Eco-Friendly Construction

A ‘green’ building is a building that, in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment. Green buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life.

Green construction practices include:

·         Using sustainable building materials like recycled glass and steel, as well as renewable materials like bamboo and rubber;

·         Installing energy-efficient windows and doors;

·         Using lower-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints and stains;

·         Constructing green roof systems (aka “plants on your roof”) that offer many benefits, including onsite gardens, rainwater management and protection from the effects of harmful UV light;

·         Adding water harvesting and purification systems that don’t just manage, but also make the most use of rainfall;

·         Maximizing natural light, which cannot only save on lighting requirements (and subsequently energy costs), but can also help keep buildings warm in colder months; and

·         Using renewable energy to power the building—for example, installing a commercial solar panel system.

Green building benefits

The environmental benefits of eco-friendly construction are obvious, but there are other compelling reasons to implement green building practices that may not immediately come to mind. Examples include:

·         Healthier and happier workers—employees that work in green buildings report fewer headaches, as well as improvements in asthma and allergy symptoms;

·         Reduced energy costs;

·         The ability to attract and retain top talent;

·         Greater likelihood a green building will sell for more money than a standard building; and

·         Additional business opportunities that come from appealing to an ever-growing pool of conscious consumers.

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