Dr. Gleb Tsipursky – The Office Whisperer
Nirit Cohen – WorkFutures
Angela Howard – Culture Expert
Drew Jones – Design & Innovation
Jonathan Price – CRE & Flex Expert
- Remote and hybrid work significantly reduce carbon emissions through less commuting and lower office energy use.
- In-office models increase energy consumption and emissions, but strategic HVAC upgrades and sustainable design can reduce impact.
- Coworking and hybrid spaces offer scalable, flexible solutions — but only if intentionally designed with access, equity, and real sustainability in mind.
Each April for Earth Day, sustainability takes center stage, prompting businesses to reassess their environmental impact. At the heart of this conversation should be a pressing question: which work model (remote, office-based, hybrid, or coworking) offers the most sustainable path forward?
These decisions carry weight; they influence carbon footprints through energy use, commuting patterns, and workspace design.
A 10% reduction in emissions alone could eliminate 192 million metric tons of carbon annually in the U.S. To meet global climate targets, emissions must fall by 45% by 2050 — yet many organizations overlook indirect emissions, which often make up 75% of their total footprint.
Sustainability is no longer just a compliance checkbox; it is fast becoming a key driver of brand loyalty and talent acquisition. 40% of Gen Z consumers prefer brands with strong environmental credentials, and employees increasingly expect employers to demonstrate genuine climate responsibility.
But which model is truly the greenest? Remote work slashes transportation emissions but can increase household energy use. Office-based models centralize energy consumption, potentially allowing for greater efficiency — but they also reintroduce the carbon cost of daily commuting and high-intensity building operations.
Organizations serious about aligning workplace strategy with environmental goals must understand these trade-offs.
How Eco-Friendly Is Working from Home?
The amount of energy consumed by a single office generally remains consistent, regardless of how many employees are present.
Whether there are 10 or 50 people in the building, there is a baseline level of energy required to run lighting, HVAC systems, and equipment.
Remote work, by contrast, has proven to be a more sustainable model. Studies show that individuals working from home can reduce their personal carbon footprint by up to 54% compared to those in traditional office settings, with much of that reduction stemming from the elimination of daily commutes.
Remote work also lessens reliance on large office buildings, which reduces energy used for heating and lighting, as well as waste from paper, single-use cups, and frequent supply deliveries. While the environmental impact of remote work still depends primarily on energy consumption in the home, the overall outcome tends to be positive.
That said, remote work is not without its challenges. It can affect the viability of public transit systems and contribute to suburban sprawl — both of which carry environmental consequences. Still, the broader emissions savings make a compelling case for remote or hybrid models.
Research from Cornell University and Microsoft, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides a clear picture of these benefits:
- 1 Day Remote per Week: A 2% reduction in carbon emissions, primarily from less commuting.
- 2 to 4 Days Remote per Week: An 11% to 29% drop in emissions due to decreased transportation and lower office energy use.
- Full-Time Remote Work: As high as 54% emissions reduction due to the removal of daily commutes and minimized demand for office utilities.
These insights demonstrate that while working from home is not entirely carbon-neutral (home energy use and personal resource consumption do increase), it remains one of the most impactful tools for reducing overall emissions.
Tom Cosgrove, Chief Creative and Content Officer at EARTHDAY.ORG, the organization behind Earth Day, shared this sentiment with Allwork.Space, “The single most important action any business can take in fighting climate change and supporting the planet is to reduce its energy consumption. Keeping employees off the roads and out of trains is a major win for the environment, making hybrid and remote work powerful tools for lowering transportation-related energy use. It also reduces reliance on energy-guzzling office cooling and heating systems.”
The Environmental Impact of Returning to the Office
The push to bring workers back into traditional office settings has raised serious environmental concerns, particularly around increased energy use and carbon emissions.
