill.

Concrete countertops have been chosen for the restrooms at RRC. In addition to the concrete benefits mentioned above, concrete countertops are strong enough to resist most types of damage, such as breakage, chipping, cracking, and scratching by foreign objects. With proper care and maintenance, concrete countertops can remain in excellent condition for 20 years or longer, before needing repair or replacement.

Linoleum flooring for RRC is a rapidly renewable material manufactured from linseed oil and/or vegetable drying oils and rosin that is then mixed with wood flour and/or cork, inorganic filler, and pigments, on a jute backing. It contains 46.5-percent pre-consumer recycled content, meets indoor environmental standards as a low-emitting material, and has a technical life span of over 20 years.

Contact us to learn more about LEED certification or best green practices that can be easily incorporated into your office next time you are ready for an update.

You Asked Us

Question: When do I have to make ADA changes?

If you're building a new facility, it's simple. All areas of newly designed and newly constructed commercial buildings and facilities must be accessible. If you are altering an existing space, it's a little less clear. As per building codes and ADA requirements, alterations that affect the usability or access to an area containing a primary function shall be accessible to the maximum extent feasible. "Primary function areas" such as lobbies, dining areas, meeting rooms, and other areas in which public/private activities occur.

Twenty percent of the cost of the alteration must be spent to provide an accessible path of travel from the lot line to the altered area, including parking spaces, curb ramps, sidewalks, building entry, elevators, restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains. This means that if $10,000 is spent to alter a primary function area, an additional $2,000 must be invested to create an accessible path of travel. The additional costs can escalate quickly and should be considered when developing the scope and budget of renovation projects.

It is up to the building owner to determine the priority of barrier removal within the 20 percent additional cost figure. The Department of Justice recommends the main entrances to the facility be given first priority, followed by primary functional areas, bathrooms, and then other features or elements. Renovations or upgrades that do not trigger ADA improvements include modifications to HVAC systems, fire suppression systems, roofing, lighting, and finish materials.

If you’re planning a restroom renovation, the following figures provide a quick reference:

What People Want Most in Their Work Environment

A bad work environment isn't going to help you, your employees or your business. By focusing on the connection to your workplace and corporate culture, you can create an environment that engages and nurtures ideas. From flex hours, to multigenerational workers, work from home, travel or work in multiple office locations, this diversity of workstyles means even lawyers, accountants and other traditionally private office workers find that an interconnected workplace providing collaborative space, daylighting, flexibility and the feeling of privacy, is what they want.

Collaborative workspace. Eliminate barriers to communication. All team members have something to contribute-you never know whose idea might be the next breakthrough. Provide opportunities for impromptu meetings and alternate work areas so staff can move about during the day and have inviting places that provide a change of scenery.

Daylighting. Access to natural light improves productivity in the workplace. Provide as much window access as possible. Lower workstation panel heights or add glass screens, which also allow daylight to penetrate farther into the space.

Privacy. With the push toward collaborative workspace and lower workstation panels to provide access to natural daylight, workers in an open office environment often feel a loss of privacy. Consider the following tips to maintain employee morale:

Provide phones with headset options-they help reduce ambient noise and make it easier for employees to keep their voices down
Stay off the speaker phone
Provide visual privacy at seated height-this allows daylight into the space but helps people stay focused
Tap on a panel or storage kiosk to announce yourself instead of just walking in to a person's workspace

Flexibility. The freedom of choice. From focus work to collaboration to socialization, make it easy to create a variety of workspaces. Make use of all your space. Mobility helps the process of idea-sharing. Idea-sharing leads to creativity and next think you know, you've got the start of a new product or process.

Read 10 commandments for cubicle dwellers

What Our Clients Say

McFarland State Bank on Highway 51 in McFarland hired InteriorLOGIC to renovate and expand its interior space, including retail banking, commercial lending, teller counters, conferencing space, and offices.

