| Increase Your Profits With Sustainable Commercial | | | | 1.Energy Efficient Lighting Systems |
| Building | | | | 2.High Performance Glazing |
| In 2007 green building practices are gaining popularity | | | | 3.Ventilation Systems |
| at an accelerated rate. The American consciousness | | | | 4.Water Efficiency Systems |
| of environmental issues has changed and the financial | | | | 5.Green building materials (i.e. recycled materials or |
| benefits of building, living and working green are | | | | materials from renewable resources) |
| becoming more attractive to residential and | | | | Incentives for Commercial Green Building |
| commercial real estate investors. Green design | | | | Increased profitability is the number one reason |
| spotlights a variety of environmental and human | | | | commercial real estate investors are moving towards |
| health concerns. | | | | more green building and design features. According to |
| - Reduction of exposure to toxic materials | | | | Building Momentum: National Trends For High |
| - Conservation of non-renewable energy and | | | | Performance Green Buildings, a report prepared by |
| materials | | | | the US Green Building Council for the US Senate |
| - Minimization of the ecological impact of building | | | | Committee on Environment and Public Works, "Design |
| - Utilization of renewable energy and recycled or | | | | features that enhance energy efficiency and indoor |
| earth-friendly materials | | | | air quality are cost effective strategies for improving |
| - Protection of local water, air, soil, plants and animals | | | | worker productivity and product quality. An increase |
| - Support of transportation alternatives including | | | | of 1 percent in productivity (measured by production |
| walking, bicycles, mass transit and alternative fuels | | | | rate, production quality, or absenteeism) can provide |
| Many people are also surprised to discover that in | | | | savings to a facility that exceeds its entire energy |
| 2007 green design and building often costs the same | | | | bill".The report provides examples such as Lockheed, |
| as building more traditional designs. According to the | | | | an engineering development and design facility in |
| July 2007 issue of Today's Buyer's Rep, in an article | | | | Sunnyvale, California and the Postal Sorting Facility in |
| entitled Housing Trends Worth Watching by editor | | | | Reno, Nevada. Lockheed built a high performance |
| Julie Collins, a recent survey by the National | | | | green facility and experienced a 15% decrease in |
| Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that | | | | employee absenteeism that recuperated the extra |
| 97,000 homes have been built and certified by green | | | | costs of their facility within the first year. The Postal |
| building programs around the U.S. This is a 50% | | | | Sorting Facility in Reno experienced a 6% increase in |
| increase from the last survey conducted in 2004. The | | | | the number of items sorted per hour when an |
| Santa Monica Green Building Program, reports, | | | | alternative lighting system was installed. |
| "Buildings have impacts on health as well as the | | | | In addition federal, state and local governments are |
| environment. It is estimated that half of all | | | | now also offering incentives to commercial builders |
| commercial buildings suffer from air quality problems, | | | | and investors interested in a green approach. |
| resulting in poorer health of workers and other | | | | According to the Building Momentum report "public |
| occupants". | | | | and private entities offer financial and regulatory |
| Green Building and Design Options for Commercial | | | | incentives. New York, Maryland and Oregon offer tax |
| Property Investments | | | | credits for LEED (Leadership in Energy and |
| In the commercial real estate industry economics and | | | | Environmental Design) certified buildings. Portland (OR) |
| financial profit play an important part in green building. | | | | and Seattle (WA) offer grants for energy modeling, |
| Businesses, corporations and investors are more likely | | | | commissioning and related costs." The report |
| to invest in green building if they know it will increase | | | | continues to explain that, "Arlington County (VA) links |
| their bottom line. According to Commercial | | | | preferred zoning considerations for LEED projects. |
| Investment Real Estate Magazine, "When analyzing | | | | Santa Barbara (CA) and Scottsdale (AZ) are some of |
| green economics, commercial real estate | | | | the first jurisdictions to offer expedited permit |
| professionals should consider long-term operating and | | | | reviews for buildings with certain high performance |
| maintenance costs. These factors are beginning to | | | | features. Tax credits and other incentives are part of |
| affect leases, insurance rates, loans, and other real | | | | broader green building assistance programs offered |
| estate practices as tenants, owners, banks, and | | | | by a growing number of state and local governments |
| communities recognize energy efficiency's value". As | | | | across the country." Green building programs have |
| technology advances and improves the performance | | | | been developed in California, Colorado, Maryland, New |
| of lighting, heating, cooling and water systems the | | | | York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. As the green |
| operating costs of buildings will decrease. This will | | | | building and commercial investment trend continues |
| attract tenants and increase the value of your | | | | tax incentives will increase and green building and |
| commercial property to future investors. When | | | | design will continue to pay for themselves in more |
| building or purchasing a green commercial design look | | | | ways than one. |
| for the following: | | | | |