“If a business needs its workers to be on-site — and many do — they can investigate using solar energy,” Cosgrove told Allwork.Space. “Our Earth Day campaign for 2025 is all about backing renewable energy, Our Planet, Our Power, calling for a tripling of electricity generated by renewables by 2030. Business has a big role in meeting that target!”
Office buildings require constant lighting, heating, and cooling — energy demands that spike when powered by non-renewable sources.
“One of the biggest users of energy in office buildings is the often-disregarded heating and air conditioning systems,” Tony Abate, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at AtmosAir Solutions said. “HVAC in offices is the largest user of energy, and much of that is from non-renewable sources. Offices contribute approximately 40% of the world’s total carbon emissions.”
While interest in electric vehicles is growing, gas-powered cars remain dominant, adding to the emissions burden of the transportation sector. In the U.S., most employees still drive to work. The return to office brings back daily commutes and adds pressure to energy-intensive buildings — both of which intensify environmental impact.
There is also a widening gap between corporate sustainability messaging and actual practice.
“Office indoor air quality has now become a priority for executives who seek improved wellness and sustainability,” added Abate, who helped develop sustainability-focused HVAC standards for The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).
Yet many businesses that promote Earth Day initiatives or climate pledges continue to mandate in-person work — a decision that Millennials and Gen Z workers often view as inconsistent with climate commitments. That disconnect risks eroding employee trust and corporate credibility.
Despite these challenges, offices still offer opportunities for sustainable improvement.
“One way to encourage office sustainability is by investing in and installing clean indoor air technology in your office building heating and air conditioning system, and including 24/7 monitoring technology to measure office air quality,” said Abate. “Hundreds of companies, for example, have invested in bipolar ionization technology. BPI tubes, added to an office building’s HVAC system, help reduce energy consumption by cutting outside air requirements by 50% or more — resulting in a 20% reduction in energy spending.”
With the right upgrades, HVAC systems can become key players in reducing emissions.
“With the right high-tech upgrades, an office building HVAC system can be a key to decarbonization and greening the workplace,” he added.
Companies can now adopt sustainable design and resource strategies that align with emerging environmental policies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages adopting Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) practices that focus on reducing, reusing, and recycling materials and purchasing reused or recycled products. These practices help curb emissions across the entire lifecycle of a product.
Workplace design increasingly incorporates circular economy principles that optimize resource efficiency. Progressive office spaces now feature modular furniture, recyclable materials, and energy-efficient technologies as part of their design strategy. Companies such as IKEA are leading the way with sustainable office furniture initiatives.
Certifications, including LEED and BREEAM, are also gaining traction, rewarding buildings that meet high environmental performance standards. These measures are increasingly vital (buildings contribute almost 40% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions).
Some corporate leaders are going even further. Google, for example, has pledged to operate on 24/7 carbon-free energy and aims to help cut one gigaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030. Their approach includes leveraging AI to advance climate solutions, investing in renewable energy, supporting a circular economy, and improving water stewardship.
As climate urgency intensifies, so does the need for companies to rethink their environmental footprint in a post-pandemic era. Understanding the ecological consequences of workplace models is essential — not just for cutting emissions but for meeting the expectations of a workforce that values climate-conscious leadership.
The Appeal of Sustainable Coworking Models
Coworking spaces are emerging as an attractive alternative for professionals and companies looking to reduce their environmental impact, without sacrificing structure or professionalism.
Positioned between remote work and traditional office models, these shared environments consolidate resources and streamline energy use. By design, coworking spaces help minimize redundancy by allowing individuals and teams to share infrastructure such as heating, lighting, and desk areas, curbing the excess energy consumption often tied to maintaining separate office suites.
However, the environmental benefits of coworking are not guaranteed. The sustainability of these flexible spaces depends on their designs, who they serve, and the values that underpin their operations.
“Coworking spaces offer a promising middle ground by pooling energy and resources—but their sustainability depends on how intentionally they’re designed and whether they’re accessible to all workers, not just tech and creative professionals.” explains Elika Dadsetan, CEO and Executive Director at VISIONS Inc.
