WRI's work focuses on four themes:

• biological resource stewardship,
• climate protection,
• viable development, and
• sustainable enterprise

The materials that were chosen for WRI's office space reflect our commitment to these themes.

Biological resource stewardship. Biological resources provide the flow of goods and services that sustain human life. Stewardship of these resources by careful management, use, and restoration underlies every strategy for achieving econoimc, social, and environmental sustainability in the 21st century. WRI's work in this area focuses on efforts to halt the degradation of biological resources, such as frontier forests, and enhance their contribution to development.

All of the wood in the new office is from independently certified sources, which ensures that the forests are being managed responsibly. We also use salvaged and "character-grade" sub-premium wood to make good use of material that would otherwise be considered waste. We use renewable resources, such as bamboo and cork, for the flooring in the reception area. Improvements in our internet-based communications technology let people worldwide access more of our information electronically, which helps to reduce the demand for paper and other forest products.

Climate protection. Climatic change is a global problem that, if unaddressed, could undermine progress on every aspect of human development and ecosystem protection. WRI's work in this area focuses on preventing dangerous human-caused climate change by promoting efficient use of energy sources and reducing air pollution.

Much of the focus in the planning of the new office was on energy efficiency -- in the type of lighting and appliances selected, and the use of sensors and smart controls that cut off or reduce the power supply when products are not in use. Paints and finishes, countertops and flooring, cabinets and carpeting were all chosen for their environmentally-friendly manufacturing processes. Videoconferencing technologies reduce the need for collaborators to travel, which helps to reduce energy demands and carbon dioxide emissions.

Viable development. Most of the development strategies now being pursued around the world are environmentally unsustainable. Agricultural production is threatened by the intensive use of pesticides and other agrochemicals; water systems are degraded through land use changse and industrial processes; and energy and transportation systems rely heavily on the consumption of fossil fuels that threaten human health and contribute to global climate change. WRI's work in this area focuses on promoting policies that reduce poverty, improve livelihoods, and protect the environment by effectively integrating environmental, economic, and social goals.

We use materials that represent promising alternatives to unsustainable development practices. Some woodwork comes from Plan Forestal Estatal, a community-based forestry project in Mexico using sustainable agricultural practices to build up a local industry. In the reception area, the bamboo flooring is from a new market in China, and the cork flooring comes from Portugal and Spain, where it has been produced sustainably for centuries. New communications equipment supports collaboration between WRI staff and partners around the world.

Sustainable enterprise. WRI's work on sustainable enterprises engages businesses and financial markets to overcome looming environmental and social challenges. The challenges are immense: significantly reducing material and carbon intensity, de-toxifying commerce, redressing damage from the use and disposal of products, restoring economic opportunity to the disenfranchised, and improving the quality of life. WRI's work in this area fosters the internal management strategies and external incentives that will enable firms to buil future profitability around eco-efficient products and processes.

WRI's carpet supplier, Interface, an international corporation based in the United States, is attempting to build the world's first sustainable and eventually restorative enterprise with a competitive business context. Appliances from Asko and Whirlpool are designed to be energy- and water-efficient; they offer cost-effective commercial alternatives to standard products.