When John Prno heads off to the office each morning, he drives his Honda Civic hybrid to his workplace at the regional government headquarters of Waterloo, Ont.
The building he enters is positioned on a lot to maximize solar gain and features, among other things, energy-efficient light fixtures controlled by sensors, flooring made of recycled materials and dual-mode low flush toilets powered by cistern-stored rain water.
That's not all. His workplace has radiant in-floor heating, low off-gassing materials used in furniture, paint, floor and wall coverings, "naturescaping" for low maintenance grounds-keeping, dehumidification instead of air conditioning for locker rooms and a bioswale to naturally filter parking lot runoff.
The first commercial building certified "gold" under the Canada Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard, Mr. Prno's workplace represents a new style of work environment. And he represents a new breed of worker, who place a high priority on doing their part for the environment - much more than simply turning out lights and recycling paper.
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"Being in a green workplace is definitely an issue for me," says Mr. Prno, director of emergency medical services in the south-central Ontario city.
If a U.S. survey of workplaces earlier this year is any guide, Mr. Prno might be in a distinct minority. The survey found only one-third of workers polled would be more inclined to work for a company that had environmentally friendly buildings and work practices.
But those who do, say it evokes a sense of pride.
Tim Trussell, a client development consultant for Toronto-based software company SAS Canada, derives great satisfaction from working for his environmentally conscious company.
"The work atmosphere and building are conducive to high employee comfort and productivity with a low impact on the environment," he said.
Mr. Trussell points out that there are a myriad of ways SAS has made the workplace layout environmentally friendly, from sensors that control lights to natural water collection from the roof that is recycled throughout the building.
"When a company places emphasis on thinking green, I believe it rubs off on employees," he added. "Many employees, myself included, have opted for public transit, and our company has supported this choice by offering group shuttles to major transit hubs like [Toronto's] Union Station."
Stephanie Carolyn Rogers, a designer at Toronto-based HOK Canada, a global architectural and design firm, said selecting a company that is environmentally conscious has become "extremely important" for her.
"Sustainability means so much more than green design," she said. "It involves health issues, economic issues, social issues and obviously the environment. It is with these initiatives that a workplace can create a positive environment both within the office and the surrounding community."
With many years of experience designing environmentally sound workplaces, Greg Sather understands the importance of working in a green environment.
"As Canadians, we spend 90 per cent of our time inside buildings and so that environment should be as healthy as possible," said Mr. Sather, a partner at McCallum Sather Architects Inc. in Hamilton.
He both lives and works in the same building, and said he actively contributes to maintaining a green environment. "Both our office and my residence is a green environment and getting greener as we speak," he said.
The building is a small converted warehouse that has an open concept (for good air circulation) and large windows (to make better use of natural light). "All workstations have boxes for paper recycling and small waste baskets for other items," he added. "Organics are placed in a container for composting. Workstations are oriented to maximize natural light and minimize glare."
Cameron Dow, vice-president of marketing at SAS Canada, agrees that a majority of Canadians may have not wholeheartedly bought into a green mentality ... yet.
"This is an issue that has grown in importance for me over the past few years. I was involved in the planning of our new Canadian headquarters building in Toronto and it was interesting to see how developing a green building became a key design feature in the planning process.
"It was exciting to see the possibilities and gave me a definite sense of pride to be part of an organization that was thinking about sustainable economic development, not just the bottom line."
For Mr. Prno, there is no divide between his green practices at home and at the office.
"Our family has always recycled, but energy-efficient appliances, low water-use toilets and energy-efficient light bulbs have made their way from work to home."
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