Our studio’s in-house environmental policy
Environmental Policy
Objective
coLAB studio is committed to doing business in a way that is environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and supports a vibrant local economy in our community. The coLAB studio Environmental Policy has been agreed upon by founders/owners Matthew & Maria Salenger.
As a company we are committed to having the lowest possible environmental footprint as a business, and thrive because of our policies.
coLAB studio was the first design studio to achieve LocalFirstAZ’s Green Business certification.
Reference our Myitha Action Plan (MAP) for more information on coLAB studio and our stance on all things environmentally related outside of this studio in-house Environmental Policy.
Within our studio’s property and day-to-day operations, we are focusing on the following areas:
Energy conservation – Because of the nature of our facility, it Is important we do everything we can to conserve energy and reduce carbon emissions.
● Our studio resides in a building with a 5.1 kW solar PV array that offsets 100% of the annual energy requirements for the building housing the studio, including HVAC
● Our studio uses natural daylighting and no artificial lighting during office hours
● Our studio is on the same property as our home. We like to say we have a 50-foot commute, greatly reducing our carbon footprint
● Our studio utilizes an electric vehicle and the property includes a 10kW EV charging station
Water conservation – Water is our most precious resource…
● Our studio utilizes all low-flow water fixtures
● Our studio contains a dual-flush, low-water usage toilet
● 60% of our landscaping is of xeriscape and low-water use through drip-irrigation
Waste diversion – We are able to divert 75% of our food waste from the landfill.
● Providing recycling, composting, and landfill bins with signage so that employees and
customers can engage in the process of properly diverting waste
● We recycle shipping materials and utilize companies that utilize recyclable shipping materials
Toxics elimination - We source and use organic, non-toxic and natural products.
● We utilize towels and fabrics with organic cotton and no toxins
● Our cleaning products are all natural with no toxins
Local sourcing - Supporting our local economy while reducing the carbon footprint of our materials procurement.
● Mostly N/A though our public art projects are always locally sourced for fabrication and installation labor, as well as specialized consultants (structural, digital fabrication, etc)
Community engagement - Working with community groups as volunteers and educators.
● Matthew Salenger co-founded and co-chairs Citizens for a Vibrant Apache Corridor in 2014, a neighborhood group working to improve livability along Apache Blvd
● Starting in 2014 Matthew was the Head Facilitator for the local chapter of the Living Building Challenge Collaborative; Over the years we have organized over 100 educational programs and a one-day conference called Future Desert. Unfortunately, the Living Building Challenge’s organization decided to eliminate the over 300 international collaborative groups in 2022.
● Starting in late 2023, Matthew joined with others to create The Sonoran Collaborative, a regenerative cohort of environmental and community consultants. This group will take up and provide environmental education and leadership in our region.
● Matthew provides educational lectures on design, environmentalism, and Biophilic Design every year with various organizations
Continuing education - Constantly developing our team’s knowledge of best practices and new technologies about sustainable practices and materials.
● Matthew Salenger completed a Regenerative Development Series with certificate from The Regenesis Institute in 2019, with continuing education courses and regular meetings since certification
● Matthew joins speaking engagements and conferences on Regenerative Development, along with presentations by Regenerative Practitioners
Future Plans
· Reference our Myitha Action Plan (MAP) for more information on coLAB studio’s Change Management information, benchmarks, and future goals
—— Matthew Salenger, AIA, AA Dipl. Hons
Managing Partner, coLAB studio, llc