# Eco-Friendly Office Buildings The Treehouse Building is Both High-Tech and Energy-Efficient By Rahul Kalvapalle | Published 2014-08-12 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/treehouse-building References: [gizmag](http://www.gizmag.com/treehouse-memorial-city-office-building/33322/) & [memorialcity](https://www.memorialcity.com/) The Treehouse building is an incredibly high-tech and [eco-friendly building](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shibanee-kamal) located in Memorial City, a 265-acre mixed-use development in Houston, Texas. The building and surrounding development were designed by developer MetroNational. The Treehouse building is spread out over two levels and 1,366 square meters of space. It includes a reception area, conference rooms, offices, a living area and a generous [wrap-around balcony](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitaoka-group-office). The building's office space is flexible thanks to the inclusion of [temporary work stations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bochum-office) that descend down from the ceiling. The building includes a wide variety of technological features that aim to improve the working environment. These include wireless screen sharing, interactive whiteboards as well as lobby monitors that display weather and traffic information. The building's eco-friendly nature is a result of several features including geothermal cooling and heating systems, solar panels and a wind turbine. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.0/10 - Popularity: 61% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) > [Eco Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/ecoarchitecture) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Eco-friendly Office Buildings:** The demand for eco-friendly and energy-efficient offices is driving the trend of designing green buildings. - **Flexible Office Spaces:** The inclusion of temporary workstations and flexible office spaces is becoming essential for modern workspaces. - **Smart Building Features:** Incorporating technological features such as wireless sharing and interactive whiteboards contribute to a more productive and user-friendly office environment. ### Who This Affects Most - **Real Estate:** Developers and real estate agents can leverage the trend of eco-friendly and energy-efficient offices to appeal to environmentally-conscious tenants. - **Technology:** The development and installation of smart building features provide new business opportunities for companies specializing in Internet of Things (IoT) devices and software. - **Energy:** There is a growing demand for renewable energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines to power green buildings, creating opportunities for companies in the renewable energy industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Tree-Inspired Panelled Workspaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hood-design-studio.md) - [Staggered Tower Texan Skyscrapers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1550-on-the-green.md) - [Biophilic Workplace Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mangrove-garden.md) - [Tree-Surrounding Mass-Timber Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tree-courtyard-house.md) - [Solar Powered Luxe Treehouses](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-baltic.md) - [Greenhouse Office Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/office-for-roundtable.md) - [Greenery-Filled Skyscraper Terrarium](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/terrarium-cheongdam.md) - [Repurposed Wooden Shoreside Homes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tree-house-by-the-lake.md) - [Self-Cooling Exterior Buildings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/promenade-building.md)