The Advantages of Green Construction for Your Business

The concept of green buildings comprehends the construction or renovation process and the maintenance and operation of the building in a way that takes into account the impact it has on the environment. When a green design and methodology are applied, natural resources are conserved, materials are re-used, the consumption of energy and water is reduced, materials that are not harmful to health are used, and a pleasant environment, conducive to productivity is provided.

Advantages

In addition to the contribution green buildings make in minimizing the effect on the environment and therefore on the climate crisis, these buildings also offer significant economic advantages.

Cost Reductions and Protection of Investment

In realizing their objective of having a lesser negative impact on the environment, green building generate cost reductions that can be significant compared to the costs of constructing, maintaining, and operating traditional buildings. These savings are realized in the cost of materials, when already existing materials can be recycled or re-used; in the cost of energy due to the incorporation of more efficient systems and alternative options that use much less energy; and in the cost of water, when systems that use less water are installed, when water can be recycled, and when the landscaping around the building is designed to incorporate native plants from the area that are adapted to the climatic conditions and the soil type, and therefore require less water, fertilizer, and other costs to maintain them.

Due to the environmental advantages of green buildings, many cities and states are imposing standards and requirements that new construction and building renovations must meet in order to get the necessary building permits. In addition to the advantages green buildings have in terms of the cost savings they generate, this is leading to the obsolescence of traditional constructions. Therefore, in order to protect an investment in existing buildings it may be necessary to make renovations and improvements so that they meet new standards related to their environmental impact.

And green construction or renovation does not have to mean a higher cost than would be the case with a traditional building. Green materials, mechanical systems, installations, and furniture are widely available and are considerably less costly than they previously were, and many times are less expensive than their traditional counterparts.

The green renovation of traditional buildings can include a new green roof; a more efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system; more efficient lighting systems; larger windows or windows that can be opened; and paints, floor coverings, and other materials that have less volatile organic compounds.

Well-being and Productivity

Green building design, which favors natural light, with open interior spaces and views toward the outdoors, raise morale and increase workers' satisfaction, which contributes to greater productivity, less absenteeism, and greater attraction and retention of workers.

Highly efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, and materials such as paint, floor coverings, and furniture that have a low content of volatile organic compounds, generate superior air quality inside the building.

Green construction materials create a healthier and safer environment for workers. Some of the symptoms of what is called the sick building syndrome include dizziness, and acute eye, nose, or throat irritation. This symptom is produced by the materials traditionally used in construction that had a high level of toxic compounds. Studies indicate that approximately 23% of office workers in the U.S. experiment two or more of these symptoms, and that the better air quality generated by the use of green design, and green materials and technologies, can reduce these symptoms by 20 to 50%.

Certification and Incentives

In various countries of the world certifying agencies have been set up to rate buildings according to standards of sustainability, environmental impact, use of energy and water, and the design and quality of the indoor environment. In the United States the U.S. Green Building Council has set up the program Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Certification according to this program ensures potential buyers or renters that the building is in effect sustainable.

According to the rating system of the LEED program, points are awarded in the following categories: sustainable site (14 possible points), efficiency in water consumption (5 points), energy and atmosphere (17 points), materials and resources (13 points), quality of the indoor environment (15 points), and the innovation and design process (5 points). There are four levels of certification: Certified (26 to 32 points), Silver (33 to 38), Gold (39 to 51) and Platinum (52 to 69). A building with a Gold rating has a 50% less negative impact on the environment than a traditional building. A Platinum building has a 70% less negative impact. Many cities and various states in the U.S. now require new and renovated public buildings to meet the criteria of the LEED program.

Various cities and states offer benefits for green buildings. For example, Chicago grants bonuses to buildings downtown that have green roofs. Since the year 2000, the State of New York, through its Green Building Tax Credit program, has allowed tax deductions for projects that meet specific sustainability requirements. The "Savings by Design" program in California provides assistance and subsidies for non-residential buildings that are efficient in energy consumption.

How to Achieve the Advantages

If you are going to construct a new building, in order to take advantage of all the benefits of a green and sustainable building, and to stay within your budget, it is important that all decisions regarding the development of the construction process be oriented toward green aspects from the start.

Planning and Coordination

The construction project team could be made up of architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants who have knowledge regarding the tools, techniques, and technologies available, and experience in green construction. They will work in collaboration, examining the construction site, the plans for the interior and exterior construction of the building, and the budget, coordinating the effects that each decision has on the overall project. For example, a green roof may cost more than a traditional roof, but the return on investment is greater because the green roof will last longer and can provide other benefits, such as handling rainwater and lower energy costs.

