Special to the Business Journal
The “green” building concept, which emerged in the early 1990s in response to growing concerns about the environment, is beginning to take hold for new developments and renovations alike.
To qualify as “green,” a building must contain certain elements that make it more environmentally friendly than a conventional building. Potential tenants and buyers are beginning to demand green buildings.
We are starting to see more requests from tenants for “green” space. Not only does it make them feel like they are helping the environment, but it also lowers their operating costs by way of improved energy-efficiency and employee productivity.
The definition of “green” is still somewhat hazy. Green properties might utilize recycled building materials such as glass tiles and wood; carpet, wall-covering and paint with low volatile organic compounds; downsized, energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems; high-performance windows; and daylighting.
The U.S. Green Building Council, founded in 1993, is in the process of more specifically defining the term, and has recently set up guidelines called the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System.
Under this system, credits are awarded for everything from energy efficiency and indoor air quality, to environmental site considerations and the utilization of locally manufactured materials. The buildings are then rated by number of credits and are classified as either bronze, silver, gold or platinum.
– Construction
Costs Decrease
Initially, developers and property managers were hesitant to embrace the green building concept, as the cost of constructing a green building was higher than a conventional one. As new technologies come online, and as demand , and therefore availability , increases, cost goes down. The first-costs for green buildings really aren’t much higher now than traditional construction.
Operating and maintenance costs for green buildings can be substantially lower than for traditional. Recently, the city of San Diego renovated a 73,000-square-foot office building into a green building for its Environmental Services Department.
The new building utilizes 67 percent less energy and 42 percent less water due to the installation of such efficiency measures as energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems and solar window film. In addition to energy-efficiency measures, the city used low-toxicity, non-carcinogenic construction materials, and wherever possible, reused and recycled materials.
There also have been several cases in which companies “went green” and employee productivity increased dramatically. It is believed that this is primarily due to daylighting.
When it comes to daylighting, however, employers should be aware that there can be too much of a good thing. Daylighting can sometimes produce too much contrast. If you utilize daylighting, you may need to supplement it with accent lighting to reduce contrast.
And although daylighting saves on lighting energy cost, you may lose some efficiency due to the fact that the more windows you have, the more heat gain you experience and the more energy it takes to cool your space.
– Three Basic Features
Of A Green Building
Three of the more basic features a green building should have is proper building orientation, proper type of window glass, and the use of green materials. Higher-performance glass can significantly reduce your cooling loads during the summer.
We also recommend to owners who really want a green building to use a variety of recycled materials which carry the ‘Green’ logo. From gypsum board to metal studs, there is a wide variety of green materials available.
One design element that tenants are concerned with pertains to veneer for cabinets and furniture. The popularity of native maple and cherry woods came about partly because people were concerned about using the “rainforest” woods. These exotic woods are now plantation-grown, so people are going back to using them, but only if they are certified as sustainable or “non-rainforest” in origin.
On the home front, many clients are requesting wood that is certified as sustainable, or from a well-managed forest. Sustainable refers to the rate of harvest versus the rate of replanting and new growth. A well-managed forest looks at not only sustenance, but ecosystem health and community benefits.
– Veneers Help
Protect Forests
The popularity of veneers can also be attributed to the “green” movement. Not only are veneers much more cost-effective than solid wood, but utilizing them helps protect the forests from being depleted.
Many buildings are already some shade of green due to the fact that some entities, including the state of California, are very progressive in that they mandate a certain level of energy-efficiency.
The trend toward improving the environment is ever-increasing. And the more tenants become educated about their options, the more green buildings are going to be in demand.
Jossy is president of Jossy+Carrier Design Group, a full-service commercial interior design and space planning firm specializing in corporate office, retail, medical, educational and industrial facilities. The firm employs a staff of 10 in headquarters located in Downtown San Diego.
