Sustainability at HOK isn’t new. In fact, designing with the environment in mind has been a core value of the firm since its inception 55 years ago.

And yet with so many varied initiatives throughout the world today – sustainable design issues, green business practices, professional education and training, corporate responsibility and transparency - we felt the need to create a clear, comprehensive framework to drive sustainability throughout all of HOK.  The HOK Sustainable Roadmap addresses all aspects of our business, including:

• Design
• Services
• People
• Practices

For the Roadmap’s formal launch in the Spring of 2010, lunchtime workshops were held in every office to discuss local goals and strategies.  There have already been several inspiring stories from HOK’s employees across the globe - early achievements and unique ideas for addressing sustainability at the local level. We’d like to share these stories with you in a new series on HOK Life.

We’re building on an already common theme at HOK Life – John’s recent post about HOK’s Net Zero design charrette has already generated considerable buzz, Go Barefoot Day (Earth Day) has really taken off in recent years, and HOK Chairman Bill Valentine’s “Less is More” mantra continues to inspire a simpler way of thinking.

Enjoy the series and feel free to comment with your own stories!

Catologue of Posts in this Series:

A 2-Sided Los Angeles

An Update from Chicago

An Update from Singapore

Some Ideas from Tampa

An Update From Houston