Frank L. Blum Construction Company

We hear a lot of talk about LEED-certified green construction for new buildings, but what if you are the owner of an existing building and want to “go green,” too?

The U.S. Green Building Council, the organization that developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system for new construction, recently revamped a program called LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance, version 2.0.  The new version resolves many of the issues that discouraged organizations from participating in the first version, including reducing documentation requirements and clarifying ambiguous language.

Considering that existing buildings account for much of the current harm to our environment, it is crucial that more companies and organizations embrace changes that will make their buildings more sustainable.  It is estimated that existing buildings account for more than 72 percent of all U.S. electricity consumption, 38 percent of all CO² emissions, 30 percent of waste output, and 14 percent of potable water consumption.

Regardless of whether you want to pursue the official LEED certification, there are many relatively simple things you can do to make an existing building greener:

§         Replace faucets and toilets with lower-usage models, such as bathroom fixtures that automatically shut off water after a certain amount of time

§         Collect and reuse stormwater for non-potable uses such as landscape irrigation, toilet and urinal flushing, and custodial uses

§         Change to a point-of-use water heating system that only “heats on demand,” reducing the energy used to run hot water heaters around the clock

§         Replace older appliances and office-equipment with Energy Star-labeled models

§         Use paint, adhesives and sealants with low VOC content

§         Buy foods and beverages from suppliers that purchase organic foods and/or foods produced within a 100-mile area of your site.

§         Switch to cleaning and pest-management products that minimize environmental impact inside and outside, including run-off from snow and ice removal, equipment maintenance, and cleaning of building exteriors, sidewalks and parking lots

§         Reduce the amount of solid waste sent to the landfill by encouraging employees to recycle and identifying vendors that will haul away and recycle waste from construction and renovations

§         Reduce the impact of employees’ transportation to and from work by providing bicycle racks and changing facilities, improving access to public transportation, and offering incentives to employees who use alternative transportation

§         Install systems that turn off lights when rooms are not in use

§         Prepare a facility operation plan that specifies ways HVAC usage could be reduced during off-hours, weekends and holidays

§         Upgrade older HVAC equipment to new models that do not use CFC-based (chlorofluorocarbons) refrigerants

Of course, going green is likely to reduce your overall operating costs in the long term. While you can achieve positive results from making these improvements without LEED certification, getting it may be an added plus for public relations and for recruiting and retaining talented employees. Although it is too early to determine the effect of LEED on Triad property values, anecdotal evidence from other U.S. cities seems to indicate that certified buildings are more marketable and command a higher rent! If you intend to eventually sell the building, certification provides third-party verification that sustainable improvements were in fact made.