Companies
IPG, Weber Shandwick and KRC Research have partnered with the owners of 909 Third Avenue to drive sustainability efforts at the building, where each of the marketing companies is headquartered. The companies fielded new research on the way employees enter and exit the building, specifically the use of revolving doors in the 909 Third Avenue lobby.
Revolving doors save energy because they never open to the outside, thereby stopping air from moving in and out. MIT researchers estimate that revolving doors can result in energy savings of up to 75 percent compared to using swinging doors. Understanding this, the agencies worked together with IPG to benchmark door usage, measure employees’ understanding of the environmental impact of building doors, and create new signs for the building lobby.
“Sustainability is very important to IPG, and there are many small changes each of us can make,” commented Jemma Gould, Senior Director, Corporate Responsibility and Communications at IPG. “When taken together, these small actions can add up to meaningful change that has a positive impact on our environment,” she continued.
The signs that had hung on building doors simply stated, “please use revolving doors,” No explanation as to why was provided. The new signs, created by Weber Shandwick, working with IPG, explained that using revolving doors has a positive impact on the environment. The signs also use graphics and colors to help capture tenants’ attention.
KRC Research monitored tenant behavior both before and after the signs were put up and saw a 13% increase in use of the revolving doors following the placement of the new signs. In addition, KRC surveyed tenants as they entered the building (before the new signs were hung) and they indicated that they would be more likely to use the revolving doors if more information about why they should be doing so was given. Research shows that that each time you choose revolving over swinging doors, approximately 36 watt hours of energy is saved — that’s the energy needed to run a 60-watt lightbulb for a little over a half hour. Eight times more air is lost to the outside when using a standard swinging door, compared to a revolving door.
IPG is committed to operating as sustainably as possible. The company is a founder of Common Ground, an industry initiative aimed as supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals. IPG has adopted SDG, #6, access to water and sanitation. The company recently partnered with charity: water to fully fund a drilled well in Tigray, Ethiopia, a community where about 70% of the population currently lacks access to clean water. IPG has also hosted educational programs for employees and has worked with Weber Shandwick to highlight the benefits of the building’s green roof for employees.