Showcase 9 - Eco-Energy - New Corporate Headquarters

GR

RTN N D PA ITH A M S , M E SHA

ERS

E9 S A C H OW

– D Y A E G H R E E N T E A R O EC CORPO N D E N E R G E T I C NEWI E N T, O P E N A

S R E T R QUA

S

EFFIC

EFFICIENT, O PEN and ENERGETIC

Eco-Energy — New Corporate Headquarters LOCATION

Franklin, Tennessee C L IENT

Eco-Energy SERVIC ES

Interior Design Environmental Graphics and Wayfinding

EC O -E NE RGY — N E W C O RP O R ATE H E A D Q UA RTE RS

43

F

ounded in 1992, Eco-Energy is an end-to-end midstream alternative energy company, and the No. 1 biofuel logistics and supply-chain company in the world. Following a real estate evaluation, the firm decided to relocate its corporate headquarters to one floor in a first-generation, Class-A office building in the popular Cool Springs area of Franklin, Tennessee.

The move would allow the firm to design a space that accommodated rapid growth, collaboration and flexibility, while incorporating technology and the company brand.

GS&P was solicited by Eco-Energy to provide interior design and environmental graphics services for the 32,000-square-foot buildout.

Kelly Hodges, vice president of GS&P's Corporate + Urban Design market comments on the firm’s former office space: “Eco-Energy’s executives and employees were well aware that their previous headquarters didn’t support future growth, work flow, or emphasize the image the company wanted to convey—both internally and externally. The space wasn’t contiguous, and it restricted the various divisions from

growing and collaborating. We worked closely with company leadership to understand their goals and vision, and to bring those to life through our design solution.”

“We worked closely with company leadership to understand their goals and vision, and to bring those to life through our design solution.”

KELLY HODGES, VICE PRESIDENT, CORPORATE + URBAN DESIGN

Eco-Energy’s previous office environment was divided into suites by solid walls, making it difficult for the various teams to interact. With the entire company situated on one floor, the new headquarters could better embody what had become a much more open and transparent corporate culture.

“The new space features an open floor plan with all-glass front offices and meeting rooms situated along the east and west ends of the building,” explains Hodges. “This allowed the workspace to flow more freely between the different groups within the company, and offered more flexibility for future growth.”

“

The new space features an open floor plan with all-glass front offices and meeting rooms situated along the east and west ends of the building. This allowed the workspace to flow more freely between the different groups within the company, and offered more flexibility for future growth.

“

AN OPEN, TRANSPARENT LAYOUT

EC O -E NE RGY — N E W C O RP O R ATE H E A D Q UA RTE RS

45

GS&P’s design solution also created clear sight lines across the office, providing access to daylight and views for all employees, and a new transparency between general employees and senior leadership.

“The CEO and CFO still have corner offices, but their offices have all-glass fronts with no film, so it’s just as wide-open as the rest of the floor,” notes Hodges.

Further reflecting the company’s changing corporate culture, a large, airy break room open to the entire floor allows employees to see activity throughout the day and provides a casual environment for social interaction. Collaborative spaces featuring high-top tables and stools are mixed in with the open-office workstations to allow quick meetings, impromptu conversations, or alternative work places for staff.

“...we determined they wanted a clean, modern and flexible workspace that reflected their industry.”

AMY KLINEFELTER, INTERIOR DESIGNER

Break Room

Reception

The previous office was divided into areas with hardwall spaces.

This made it difficult for the company to feel unified.

The new, open layout provides transparency between employees and senior leadership.

Collaborative Zones All-glass offices and meeting rooms were pushed primarily to the plan east and west ends of the building to maximize 46 daylight access and increase visibility for all employees. This also allowed the space to flow more freely between different groups within the company giving them more flexibility for the future. Eco Energy’s previous office was divided into areas with hard wall spaces. That setup made it hard for the company to feel unified. This new layout provided transparency between general employees and senior leadership as they moved out of their executive suite.

Showcase 9 Entry To define the conceptual design and rest of the space, and bring a touch of scope of the project, GS&P led an nature indoors. Along with the wood image survey with Eco-Energy exec- elements, the company’s blue and utives to form a clear understanding green logo colors were used as bright of their vision for the new corporate accents throughout the floor to reflect headquarters. Interior designer Amy the company’s sustainability principles.

