Etsy's New Headquarters Will Fill You With Envy

July 25, 2016

By: Fast Company

Etsy started out in 2005 as a small online marketplace for makers and DIYers, but the company has turned into an e-commerce behemoth that's enabled housewives to knit their way to millions. Along the way, the $3.5 billion company has aggressively tried to do business the right way by hiring a diverse workforce, building community, and offering generous employee perks that go beyond a free lunch.

Its new headquarters in the DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn serves as a physical embodiment of this "responsible citizen" philosophy—from the solar panels covering its roof down to the salvaged furniture outfitting its conference rooms to the public gallery of maker goods in its lobby. The hope? That it'll push others to adopt its conscientious ways.

CREATING A LIVING BUILDING

The global architecture firm Gensler designed Etsy's new office to meet the Living Building Challenge (LBC), a strict green building certification program that's more rigorous than the industry standard LEED.

LEED is about leaving as light a footprint on the environment as possible. The Living Building Challenge—the certificate of which you can only receive a full year after construction is complete—awards buildings that have a net positive impact on the environment. Buildings that adhere to the LBC standard have to meet sustainability requirements around water and energy usage, materials, and more.

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