Why Be Green?

29 Feb Why Be Green?

Green construction is more than a buzzword in today’s commercial market. It is a necessity. Not only can green technologies reduce the cost of operating a building, but they are becoming a desirable feature for hotel guests.

The field of green building encompasses a large number of practices. Green buildings do not have to be yurts in the middle of nowhere with no connection to public utilities services. They have all of the same conveniences as other modern buildings, but have a reduced impact on the environment.

Their environmentalism starts with the style of their building, which uses recycled and environmentally friendly components whenever possible. These buildings are typically designed to take advantage of opportunities for natural lighting, heating and cooling. Finally, green buildings use environmentally sensitive components such as high-efficiency HVAC plants, solar panels, low-flow water fixtures and LED and florescent lighting.

To maximize the booking benefit of building a green hotel, developers should go beyond just using environmentally responsible building practices. Interestingly enough, guests look for an environmental certification as opposed to looking for specific green building practices. Make sure your builder has earned their Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council. HiFive Development Services’ LEED-certified professionals bring green-building expertise to every project.

Green building also makes good sense. While it is true that retrofitting a building to make it meet LEED standards can be expensive, building a new building with green practices is can be very affordable, especially over time. Studies show that meeting LEED standards for green building can add as little as two percent to a building’s construction cost. Given that green buildings cost less to operate and maintain due to the use of high-quality materials and energy-efficient systems, the additional cost gets paid back very quickly. In addition, given the increased desirability of green buildings, they generate additional room and rental revenue, further paying back the increase in construction cost. This is why real estate investment trusts that invest in green buildings are reporting excellent returns.

There can be no doubt that green building practices make good business sense. They generate buildings that are easier to fill and cheaper to run. Furthermore, as energy and water costs continue to escalate, the value of the savings that they generate will increase. Finally, constructing green buildings is the right thing to do for the community in which they are located and for the surrounding ecosystem.

Posted On behalf of guest blogger, Nicole Adams of Westwood College

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_building

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbender/2011/08/05/how-green-is-your-hotel/

http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988

http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2011/LEEDing-REITs-See-Green-RWR-JLL-LRY-BXP-BPO-PLD-GE-ICF1122.aspx#axzz1ldX9xvuZ

http://www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/factsheets/cost.asp