Klinefelter explains the process: “We were working with a modest budget, so we used simple materials “At the beginning of the schematic design phase, we gathered a number and focused on making the biggest of images featuring different types of impact in the lobby and break room,” spaces and grouped them by usage. says Hodges. “All the wood accents We then had leadership review the were made of engineered wood to images and discussed why certain save on costs.” ones appealed to them. Through this Adopting another key client goal, method, we determined they wanted a GS&P seamlessly integrated technology clean, modern and flexible workspace as a tool throughout the work envithat reflected their industry.” ronment. Large-screen monitors were To introduce the Eco-Energy brand, incorporated into the design of the the design team incorporated a wood exterior columns and main circulation feature wall in the elevator lobby to path, keeping traders up to date with convey the client’s environmental the most recent news, trading data and stance in the biofuel industry. goals. Conference rooms and teaming Once inside, the waiting area at spaces were also equipped with the reception is accentuated by wood latest flat-screen monitors and digital features that help set the tone for the displays for easy viewing.

REFLECTING MISSION, VALUES AND BRAND

SHOWCASE 9

GS&P took an imaginative approach to communicating EcoEnergy’s core values—including Innovation, Customer Focus and Integrity—in strategic places around the office. A dimensional label and stenciled description of each core value were integrated into columns throughout the space. Graphics of the company’s goals were also featured in a film pattern on a conference room adjacent to the break area, providing privacy for occupants without stifling the transmission of light.

“The original goal with Eco-Energy was to incorporate their core values and mission statement so they were visible to their employees and clients from any perspective within the space,” says environmental graphic designer Deanna Kamal. “The conversation grew from there into how we could represent the Eco-Energy brand through larger environmental graphics.”

The outcome is a striking feature graphic that highlights Eco-Energy's identity, placing particular emphasis on their process, including the distribution of biofuels both nationally and internationally.

“We pulled together artwork and relevant imagery— including fuel trucks, production plants, train tracks, corn fields and clean air—and placed the firm’s mission statement in dimensional letters in the center of the graphic,” says Kamal. “It was extremely beneficial to go through the core values and mission statement graphic exercises with the client and develop those into artwork.

It helped us gain a firm understanding of their brand and who they are as a company, and culminated in a feature graphic that successfully conveys EcoEnergy's story and what they're trying to accomplish.”

“We pulled together artwork and relevant imagery— including fuel trucks, production plants, train tracks, corn fields and clean air—and placed the firm's mission statement in dimensional letters in the center of the graphic... [It] culminated in a signature graphic that successfully conveys Eco-Energy's story and what they're trying to accomplish.”

DEANNA KAMAL, ENVIRONMENTAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Feature wall graphics help provide a branded experience for employees and clients as they move through the space.

“

The design team has created an efficient, open and energetic office that we needed to facilitate our continued growth and enhance our employees' satisfaction and productivity.

”

JOSH BAILEY, CEO, ECO-ENERGY

48

Utilizing open-workplace concepts and advanced technology, GS&P’s design solution successfully accommodates Eco-Energy’s growing global business while fostering teamwork and innovation among their employees. Hodges comments on what differentiates this project from other efforts of a similar scope: “While this project could be viewed as a typical interior buildout, we worked closely with the client to design a space that would truly reinforce their brand and reflect their corporate mission and core values. The end result is a space that really makes an impact—even in the smallest details. The open layout feels active, and it immerses employees, customers and guests into the Eco-Energy culture. We’re all excited about the final product.”

“This effort represents interiors and environmental graphics working incredibly well together to showcase a branded environment,” adds Klinefelter. “It’s something we can proudly show to other clients who are trying to achieve the same thing.”

“Eco-Energy is a leader in alternative energy, and we desired a headquarters that reflected our position in this forward-thinking industry,” says Josh Bailey, CEO of Eco-Energy. “Our real estate professionals and GS&P

Eco-Energy's mission statement and core values are integrated into the columns throughout the space to help communicate the company's culture and goals.

SHOWCASE 9

NOT YOUR TYPICAL INTERIOR BUILDOUT

worked with us to strategically define and build a space that not only accommodates our current business operations, but also provides flexibility for our evolving needs. The design team has created an efficient, open and energetic office that we needed to facilitate our continued growth and enhance our employees' satisfaction and productivity.”

TE A M

PIC Jack E. Weber, iida, mcr, leed ap

PM Kelly Knight Hodges, ncidq, leed ap

PD Amy Klinefelter, iida, leed ap PD Afton Mooney, iida, leed ap id+c

PC Ashley S. Wood, ncidq, iida

PC Emaline Baker AOR Eric Bearden, aia EGD Deanna Kamal

.GRE S WWW

HA M S

MI

M/S TH . C O

H OWC

AS E