High performance green buildings have four major benefits: environmental, which reduces the impact of natural resource consumption; health and safety, which enhances occupant comfort and health; community, which minimizes strain on local infrastructure and improves quality of life; and economic, which improves both the top and bottom lines in a. There is a fifth benefit, usually not mentioned, that relates to the improved health and safety aspects of green buildings: reduced potential for legal liability.
(Note: This paragraph taken from “Seeing Green? You’re Not Alone”, Technology Century, July, 2008, Newman, James L.)
The average savings of green buildings are broken down as such: energy 30%, greenhouse gas emissions 35%, water use 30 – 50%, electricity use 70%, and waste costs 50 – 90%. These statistics have led people to consider green buildings mainly because they realize it’s in their best interest and also because they are forced to. Progressive building owners and developers realize it is in their best interest to build Green. They want to stay ahead of the new standards and laws that will soon make a non-green building obsolete.
Many people still remain hesitant to get involved in greening their buildings because of preconceived notions relative to increased costs. Today, with experienced teams, this is no longer the case. The business case for green buildings is real. Some of the benefits are: increased long-term building value from higher rents, cost savings on utilities for energy and water, faster lease-up, tenant satisfaction, increased productivity and potential tax benefits and/or rebates from utilities.
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Source: Newman Consulting Group, LLC
Article by: Jim Newman