Making “Green” With Green

29 Sep Making “Green” With Green

What’s the most overused word in design and construction these days?

GREEN.

Green technology, green jobs, green construction, green cars, and green light bulbs. It’s rapidly becoming politically inexpedient to NOT be “green.” With everyone hopping on the green wagon, it’s inevitable that an unintended consequence would occur… and it’s commonly referred to as “green washing.” Green washing refers to the insincere display of concern for the environment. In the construction industry, it can refer to a building which makes a pretense of concern for the environment, but without any discernible criteria by which to measure that concern.

A hotel is a specific type of building for which certain green technologies make economic sense, while others do not. At HiFive, we’ve undertaken significant and real-world studies to discern which of those technologies are expedient and result in the highest benefit and cost returns. Our LEED-certified professionals analyze all building components in the design process for their efficiency and value. In circumstances where brand approval of a component is required, we work closely with the franchise to ascertain their acceptance. Furthermore, once a “green” project has been completed, we monitor energy consumption and cost to compare those with original forecasts.

Our experience has shown that hotel investors do care about the environment, and that they are also concerned with initial and operating costs. If energy savings are targeted as part of SBA financing (read more in our “SBA Financing… a New ‘Green’ Twist'” article), then thorough analysis is even more critical. It’s our job to produce a building that satisfies all requirements for overall efficiency and cost.

Contact HiFive Development Services today to see how we can help with your next hotel project.