It’s now April, the month where spring comes to the forefront of our minds and we finally get a look at green grass rather than mounds of snow.
In April we also celebrate Earth Day. Since 1970, Earth Day has been held on April 22, and overtime it has spread to become Earth Week or Earth Month in some communities.
As our home, it’s important we do what we can to make sure we keep earth tidy. A major trend currently sprouting up is businesses going “green.” This means becoming environmentally aware and doing what’s necessary to create a healthy work environment, all the while helping earth.
Going green is everything from making sure the office recycles to operating with solar power. Whether big or small, going green is beneficial on a wide scale.
An angle not too often thought of, however, is how great of an investment it is for a company.
While an environmentally conscious decision by a business decreases its carbon footprint—something people view favorably—it can also help decrease wasteful spending.
If planning a redesign to make your building green friendly, you won’t only be helping the environment, but helping your own cause. The money saved over the years from going green with a redesign can eventually cover the cost of the initial investments in the redesign.
Not every business owner is going to be an expert on ways to accomplish better sustainability, so it’s best to consult and not be afraid to ask questions to the architecture firms you are targeting to help with a redesign.
According to the Progressive AE blog, The Benefits of Going Green, it’s a firm’s job to figure out the particulars like the difference between a business needing cooling or dehumidification.
Another good example is a firm knowing how to repurpose wasted materials and energy. Many companies let their heat pour out of their factories. The right firm will be able to use that somewhere else in the design. Engineers have been known to convert wasteful heat into energy for the facility.
By going green, you’re taking that investment and putting it toward paying other parts of the business, reducing costs, and increasing profits.
You’re the expert of your business, but you can let the firm look at things from an architectural and engineering aspect rather than the traditional business approach. Having a clean discussion leads to a clean plan-of-action, and that’s what going green is all about.
