Let's Walk the Talk: Newcomb & Boyd's Sustainability Journey
Newcomb & Boyd’s newly renovated Atlanta office achieved LEED Gold and Fitwel certification! The office provides a space that is comfortable, healthy, and sustainable for employees and visitors. Following the company’s mission and values, the design incorporates features that focus on sustainability and wellness for employees.
Work, Eat, Shop, and Commute: Newcomb & Boyd’s Atlanta Office is in a Prime Location
Newcomb & Boyd retained the Atlanta Office location in the Truist Plaza Garden Offices Building, providing an excellent connection to services and public transit. All within walking distance, one can visit restaurants, banks, pharmacies, parks, bus stops, and the MARTA Peachtree Center station. With a Walk Score® of 98 out of 100, the office location provides employees the opportunity to use alternative commuting options coming to and from work, going to lunch, and running errands.
Reducing Water Consumption and Improving Wellness: Our Commitment to our Planet and Community
The faucets in our office have an efficient flow rate of 1.5 gallons per minute, 32% better than the code baseline of 2.2 gallons per minute. This results in a projected annual water savings of approximately 10,000 gallons.
The appliances used in our social hub are ENERGY STAR certified, ensuring the use of less energy and water than national standards require.
Potable water is supplied for all users through a Bevi water dispenser, improving users’ hydration, decreasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and reducing plastic bottle use. Annual water quality testing conducted by our Commissioning department ensures a continued healthy supply of water.
Sustainable Lighting and Expert Commissioning Ensure Optimal Energy Performance
The installed lighting power density in our office is 0.44 watts per square foot (W/SF), which is nearly 50% lower than IECC 2015 code-compliant lighting power allowance of 0.82 W/SF.
Additionally, 100% of the office lighting is controlled by either daylight sensors, occupancy sensors, or vacancy sensors, which minimizes unnecessary lighting energy use throughout the day.
Newcomb & Boyd’s Commissioning Team ensures the systems and controls within the space are functioning as designed. By reviewing submittals, completing TAB (testing, adjusting, and balancing) of the HVAC system, and developing an ongoing commissioning plan, the Cx team optimizes the performance, longevity, and quality that the design team intended.
Supporting Sustainability through Charitable Donation, Reuse, and Recycling
Truist has a comprehensive recycling program that includes the collection of paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, e-waste, and batteries. This recycling initiative is one of the many attributes of the base building that has strengthened Newcomb & Boyd’s long-term commitment to Garden Offices.
Committed to minimizing landfill waste, Newcomb & Boyd provides waste and recycling baskets at each workstation cluster, ensuring that all users have easy access to proper waste and recyclable disposal. Additional recycling stations for e-waste and batteries are strategically placed and labeled within the office.
Newcomb & Boyd and the construction team worked together to manage demolition and construction waste as well as furniture and appliances that were phased out during the renovation. The team employs charitable donation, resale, and recycling, resulting in a 78% diversion rate, more than 50 tonnes of CO₂e emissions saved, and $38,884 of in-kind charitable donations.
Designing for the Future: Materials Were Selected for the Office with Embodied Carbon Reduction in Mind
During design and construction phases, the team specified and installed environmentally preferred materials, including products with certifications such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), Health Product Declarations (HPD), Declare, Cradle to Cradle, Manufacturer Inventory, and Product Lens. This careful selection enabled a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which yielded positive results in the reduction of various environmental impact categories.
Additionally, to support the commitment to reduce both direct and indirect carbon emissions. The materials selected for the project prioritize embodied carbon reduction, supported by a product-specific Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Action Plan. Notably, the gypsum board used in the project has 13.9% less embodied carbon compared to the US industry average.
Acoustic Design for Employee Comfort: Soundproofing and Privacy Solutions at Newcomb & Boyd
Newcomb & Boyd’s Acoustics team worked together with the other design team members to incorporate design features that would create an acoustically comfortable environment for employees and visitors.
Highly absorptive acoustic ceiling tiles help minimize noise levels and dampen sound coming from the perimeter fan coil units. An advanced sound masking system helps maintain speech privacy in offices and increases acoustic comfort in open offices.
Smart Air Quality Monitoring and Low-Emission Materials Create a Health-Conscious Office
With a goal to optimize air quality within the office space, finishes and furniture were carefully selected to minimize the introduction of volatile organic compounds and other harmful particulates. This included careful selection of paints and coatings, flooring, wall panels, ceilings, insulation, and composite wood. Each product in these categories was selected as low-emitting to reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants indoors.
Continuous air quality monitoring is in place with indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors located strategically throughout the office. These sensors monitor relative humidity (RH), carbon dioxide (CO2), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), particulate matter (PM2.5), and formaldehyde.
Fostering Health and Wellness: Nutritious Food Options and Restorative Spaces for Employees
The Social Hub offers complimentary healthy food options, making it easy for employees to choose nourishing meals.
Shared spaces throughout the office and building give employees comfortable places to unwind, supporting lower stress and improved overall well-being. Everyone has access to a quiet room, a dedicated lactation room, and a fitness center located in the Truist Garden Offices lobby.
The lactation room was thoughtfully designed to support breastfeeding mothers. Its features were selected to create an inclusive, welcoming environment and include a sink, refrigerator, microwave, outlets, a table, a comfortable chair, a full-length mirror, and full privacy.
Sustainability in Every Corner: Educational Signage Inspires Positive Environmental Impact
As part of Newcomb & Boyd’s commitment to sustainability and employee well-being, comprehensive educational signage is placed throughout the office. The signage highlights practical, environmental, and financially sustainable engineering solutions that encourage employees to draw inspiration from their surroundings while contributing to a better world.
Here is what our team is saying
“I love the new workstations—the chairs are comfortable, and the sit or stand option is great.”
“If wanting to concentrate without distractions, I can move to one of the isolation cubes that are in between the desk groups.”
“The upgraded amenities help me feel more comfortable and engaged throughout the workday.”
“The ability to stand up at my desk helps me to stay focused and aware the whole day.”
“The amount of natural light and underutilized space has been nice to discover.”
“A wellness room and no shortage of conference rooms mean that we can use these spaces as needed with privacy, comfort, and focus in mind for the user and neighbors.”
