AWeber Slides into New Britain with Eco-Friendly Building

Quirky and unique features at a tech company's headquarters are nothing new in the business world. Ping pong tables and nap rooms have become common additions for companies that want to give their employees a looser environment to feel welcome.

It's a philosophy that AWeber CEO and Founder Tom Kulzer has embraced and taken a step further with the unveiling of a pair of slides at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of his company's new headquarters in New Britain Township.

“We're proud of our team and culture here at AWeber Communications, and are thrilled to have a new headquarters in which we can continue growing and thriving,” said Kulzer. “In addition to providing a fun place for our team to help small businesses every day, I hope we can offer inspiration to business leaders seeking to create their own innovative workplaces.”

The 71,000 square-foot building is a far cry from when Kulzer started consulting out of his two bedroom apartment 15 years ago. As the company grew into a major e-mail marketing software developer, Kulzer moved the business throughout Bucks and Montgomery County before settling on the five-and-a-half year old building at 1100 Manor Drive in Chalfont.

"I was in my kitchen describing it to one of my friends, who is an architect," said Kulzer. "Eventually, he pulled up a picture of it on his phone and asked if that is the one. It turns out he originally designed it."

His friend, Dave Schmauk of Wulff Architects, worked with Kulzer and the general contractor to design and retrofit the interior into an environmentally friendly workspace.

Throughout every stage of the building's renovation – and in establishing its current operations – AWeber embraced “green” practices and the latest technology solutions to minimize its environmental impact.

Ninety-five percent of building construction waste was recycled, and unused furniture was donated to local charities. AWeber uses "daylight harvesting" to reduce energy consumption, with floor-to-ceiling windows brightening the entire office with natural sunlight, and window shades automatically adjusting based on the position of the sun. A state-of-the-art building management system monitors over 50,000 points in the building every 15 seconds, providing optimal light and temperature control and minimal waste. All team members use reusable drinking cups filled by automated bottle-free water stations around the office.

"We're mostly software engineers here," said Kulzer. "They mostly like to sit around in the dark, but we like to keep a naturally bright environment to stimulate the creativity."

Kulzer says that AWeber is currently working toward earning a gold LEED rating for the building and says his 90 employees are helping the company meet the energy output goals.

"We can fit up to approximately 350 employees comfortably here," Kulzer said. "As we add more people, the energy goals change. By th eend of the year, we hope to add 40 new employees to our staff."

Other features highlighted at Tuesday's grand opening include a 20-foot green biowall and waterfall and a LEGO-inspired mural created by Philadelphia mural artist David Guinn that wraps a staircase wall leading to the second floor. And, of course, there is a game room with a pool table, a pinball machine and video games.

AWeber's team-focused culture and flat hierarchy was a core influence in choosing an open office layout. All team members, including executives, work in open office areas with low desk partitions. Each desk is on wheels, allowing for fluid team arrangements. Meeting rooms and breakout areas are sprinkled throughout the office, and nearly every wall is covered with a whiteboard surface for group brainstorming and decision-making.

"There's definitely an investment with the creative space," said Kulzer. "It costs a little extra to have these things, but the return is employees that develop good relationships and are excited to be here."

Members of the New Britain Township Board of Supervisors congratulated the AWeber team on the new building and welcomed them to the township's business community.

"Our job is to oversee the health and growth of the township," said supervisor Helen Haun in prepared remarks. "The addition of AWeber is another step toward New Britain's bright future."