Working in conjunction, the project team can do a cost/benefit analysis for each component, before assigning the resources. This analysis should take into account the subsidies, tax benefits, and other incentives that could be offered by the cities, states, and energy companies to organizations that construct green buildings.

The Site

In order for the construction project to really be green, the site is also important. The building should not be located on a site where construction would involve some harm to the environment. For example, construction should not be done in an environment inhabited by an endangered species, in a place that could be better used for agriculture, where it would be necessary to eliminate part of a natural forest or perturb the native flora and fauna, or in a place of cultural heritage. Ideal places for construction could include parking lots, unoccupied lots, or sites that were previously used in industry and are now under remediation.

The selection of a proper site can minimize the need for additional works of infrastructure, such as access roads and parking areas, and earth movement, which involves heavy equipment with the corresponding pollution, use of fuel, and cost. By limiting earth movement, soil erosion can also be reduced.

Another consideration regarding location is the proximity to points of access to public transportation. When employees or other occupants of the building have the chance to reach the location by public transportation, rather than using their personal vehicles, an additional benefit to the environment is being generated.

Design

The orientation of the building or buildings on the site can be planned to take advantage of natural light for interior lighting, and the predominant breezes for ventilation. Studies indicate that typically from 20 to 25% of the direct energy an office building uses is due to interior lighting, partially due to the fact that the heat generated by the lighting increases the amount of air conditioning required.

A long narrow building maximizes natural light and ventilation. By locating the fixed elements, such as stairwells, mechanical systems, and bathrooms in the center of the building and the work areas around the perimeter, you take advantage of natural light. By having windows that can be opened, you can take advantage of natural ventilation during the more temperate times of year.

Landscaping

The site's landscaping helps to minimize the accumulation of heat on dark surfaces that do not reflect solar radiation. The exterior walls can be covered with lattices of climbing vines to minimize this effect. Mature trees can shade the walls of the building, the roofs of low buildings, parking areas, and entrances.

A green roof, planted with grasses and drought-resistant plants, can also reduce the accumulation of heat, clean the air, absorb and filter rainwater so it doesn't run off the roof and inundate the entrances and streets below.

When you use native plants that are adapted to the climate and the type of soil, such as drought-resistant plants in warmer, more arid climates, instead of planting extensive areas with green grass, you save on watering and maintenance expenses. In this case, instead of using sprinklers, a drip-irrigation system could be sufficient. The use of recycled water for watering gardens reduces the consumption of fresh water even more.

Technology

In addition to using energy-saving equipment and appliances, motion detecting lighting systems can be installed that turn on when someone is using the space and turn off when the space is unoccupied. There are also systems that are sensitive to natural light and control artificial lighting based on need. Individual climate controls in offices and work stations can help in reducing the consumption of energy for heating and air conditioning.

The building's design should incorporate highly efficient heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems that use green refrigerants instead of CFC's or others that damage the ozone layer. Wind turbines, natural gas micro-turbines, and photovoltaic systems can generate electricity for the needs of the building's systems.

Materials and Recycling

There are sustainable and non-toxic construction materials readily available at reasonable prices, including paints with a low or zero content of volatile organic compounds; sheets of wheat straw that can be used instead of plywood, which has a high content of formaldehyde; and floor coverings made of hemp and linseed oil that can be used instead of vinyl, which has many toxins. Many times, these materials that have a green content, or recycled materials, cost the same or even less than traditional materials, and have a much less adverse impact on the environment.

When the construction process includes the demolition of existing buildings on the site, deconstruction techniques can be used to salvage materials from the existing building that can be used in the new construction, or that could be sold to places that buy these used materials. If there is concrete or asphalt present, it could possibly be ground up and used as structural fill for the new building that is being raised on the same site.

Recycling construction wastes forms an integral part of the green process and provides various benefits. The wastes are not dumped into a landfill. The costs of recycling may be lower than the charges for hauling the wastes to the landfill. And when recycled materials can be used in the new construction, you are saving the cost of buying new materials, and the environmental impacts involved in manufacturing the materials, including energy and water consumption in the manufacturing process, and the fuel used in bringing raw materials to the manufacturing site, and then transporting the finished materials to the construction site.