LEEDing the way in environmentally-friendly design is law firm Bowman and Brooke. When our firm needed to expand to meet the needs of a rapidly growing firm, Bowman and Brooke charged forward with a concept that earned us the title as one of the first law firms in the country to build a space according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Our recently-designed Minneapolis office features an abundant use of glass for maximum natural light infiltration, carpet that is made from nylon fibers created of recycled plastic bottles, doorframes that are composed of 75 percent recycled aluminum, adhesives low in volatile organic compounds, motion-detecting lights ensuring lights are out when rooms are not in use, a central staircase spanning three floors to promote camaraderie and a replacement for elevators for short distances, and so on.
Beyond the design of our Minneapolis office, each of our offices has implemented paper-saving techniques including the use of recycled paper for copiers and opting for e-files in place of paper. Recycling bins for glass, plastic and aluminum are also standard in each office.
For law firms where files and paper are at the core of what they do, and where mahogany paneling is the norm, it's impressive to say the least that Bowman and Brooke has taken the helm of the green movement setting new standards for other firms to follow suit.