Six years ago, we were drawn into our first Software as a Service (SaaS) application when we began reselling a cloud-based anti-spam/anti-virus solution to our clients. We didn't like the idea of the appliance solution that many of our clients were using at the time. The SaaS solution allowed us much better control, protection against local outages, and removed the need for our company to have to update and manage another box. So began our entry into the market.

Now, we offer private clouds for our clients, host virtual desktops, and manage infrastructure on a pay as you go model (which falls under the Infrastructure as a Service cloud model). What drove us here was the need to make our own organization more adaptable and nimble. With staff in three cities (San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle) and growing, there was a need to provide staff-wide equal access to the same business applications. We built our private cloud and everything became much easier. Our data center is located out of the area, with 12 diesel generators and 50% of its power that comes from renewable energy sources (we are purchasing carbon credits to help cover the rest as part of our EPA Green Power partnership). When we moved to our new office we didn't have to plan for a server room. We didn't have to worry about cooling or power. We did have to pay extra to install reliable Internet access. As a manager, there were fewer variables to worry about in terms of technology infrastructure, which allowed me to spend my time on other important matters.

“New Resource Bank has been an invaluable partner and resource for us in our continued growth as a sustainable business. Now we can truly lead by example to show what effective sustainable solutions can do for an organization.” 

Our thanks to the wonderful people at NRB for all of their effort and support. Check out the full story!

Spring is in the air, Earth Day is around the corner and we (the Varsity team) are happily settling into our new sustainable office in downtown San Francisco. This seems to be the perfect time to share some more details about creating our new space. We hope to demonstrate that it is a doable process – you don’t have to do everything at once – little by little it is possible to make great improvements. Perhaps we will even spark ideas for some ‘green’ projects for you and your organization to tackle this summer! 

Before we begin, let’s be honest; designing a green office is no small task. We worried that because it isn’t the way things are “typically done,” we would face a lot of opposition. But with a little planning, strategizing, and communication we were able to achieve our goals. 

We researched guidelines and regulations for green construction and design, and tracked down organizations in the Bay Area and beyond who practice sustainability and support other sustainable organizations, and we worked with them to design our new office. We know how hard it can be to find the right sources and to even know where to begin. By sharing our experience and highlighting some key elements in our design process, we hope to make it a little easier for you to bring elements of ‘green’ into your office. 

We hope that you will find this information to be helpful and valuable in your mission to operate in a greener environment.

Building basics and guidelines: 

Our ultimate goal in designing our new office was to reduce our carbon footprint and consumption, and we wanted to achieve these goals in an aesthetically pleasing and affordable way. 

In terms of construction and design, it was very important to not only meet Title 24 requirements (and for our building to as well), but also to be sure that we were doing things in accordance with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) regulations.

From the website: As an internationally recognized mark of excellence, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. 

Cradle to Cradle is another important area of sustainability to be aware of. Simply put, it is a framework for obtaining services and products that are environmentally and socially responsible, with the goal of increasing “eco-effectiveness.” We put this framework at the forefront of the construction and design of our office, and in sourcing our furniture. Therefore, when looking at products we wanted to be sure that everything met our standards, was sourced sustainably, and also met FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) regulations. For example, we sourced some of our furniture from Room & Board whose products are sourced sustainably from the United States and can be recycled. 

With our goals for how to construct and uphold the sustainability aspects of our new office in place, we knew of course that we had to find a building that was onboard with our efforts. The Archstone Fox Plaza building was already compliant with the state standards for composting, recycling, and Title 24. Some additional features that attracted us to this building are the computer-controlled elevators – which allows for maximized efficiency and less energy, use of green vendors, reclaimed water, fluorescent lighting, and easy accessibility to sustainable transportation.

Our goal was to find a space that encouraged people to think differently about how they are getting to the office and to offer some better transportation options. We accomplished this. There are 12 Zipcars in the garage below the building, with everything from large vans to economy cars. Muni and BART are minutes from our office, and there is even a dedicated 'green bike lane.' This encourages people to get Clipper Passes and change the way they get to work, including walking and biking, thus creating a healthier company.