“We must ask: sustainable for whom? The future of work requires models that reduce environmental impact and center worker wellbeing and access,” she added.
VISIONS advocates for approaches grounded in “personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural transformation to help organizations design workplaces that are both sustainable and just.”
Some sustainability experts argue that shared workspaces must go beyond reducing electricity bills or offering recycling bins. In an Allwork.Space podcast, Sam Pickering, Executive Director of Sustainability at The Instant Group, emphasizes how coworking can help businesses achieve their net-zero goals.
Pickering discussed how coworking environments support more efficient space utilization but warns that many operators fall into the trap of “greenwashing,” which is when surface-level efforts implemented fail to create real impact.
Pickering underscores the importance of differentiating between superficial gestures and meaningful action, noting that while visible practices such as recycling are beneficial, they are rarely enough (on their own) to drive real environmental progress.
Pickering further highlights that sustainability within coworking spaces must be data-driven and intentional. Operators should focus on reducing waste at the source, optimizing energy use, and cultivating environmentally responsible habits among members to drive impact.
By adopting such strategies, coworking providers have an opportunity to contribute to environmental progress — while offering flexible, community-oriented alternatives to the traditional office.
Sustainability Meets Flexibility in the Hybrid Work Model
Companies redefining their workplace strategies are beginning to recognize the many advantages of the hybrid work model — benefits beyond operational flexibility to include environmental responsibility.
By blending the benefits of both remote and in-person work, the hybrid model has the potential to reduce emissions while still promoting collaboration and productivity. Pickering notes that hybrid work environments can play a critical role in helping companies reach their net-zero goals.
Companies can integrate sustainability into their core strategies without sacrificing profitability by optimizing space utilization, using renewable energy, and rethinking building operations.
Dadsetan acknowledges the environmental benefits of remote and hybrid work models, particularly in reducing commuting emissions and minimizing centralized energy use. However, she emphasizes that equitable policies must support these models to ensure everyone can access the benefits.
“Remote and hybrid models tend to outperform traditional RTO (Return to Office) models in terms of environmental sustainability,” Dadsetan explained to Allwork.Space. “But without equitable policies, WFH can exacerbate disparities — leaving out those without adequate housing, quiet space, or reliable internet.”
Research offers additional insights into how remote and hybrid work affect carbon footprints. Their study highlights factors often overlooked, such as residential energy usage, non-commute travel, and seat sharing in office environments.
Interestingly, the research found that seat sharing among hybrid workers in fully occupied office buildings can reduce carbon emissions by up to 28%. Despite living farther away from city centers than their office-based counterparts, hybrid workers still produce lower overall emissions due to less frequent commuting.
Furthermore, while digital tools (including laptops and mobile phones) are used more frequently in hybrid work settings, their impact on emissions is negligible compared to the energy consumption of transportation and office buildings.
Emerging workforce preferences reflect this trend as well.
PwC’s Global Workforce ESG Preferences Study indicates employees increasingly seek companies that prioritize environmental sustainability. As climate-conscious policies become a key factor in recruitment and retention, organizations must demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability through measurable actions — not symbolic gestures.
Employees now expect employers to take substantial steps toward achieving climate goals, aligning with the growing demand for corporate responsibility.
The push to return to the office, without considering the environmental toll of commuting and high-energy office operations, raises valid concerns. Mandating in-person attendance without factoring in the emissions produced by daily travel, HVAC systems, and office energy consumption could undermine broader climate goals.
Critics argue that businesses must acknowledge the environmental implications of these decisions to avoid derailing progress.
As companies continue to shape the future of work, one thing is clear: sustainability must lead the way. With thoughtful design, intentional policy-making, and a firm commitment to environmental accountability, hybrid work models offer a scalable path to lower emissions.
Ultimately, the future of work should be flexible and grounded in climate responsibility.
