Green commercial buildings

Modern technologies have made it feasible to save energy through choosing energy-efficient materials, using natural resources to obtain energy, etc. The rest is to be done and upheld by businesses. 
 

What is the biggest threat to nature and planet Earth right now? It’s the human indifference towards the well-being of nature and our natural resources! We host neighborhood barbecues, we run mining companies, and we keep driving around (even the shortest distances) with our powerful cars that emit tons of CO2 every day. 

 

But what are the attempts that humans can take to face this threat?

 

Going green is one of the most popular and effective trends over the past couple of years! This motion is aimed to help humans become more considerate about nature,  the environment, and the condition it is in now. It promotes sustainability and above all, public awareness.  

 

What is the value of sustainability?

These days, humanity has started valuing sustainability more than ever. Not only is the utilitarian approach of being aware of sustainable efforts a modern trend now, but the various advantages of being sustainable are serving as incentives for people. 

 

There are 3 main branches of sustainability including environmental protection, social development and economic development. With this, being sustainable is both a necessity and a major benefit. To be more precise, being sustainable represents a core value not only from an environmental perspective but also from a business perspective. 

 

Sustainability and business

In addition to the singular waste every individual causes on Earth, almost every business produces some serious amount of waste too. Currently, the world generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually. This is an obscene number to worry about. In order to prevent the amount of waste and still be able to work profitably, many businesses have chosen to go green when constructing their commercial buildings or seeking a commercial property for lease.

 

There are various ways through which it is possible to produce less waste and to also be more sustainable. Going green is one of the popular and efficient ways of doing so. It would, hence, be helpful to evaluate some steps through which different businesses have gone green.

 

Commercial building constructed with eco-friendly materials

One thing to start with is utilizing eco-friendly materials for your building and or business operations. Two main factors determine the eco-friendliness of a certain material:

 

Firstly, building materials should display and or allow for energy efficiency. Namely, these building materials have to be able to protect against natural thermal heat that often penetrates materials like drywall, aluminum, and wood. Preventing outdoor temperature from radiating into the inside of a building will maintain indoor temperatures.

 

Secondly, the materials have to be prepared in an eco-friendly manner. This presumes them, for example, to be made through recycling, composting, and essentially eliminating waste even in the manufacturing process of those materials.

 

An example of an eco-friendly material that conserves energy would be concrete. It is known that the walls made out of concrete are about 20% more likely to save energy than traditional wood-frames. 

 

Renewable energy 

Renewable energy is the type of energy that is obtained from natural resources that are constantly replenished. The most well-known and successful example of a renewable energy source so far is the energy emitted from the Sun. 

 

Solar panels have allowed thousands of businesses to obtain energy from the Sun. By implementing solar panels into the infrastructure of the building, fossil fuels are no longer necessary to generate electricity. This is not only advantageous to limit the amount of emitted fossil fuels but also to cut the operating expenses of running a business by using naturally obtained energy through a one-time implementation of solar panels. 

 

Energy-efficient lighting

Based on the size and the shape of your building, you will be using a reasonable amount of lighting on a daily basis. Another way to save energy and money simultaneously is by incorporating an energy-efficient lighting system into your building. LED lights serve as an example of energy-efficient lighting. As you might expect, they are more costly than the traditional light bulb. However, the amount of energy they will save will surely will offset the initial investment cost to upgrade.

 

Eco-friendly roofing

Eco-friendly roofing illustrates not only a sustainable approach but also can distinguish a commercial building in the sea of ordinary street buildings with conventional roofing. Green roofs have become very popular lately. Planting and harvesting vegetation on the roof is something many business owners have elected to experiment with. Thanks to technology, there are other ways to incorporate other recycled contents and eco-friendly materials to use in the construction of commercial building roofs. 

 

Modular construction

Since everything is shifting from the traditional boxed building to a new efficient and open layout, building construction methods are also evolving with time. 

 

While traditional construction causes some big amounts of carbon emissions and overall waste, using prefabricated materials by implementing modular construction methods helps to reduce the amount of pollutants emitted into the air. Likewise, some of these modular walls, ceilings, and floors allow for quick configuration of space.

 

The advantages of going green

The above-mentioned efforts might seem attractive though they are costly. You might be uncertain whether investing that big amount of money would be worth it or not. This hesitation would be fair since regardless of how much you care for nature and sustainability, your main goal as a business owner is to generate a profit. So, what are the advantages of going green from a sole business perspective?

 

Lower operational expenses

Although constructing your building through eco-friendly materials will require some big investments upfront, it is going to put your finances in a more desirable status soon enough. You will notice the tangible amount of resources you will be saving through reduced waste and energy. 

 

High reputation 

Every little detail about a company counts for the customers. They always want to choose the most reliable, the most efficient, and the most reputable option. What makes your company stand out amongst your competitors—in addition to your product or your advanced service—is your value system as a business. Your customers want to choose a company that cares for the environment, demonstrates respect towards it, and thrives on gaining their sympathy through that. Besides the sustainable approach you display, your customers would also appreciate the investment you make by choosing to go green. 

 

Conclusion

Becoming gradually sustainable is a necessity rather than a choice, and going green is the means to meet that necessity. The development of businesses increases the chances of economic advancements, however, often damaging the irrevocable: nature. Modern technologies have made it feasible to save a reasonable amount of energy through choosing energy-efficient materials, using natural resources to obtain energy, etc.