Our downtown location also means that we are more accessible to clients, vendors, and anyone who wants to pop in for a visit. It’s an exciting time for our neighborhood as it is growing and close to farmers markets, the Civic Center, and not to mention our soon-to-be neighbors, Twitter!

Interview (Part 2) with Varsity Technologies 

We continue our interview with CEO Patrick Ciccarelli about Varsity's recent move to a new building, and the efforts involved in creating a sustainable office environment.

1. From a business owner's perspective, what are the major benefits of a "green office"?

   We didn't create an office as much as a collaborative space where people can feel at home; making it sustainable is really an extension of who we are as individuals and also what we represent as a company. Our people spend a lot of time here so we want the space to be warm, energizing, and inspiring. Employee satisfaction is a really big part of going green. We want everyone to be happy.

2. Is Fox Plaza a "green building"?

   Although our building isn't LEED certified, they have done all the necessary things to reduce energy. They didn't need to be educated on Title 24. They knew the law and knew what met the state’s standards. Specific features include computer-controlled elevators, which allows for maximized efficiency and less energy, use of reclaimed water, fluorescent lighting, and some green vendors for the building.

3. Are there ‘green’ efforts still in progress? Can we expect to see more changes over time?

   We are always looking to improve our sustainability. As we grow and continue to introduce new pieces to the space, both for functionality and aesthetics, it will remain our priority to source furniture that meets FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and LEED requirements, meaning that it was sustainably sourced and manufactured. We are planning to become an EPA Green Power Partner, which is an initiative that encourages organizations to lower their energy consumption through the purchase of green power. Also, I think communicating what we've done and inspiring others to do more would be a great accomplishment. We didn't spend much more than anyone else on a similar project. We just chose to use our budget differently.  

Read Part 1 of our Sustainability Interview with Patrick Ciccarelli for more information.

Interview (Part 1 of 2 ) with Varsity Technologies 

In light of our recent office move, we sat down with CEO Patrick Ciccarelli to discuss some of the key 'green' elements and sustainability efforts that went into the construction, planning, and design of Varsity's new office space.

We look forward to diving deeper and sharing more details about our 'green' approach to the design and construction of our new office.

Read Part 2 of the interview.

A couple of months ago I was introduced to the book Flash Foresight.

Premise of the book: By taking into account everyday information and basics of probability, it is possible to predict future trends quite accurately.

Interesting…

With this revelation in mind, I decided to do some research and work on a prediction of my own. I’ve been paying close attention to the rate of acceleration of 4G and other progressive network technologies, and believe that it will make low cost Internet services obsolete. (Hey ATT, I'm talking to you.) And I think that time is coming faster than any DSL provider would like to admit.

It isn't that unbelievable. We've seen 2Mbps 4G services in San Francisco for about two years now since Sprint launched the first 4G phone, the HTC Evo. In the next generation of mobile wireless we could be talking speeds of 4-6Mbps by as early as 2014.

Okay, I may not be making a huge leap with my predications, but the inferences here are exciting and significant none-the-less. The 4G network is becoming ubiquitous and elevating every aspect of our connection and communication capabilities; this could mean a lot of new possibilities for organizations we serve.

For non-profits and other service industries, rather than spending significant capital on facilities and infrastructure, entire offices will be able to operate in a completely mobile fashion. In short, being “mobile” means that an individual can have permanent access to critical information and services on their mobile, regardless of time and place. It's already happening with new companies that are popping up. Many are finding that they can still operate an efficient, effective business without the need for an office. This has the added benefit of eliminating the costs associated with renting/maintaining a space, housing an infrastructure and workers. The switch has not readily taken hold for most existing businesses – no doubt, it won’t be an easy adjustment – although this is already changing and will continue to redefine how and where we work, and with whom.

A completely virtual office may not be the answer for every organization, but the option for workers to be mobile is fast becoming a necessity.