"We used InteriorLOGIC because of their solid reputation," says David Locke. "I didn't want to make any rookie mistakes. I would have never known about the level of detail that is required for design-Robin and her staff provided great value and vision to our multi-million-dollar office building project."

David Locke, Chairman and CEO
McFarland State Bank

Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Want someone to call you about creating a better place for people to work? Contact us here.

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Summer, 2011 Hi from Robin During a golf outing a businessman asked bluntly what designers actually DO. I explained that we optimize the work environment, plan for the future, and reduce costs, all at a fraction of the improvements themselves. The man paused. "I don't know why everyone doesn't use a designer," he said. Recently a financial advisor client told me she can speak to a large group of people about the debt ceiling, but wouldn't even know how to start to plan for her new office location. Take a second to think of all the time you spend in your office environment-doesn't it just make sense that the more your office space is designed to meet your needs, the more productive and comfortable you will be? Whether it is basic or complex, a good design is always good for business. Our first design consultation is always free. E-mail me at rstroebel@intlogic.com and I'd be delighted to set up a time to talk. InteriorLOGIC Wins Corporate Report Wisconsin Award Corporate Report Wisconsin, a statewide business magazine, recently announced that InteriorLOGIC won the Silver Award in the "Best of Commercial Interior Design" category during its seventh annual "Best of Wisconsin Business Awards" luncheon at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. Nearly 2,000 readers cast their votes online to determine the winners. We are honored to be recognized by the readership for our commitment and success in the planning and design of workplace environments-thank you! Resilience Research Center Update Watch construction progress on this LEED-Platinum project from your computer. The Resilience Research Center (RRC) on Rimrock Road in Madison is the future home for Center for Resilient Cities, an organization that works with individuals, nonprofits, and government partners to create healthy, high-quality environments. From the installation of its geothermal wells to the solar tubes and photovoltaic cells on the roof, you can be right there to see how it is done. Visit RRC Sustainable design (also known as "green" construction) is just as important for the inside of the building. The "green" elements for the interior of RRC can easily be part of your own office space. For example, it is our standard practice to specify no- or low-VOC paints and coatings for every project (many VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are dangerous to human health). By eliminating VOCs there is virtually no odor during the painting process. This reduces headaches and other irritations staff may experience from regular paint fumes. All the wall paints selected for RRC have a reflectivity of 70 percent or higher, which contributes to the daylighting requirements for LEED-Platinum certification. Daylighting (or access to daylight) is important for good health, productivity, and low turnover in the workplace-for example, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has shown that exposure to daylight improves student health and performance in schools. The collaborative goal of the RRC design team is to provide high-quality light while reducing energy use for lighting and cooling. Carpet tile we selected for RRC has a minimum 65-percent recycled content and "post-it" installation is virtually odorless with zero VOCs. Construction waste from carpet tile is about 1.5 percent, compared with 8-12 percent with rolled goods. According to GreenFloors, carpet tile typically installs 20 percent faster than rolled carpet and reduces office downtime by 50 percent when renovating existing space. Carpet tile can also save on long-term maintenance costs. When a tile becomes stained or damaged it can be easily replaced, compared to ripping up an entire room of rolled carpet. About 3,000 square feet of spruce, pine, maple, and cherry have been reclaimed from the site. This material will be used for interior features throughout the facility. We have also specified low-VOC concrete stains and sealers for RRC's concrete floors. Concrete is a locally produced material with recycled content such as fly ash, slag, and other waste materials from energy production and manufacturing. Colored concrete floors emit no toxic materials and can be used for radiant heating systems. Construction waste or excess concrete is crushed and used on-site as fill. Concrete countertops have been chosen for the restrooms at RRC. In addition to the concrete benefits mentioned above, concrete countertops are strong enough to resist most types of damage, such as breakage, chipping, cracking, and scratching by foreign objects. With proper care and maintenance, concrete countertops can remain in excellent condition for 20 years or