This year, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, people have become more aware of their impact on the world. They see how far one action can travel, and have become more self-aware of their decisions, actions, and how those things affect others. Businesses have done the same. Now more than ever, we are putting our customers’ and employees’ health as first priority. This marks a fundamental shift in business from product focus, to people focus.
This shift in mindset was caused by a temporary problem, but it can be a permanent solution. When we as business owners and facility managers think outside the world of our building, we can make effective change for the future long-term. One such way in which we can do that is by seeing the world through an environmental lens.
Sustainable design is the set of building construction and maintenance practices that put environment and long-term function as a first priority. These principles include:
- Space maximization
- Reducing non-renewable energy sources
- Water and natural resource conservation
- Use of environmentally sustainable building materials and construction
- Focus on indoor air quality and overall health of building tenants
- Focus on operational and maintenance efficiency
These guiding principles can not only make your building a healthier place to work, but they can help you reduce the environmental impact your business has long-term. Not only will you be able to cut costs and pollution from your facility, but your customers will be able to stand behind a sustainable business at a time where our health and future are threatened.
Unfortunately many of our modern technologies and energy sources are unsustainable. As businesses, we have the power to change that. Here’s what you can do:
- Pollution prevention – Commercial facilities often use toxic substances and waste materials on a daily basis. You can do your part by reducing waste and switching to non-toxic facility supplies wherever possible. This can stem from your office supplies to product packaging and much more.
- Alternative energy – Most of a modern commercial facility’s energy comes from non-renewable sources. You can change this by gradually switching to alternative energy sources including wind, geothermal, hydropower, or other energy sources offered by your municipality.
- Energy and resource efficiency – Water and energy waste are far too common in commercial facilities. You can reduce some of your usage by installing low-flow faucets and toilets, or by replacing your lighting with automatic shut offs/energy efficient bulbs. Energy efficient HVAC systems are also a big energy and cost-saver.
All of these efforts combined can make your building a more sustainable design. To learn more about what you can do to further your sustainability goals, contact MaintenX today!