5 Reasons to become 'Mobile':

1. The ability to reach people and communicate more quickly and effectively.
2. Those who work in the NP or other services sector know that sometimes when you’re out in the field or needed in many places at once, it becomes a challenge to remain efficient and organized – moving to a mobile network allows workers to optimize their impact in the community by eliminating the barriers of being confined to four walls in order to “get work done.”
3. Maximum efficiency within a smaller time frame, as there won’t be that necessity to rush back to the office.
4. It will put more control in the hands of the workers who are already putting in long hours for doing good in their community.
5. Going mobile will be a way for workers to achieve the best results possible with less output.

This could also mean great things for an organization, such as: better worker retention, reduced costs, a competitive edge, and maximized impact. 

The next leap is emerging and it will be a challenge to manage people and performance when you never see them, but the opportunity for non-profits and service organizations to become mobile presents some exciting possibilities.

Pulse is a newsreader for Android and iPhone that I’ve found indispensable. It’s just too good to pass off as “just another app.” Discovering Pulse resulted in one of those moments when, after the adoption of a new technology for example, you stop and think, “How in the world did I ever survive without you?” 

A few reasons why I like this app so much: 

• It’s simple and sophisticated: You select a blog, anything you want - what I find most useful is the trending and top 10 lists, which aggregates the most talked about and interesting posts in different categories. This saves time and exposes me to content I would have never found myself. 
• Easy social media sharing: If I find something interesting it just takes two clicks to post to Twitter or Facebook. I can then mark it, which allows me to go back and read it later on my saved lists. 
• Intelligent connectivity: It syncs my subscriptions and favorites with all of my devices. Awesome!
• Whether on a tablet or smartphone the interface is beautiful, functional, and intuitive.

Give it a whirl, and let us know what you think!

Many of my readers may remember the rotary phone. Oh yes, that beautiful piece of machinery that had heft, clarity of sound, and a comforting click, click, click as you dialed a number. In all those years, how much has changed? Let’s just say…those days are gone. The technology of today is sleek, stylish, and meant to “make life easier.” However, I often get puzzled looks from current and would be clients regarding the voice dilemma: What should we purchase? Which is right for us? There is a plethora of information out there but it often induces anxiety, and for good reason. The options available have become incredibly complex and confusing. I'm dedicating this post to helping provide some clarity for those seeking insight into implementing unified communications in their organization.

First, let's separate “voice system” from “voice service.” I like to describe voice service as the calls that come to and from your system. Traditionally, these were the voice lines from your telephone carrier. The voice system, on the other hand, is the equipment that is responsible for delivering voicemail, the extension on a phone handset, and internal features of a business phone.

With the introduction of hosted and now cloud services, it may seem like my approach to defining business voice is dated and no longer applicable. However, evaluating these new service approaches reveals that this is not the case. It isn't that the technology has changed, it just can't be found in the expected places.

• Voice services used to be defined as phone lines, or for businesses, PRI (Primary Rate Interface). Phone lines are analog lines delivered over copper wire. The PRI is a voice T1 line. It is also delivered over copper, but supports 23 phone calls where the analog phone line only supports one call.

• Voice systems, also referred to as phone systems, phone switch, or PBX (Private Branch Exchange), provide a centralized place where internal phones, calls, voicemail, and other internal voice communications take place. Traditionally, the voice system is owned by the company and housed in their office.

Today, there are multiple offerings for voice. Whether for one person or hundreds of people, voice services and systems can be delivered in a wide variety of ways. Hosted systems look just like the voice systems mentioned earlier with the exception that the system is designed for thousands of users and is (or should be) located in a very robust data center. The benefits of a hosted system include scale, features, and the elimination of capital costs. What is lost? Well, control. At some point the company providing the service needs to get your office connected to that system.

And this brings us to VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). Many people refer to all phone systems (hosted or not) as VoIP systems. And although this is technically accurate, it doesn't differentiate between the systems that you own and the hosted system. VoIP is used in both hosted voice services as well as systems you purchase. The latter being an IP PBX. Which is right for you? That may be for another conversation, but already the way the services are delivered to us is changing dramatically. Not too long from now (and some say it is now) the smartphone will be that one place where all business communication will happen whether it be voice, video, or any other form of communication. 

