Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors have taken hold across corporations and institutions. Earnestness and good intentions intact, executive management is looking for concrete solutions that contribute to ESG. One of them, literally, is sitting above the concrete. Gridd by FreeAxez is a low-profile raised floor and cable management system that has been found to be a key contributor to the circular economy. Lisa Whited, author of Work Better. Save The Planet., investigated for nearly a year, authoring the research paper, The Circular Economy of Gridd, and spending time with its president and founder, Earl Geertgens.
Starting his career as a commercial carpenter, Geertgens observed that the electricians were there at the beginning of a project, and they were still on their ladders dealing with the wiring in the ceiling when other contractors came back months later. His idea was to get wiring out of the ceilings, power poles, and furniture systems.
From their discussions and interviews, Whited offers Geertgens’ insights into the most important aspects of the Gridd system that benefit facility, real estate and business managers looking for a far-ranging impact on workplace space and people management while using a zero-waste solution.
Gridd by FreeAxez is a low-profile raised floor and cable management system available in two heights: 40 mm (1.6 inches) or 70 mm (2.75 inches), which is installed on top of a constructed floor. Wires and cables are laid within the system, making electrical components far easier to access than when they are buried in walls, as they are in conventional construction. The Gridd system is also much less intrusive than core drilling concrete slabs to install wiring into a space.
Gridd is composed of interconnecting components (think LEGO bricks and elements) and does not require fasteners, screws, or rivets that may wear out over time. Because of the minimal number of components, durable material and the overall design of Gridd, onsite construction waste is reduced to near zero. Gridd is a product that can be used, disassembled, relocated and reused repeatedly. Because of the way Gridd is designed, manufactured, and installed, the product contributes to the circular economy.
Geertgens: Gridd revolutionized the way businesses thought about wire management and adaptive cabling distribution beginning in 1999. Buildings needed to modernize but had no way of coagulating all their technology and devices into a single unified system. Gridd provided a solution that is not only effective, but also incredibly flexible. Today, modernization requires constant change in addition to technological advancement, making the adaptability of a workplace crucial. With Gridd, businesses can easily reconfigure and rearrange their workspaces as much as they want. The Gridd design reduces the cost and time of this process to a degree that never has been seen before. Companies are now able to implement major changes to their environment without hindering employees and breaking budgets, opening the doors to a whole new level of productivity.
Geertgens: There are four key aspects FMs should know:
Let me give you a specific example. A large technology client increased their head count for the entire building by 50% from the time the space was built until they opened the office. With Gridd, they were able to efficiently add headcount and the seats they needed by reconfiguring whole floors in a weekend. Especially in organizations that are dealing with workforce challenges to recruit and retain big talent and demanding professionals, Gridd can be a game changer.
Geertgens: For architects and interior designers, it’s about investment, environment, and cost analysis.
Geertgens: There are several important distinctions about Gridd of which contractors should be aware, including:
Geertgens: We have a segment of clients in commercial offices who move Gridd over the weekends. Recent client moves include configuring a space, returning the floor to the landlord, and then taking Gridd back to reinstall elsewhere. Other clients are expanding, adding it to their workspace. Gridd offers a solution to high-tech business environments across verticals, such as a
The floor system also has been repurposed to an entirely different company and used for a flexible incubator start-up.
Geertgens: With today’s changing ways of working, recruitment and retention challenges, and evolving technology, Gridd provides a solution that can help corporations remain competitive, nimble and responsive because it has stood the test of time. In FreeAxez’s 25+ years, the Gridd Systems have evolved to meet the ever changing needs of the industry, but nothing has been designed into obsolescence. All new components are compatible with the system that was installed 25 years ago and will continue to be for years to come. Gridd delivers the power to change for the life of a facility and beyond.
Visit FreeAxez and see Gridd in NeoCon booth 7-5098.