What a great way to kick off my first “official” blog post by posting about this beautiful office space – I’m OBSESSED!  Etsy recently built out their new headquarters in the Dumbo area of Brooklyn, with the help of international powerhouse Gensler (http://www.gensler.com/).  Not only did they build a gorgeous space with daylight, views, and eco friendly furniture, but they built a Living Building! (http://living-future.org/lbc) by achieving Petal Certification.  Building a Living Building is a difficult task and typically more stringent than the LEED (http://www.usgbc.org/leed) standard.  Living buildings not only consume less, but they actually produce energy and can send it back to the grid.  (More about smart grids another time.)

Etsy pursued eco friendly materials for their build out and furniture.  They also included rainwater irrigation, rooftop solar panels and occupancy sensors.  They also have bike storage, showers and a breathing room, where employees can take meditation and yoga classes.

This space is a perfect example of giving back to the environment while also benefitting the people inside.

[All Photos: © Garrett Rowland/courtesy Gensler]