At Varsity, one of the ways that we try to “give back” is through all-company volunteer events.

Recently, members of the Varsity team rolled up their sleeves, pulled on tight plastic gloves, and got to work at the San Francisco Food Bank.

It's quite an impressive operation they have. We learned that they move around 45 million pounds of food per day! About 60% is fresh produce, which is a significant increase from just a few years ago when it was only about 5%. This is a wonderful accomplishment because they are bringing nutritious and fresh food to so many families.

Here is what our day at the Food Bank looked like:
 

• 9:00am - 10:30am: We transferred 14,000 pounds of cantaloupe from giant boxes into smaller boxes for distribution to non-profits.
• 10:30am - 11:15am: We moved into the rice room where we worked efficiently in teams to turn (stay with me here) one 100 pound bag of rice into 100 one pound bags of rice. We took turns scooping the rice into bags (eyeballing the correct amount) and had a blast cheering for each other whenever we managed to successfully measure out exactly one pound of rice. Wooo!
• 11:15am - 11:30am: Break time! Complete with complimentary beverages (nice touch). This gave us a chance to stretch and sit down for a little rest.
• 11:30am 12:00pm: Back to the rice room to finish what we started.
   

It was great to have the opportunity to volunteer with coworkers (can't think of a better excuse to get out of the office!).

And who can deny that satisfying feeling you walk away with, knowing you've donated your time for something good—in the time our volunteer group spent that day, we packaged the equivalent of 12,000 meals. 

If you are looking for a way to give back, I highly recommend giving the San Francisco Food Bank a try. You can check out their volunteer schedule and sign up here.

Looking up, I would see the questions brewing as they watched me with the latest gadget. What ever our meeting was to be about, it all turns instantly into a conversation about the device. 

But along the way I realize something isn’t right. I’m looking down at my iPad and not interacting with my client. Not the best way to make first impressions. I read about others who have tackled this problem and see some good ideas but none of them work for me. I find what I hope will be the answer – a pogo stick. But using it to write notes in a drawing application feels like a cave man scratching on the sandstone wall with a blunt object. I’ve just set civilization back a few millennia while using, arguably, one of the most elegantly designed pieces of technology I’ve seen in some time. This isn’t working.

I give the iPad to my wife and kids. I go back to using pen and paper. I just want a better tool than the PC Tablet/Stylus/One Note solution I have used for the past few years. I decided to wait for the next waive of tablets. And I’m glad I did. I travel a lot and am out of the office often. Five years ago I might have been stuck in my office, doing the grunt work, but now I’m out building the business, developing relationships, and directly helping my staff and clients. Last summer a new set of tablets hit the market and I go to some trouble to get every current model in the hands of my staff. There is the iPad2, the Samsung Galaxy, the HTC Flyer, and the Asus Transformer. Hands down, these are all great units. But the one of most interest to me is the HTC Flyer: the stylus based 7” form factor Android (2.0) tablet.

The HTC Flyer isn’t for everyone and I’m not so interested in a technology review. Every product has its pros and cons, but this product does what I need it to do right out of the box. No, I can’t watch Netflix, but I don’t care to. I have a stylus with a fine point, a note-taking app (Evernote), and a form factor that doesn’t give my wrist carpal tunnel syndrome... size, and ultimately simplicity makes all the difference. In the land of tablets that allow me to consume information, I’ve finally found one that allows me to create. 

Creating a 'green' office environment isn't always easy, but definitely well worth it. The cork flooring, reclaimed wood desks, and glass walls that open up to stunning views outside look fantastic. 

More information on the sustainable solutions and 'green' features of our new office to come...

Many thanks to Delancey Street Movers for their awesome help today, and to Amerimar Enterprises for eight great years at The Hamm's Building!

Our new office address is:

1390 Market Street, Suite 1100
San Francisco, CA 94102

All of our other contact information will remain the same.

Come by and see us sometime!

(Photo courtesy of Adnan Yahya via Flickr)

Stay Tuned...