longer, before needing repair or replacement. Linoleum flooring for RRC is a rapidly renewable material manufactured from linseed oil and/or vegetable drying oils and rosin that is then mixed with wood flour and/or cork, inorganic filler, and pigments, on a jute backing. It contains 46.5-percent pre-consumer recycled content, meets indoor environmental standards as a low-emitting material, and has a technical life span of over 20 years. Contact us to learn more about LEED certification or best green practices that can be easily incorporated into your office next time you are ready for an update. You Asked Us Question: When do I have to make ADA changes? If you're building a new facility, it's simple. All areas of newly designed and newly constructed commercial buildings and facilities must be accessible. If you are altering an existing space, it's a little less clear. As per building codes and ADA requirements, alterations that affect the usability or access to an area containing a primary function shall be accessible to the maximum extent feasible. "Primary function areas" such as lobbies, dining areas, meeting rooms, and other areas in which public/private activities occur. Twenty percent of the cost of the alteration must be spent to provide an accessible path of travel from the lot line to the altered area, including parking spaces, curb ramps, sidewalks, building entry, elevators, restrooms, telephones, and drinking fountains. This means that if $10,000 is spent to alter a primary function area, an additional $2,000 must be invested to create an accessible path of travel. The additional costs can escalate quickly and should be considered when developing the scope and budget of renovation projects. It is up to the building owner to determine the priority of barrier removal within the 20 percent additional cost figure. The Department of Justice recommends the main entrances to the facility be given first priority, followed by primary functional areas, bathrooms, and then other features or elements. Renovations or upgrades that do not trigger ADA improvements include modifications to HVAC systems, fire suppression systems, roofing, lighting, and finish materials. Read a related article on ADA compliance If you’re planning a restroom renovation, the following figures provide a quick reference: What People Want Most in Their Work Environment A bad work environment isn't going to help you, your employees or your business. By focusing on the connection to your workplace and corporate culture, you can create an environment that engages and nurtures ideas. From flex hours, to multigenerational workers, work from home, travel or work in multiple office locations, this diversity of workstyles means even lawyers, accountants and other traditionally private office workers find that an interconnected workplace providing collaborative space, daylighting, flexibility and the feeling of privacy, is what they want. Collaborative workspace. Eliminate barriers to communication. All team members have something to contribute-you never know whose idea might be the next breakthrough. Provide opportunities for impromptu meetings and alternate work areas so staff can move about during the day and have inviting places that provide a change of scenery. Daylighting. Access to natural light improves productivity in the workplace. Provide as much window access as possible. Lower workstation panel heights or add glass screens, which also allow daylight to penetrate farther into the space. Privacy. With the push toward collaborative workspace and lower workstation panels to provide access to natural daylight, workers in an open office environment often feel a loss of privacy. Consider the following tips to maintain employee morale: Provide phones with headset options-they help reduce ambient noise and make it easier for employees to keep their voices down Stay off the speaker phone Provide visual privacy at seated height-this allows daylight into the space but helps people stay focused Tap on a panel or storage kiosk to announce yourself instead of just walking in to a person's workspace Flexibility. The freedom of choice. From focus work to collaboration to socialization, make it easy to create a variety of workspaces. Make use of all your space. Mobility helps the process of idea-sharing. Idea-sharing leads to creativity and next think you know, you've got the start of a new product or process. Read 10 commandments for cubicle dwellers What Our Clients Say McFarland State Bank on Highway 51 in McFarland hired InteriorLOGIC to renovate and expand its interior space, including retail banking, commercial lending, teller counters, conferencing space, and offices. "We used InteriorLOGIC because of their solid reputation," says David Locke. "I didn't want to make any rookie mistakes. I would have never known about the level of detail that is required for design-Robin and her staff provided great value and vision to our multi-million-dollar office building project." David Locke, Chairman and CEO McFarland State Bank Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook. Want someone to call you about creating a better place for people to work? Contact us here.