Sustainable design and renewable energy in commercial buildings,
As cities across the country continue to grow and develop, commercial real estate professionals have increasingly focused on sustainability to reduce their environmental impact.
Since the US Green Building Council introduced LEED certification in the late 1990s, many real estate developers have approached building with environmental considerations in mind.
Nearly 25 years later, sustainability is still a hot topic, but “sustainability” is a broad term and figuring out how to incorporate these principles into your building can be overwhelming.
Deciding which practices are sustainable and otherwise is complex and depends on your goal.
Sustainability in commercial buildings
Sustainable design involves not only minimizing the negative environmental impacts of a building, but also considering how a building affects the health of the people who use it.
Sustainability aims to reduce the use of non-renewable resources while promoting a healthy environment.
How sustainability works
Sustainability aims to improve how humans coexist with the natural environment, as it works to reduce the use of environmental resources when constructing and operating a commercial building and during agricultural development.
Sustainable buildings include everything from reducing the fossil fuels used to heat and cool a building to eliminating indoor air pollutants that can make people sick.
Sustainable buildings are more energy efficient.
It can use solar energy, natural light and other renewable resources to reduce consumption.
They are also built with better ventilation standards and other factors that make the interior space healthier for the building’s occupants.
Prioritizing the development of sustainability practices
What are sustainable practices? Well, you might get different answers depending on who you ask.
The term can refer to finance, social sustainability and other quality of life factors.
But in commercial real estate, people often focus on environmental factors when discussing sustainability principles.
Focusing on sustainability helps guide the future as it helps ensure the availability of natural, social and economic resources for the next generation.
This has a positive impact on developed and developing economies by helping to ensure that resources are not depleted and climate change is curbed.
which disproportionately affects developing countries.
Business leaders are also interested in sustainability practices to attract and retain customers.
Most consumers want to deal with companies that are committed to reducing greenhouse gases and combating climate change.
Demonstrating your environmental responsibility in any industry is vital to attracting new business.
Understand the pillars of sustainability
The three pillars of sustainability are environmental, economic and social.
You may also hear the term “triple bottom line”, and commercial buildings deal primarily with the environmental pillar.
Environmental sustainability aims to reduce our impact on the natural environment. Sustainable development involves designing buildings to achieve energy sustainability.
By relying less on fossil fuels and more on renewable resources.
When designing buildings with this principle in mind,
You can use paint, carpeting, and other finishes with lower volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to make your building more comfortable for the people who use it.
For sustainability in business, environmental and economic pillars can intertwine,
Energy efficient buildings are usually less expensive to operate.
Sustainable commercial buildings are often designed to improve productivity, which enhances people’s quality of life.
Aligning company ethics with sustainability goals
A commitment to sustainability can show employees and potential clients that your company is ethical.
More than 80% of people indicated that they have changed their purchasing habits.
Preferring to do business with companies committed to environmental sustainability.
You can also consider a commitment to social sustainability to attract a talented workforce and new clients.
This pillar involves managing business practices to positively impact current and future generations, and is important for attracting youth to your company.
Choosing a renewable energy infrastructure
Renewable energy is on the rise as more and more customers demand solutions to climate change.
The companies that may eventually lease your buildings will often have their own renewable energy targets, and your buildings must meet them.
When you design and build buildings, think about how you can incorporate renewable energy such as solar or wind electricity, solar hot water, and solar ventilation.
In addition, improving natural lighting to reduce electricity use in the building.
You may also consider testing your ventilation system and looking for energy leaks to make your building more efficient and less expensive to operate.
If you are managing older buildings, you may need to think about sustainability transitions and what this means for your existing energy infrastructure.
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