The term “green building” is often tossed around in talks about energy efficiency and environmental protection in the business world. However, few facility managers understand what this term means, or how it relates to their decisions as leaders. Green building isn’t simply a buzzword used to attract attention from environmental activists. It’s a concept in building design that can save you time, money, and resources when approached holistically.
Green building encompasses all aspects of architectural design that aims to reduce energy and water consumption, improve indoor air quality, and minimize environmental impact from building material choices. This ecologically sustainable and energy-efficient approach to design helps owners and tenants reduce a building’s recurring costs as well as its impact on the community.
In America, commercial and residential buildings account for approximately 40% of energy and natural resource consumption. As non-renewable energy costs continue to rise, and accessibility to natural resources continue to decline, this percentage is likely to increase. The solution, one that will reduce human costs and environmental consequences, is green building technology.
Green buildings with the greatest focus on energy-efficiency can reduce energy costs by nearly 30%. These buildings also offer greater ROI than traditional buildings. It’s estimated that for each $4 per square foot invested in green building technology, your facility can yield a $58 increase in property value over a 20-year period. As green technology becomes more desirable in the market, this trend will likely cause greater property value differences between energy-efficient and traditional buildings.
In addition to cost savings in energy efficiency, you can receive financial benefits for green technology in the form of government rebates and incentive programs. As our socioeconomic landscape changes, more and more local and national government programs are encouraging businesses to adopt sustainable building and energy practices. In Tampa, Florida, where MaintenX is headquartered, there are over 40 incentive programs for renewables and energy-efficiency, found on the DSIRE database.
If you’d like to learn about more ways in which your facility can adopt green building principles, contact MaintenX today. We help our clients retrofit existing technologies with energy-efficient ones, and provide holistic preventative maintenance service to extend the life of your green tech. Your long-term success is our priority!
