IN DEPTH:
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
From
the December 10, 2004 print edition
Linda Stone
Building
and construction activities worldwide consume 3 billion tons of raw materials
each year, or 40 percent of total global us
Elements
used in green building projects must meet specific criteria. Builders should
look for materials that: contain recycled, post-consumer content; come from
natural or renewable sources; are manufactured with resource-efficient
processes; are locally produced; are salvaged or refurbished; can be reused or
recycled; have non-toxic finishes; and have long-term durability.
Using
sustainable materials conserves dwindling resources and reduces environmental
impacts associated with extraction, transportation, fabrication, installation
and disposal. Such materials can be utilized in virtually every phase of
construction in a new building, as outlined below.
The
roof can be framed using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood with
Optimum Value Engineering (OVE), which provides the necessary support using
fewer materials. Alternatively, Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) can be utilized, which do not require any framing and
incorporate insulation. Cool or reflective roofs should be considered as they
lower building cooling costs.
Exterior
walls are similar to the roof in that they can be built with FSC wood, OVE, or
alternative materials. Some of the alternatives are SIPs,
earthen construction, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs),
and Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC) blocks. Exterior surfaces might be
locally sourced brick or stone, metal, fiber-cement siding or stucco.
Interior
wall options include SIPs, clay tile, stone, or wood
frame with various veneers such as gypsum board or cork.
Paints
and coatings come in low and no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) versions,
which are better for indoor air quality. Other options include mineral dyes,
low and no-VOC stains and milk-based paint.
Insulation
can be integrated with the structure in the form of SIPs
or ICFs, or can include natural materials, such as
cotton, wool, cork, cellulose or soy-based foam.
Natural
flooring options are beautiful and plentiful and include salvaged wood, stained
concrete, recycled rubber, bamboo, wool, cork, fibers (such as sisal) or
recycled-content til
Incorporating
green materials into construction projects can pay a variety of dividends to
building owners and building occupants. These elements contribute to reduced
maintenance and replacement costs during the life of a building, energy
conservation, improved occupant health and productivity, and lower costs
associated with changing space configurations because of greater design
flexibility.
Energy
consumption in a building constructed using USGBC standards can be 20 to 50
percent lower than a conventional building, and water consumption can be as
much as 30 percent lower. A report in 2003 by the USGBC found that several
federal agencies have dramatically reduced their operating expenses through the
incorporation of energy-efficient building techniques. The report showed that
the government's building-related energy costs have declined 23 percent per
square foot since 1985, which has saved taxpayers $1.4 billion dollars during
this time period.
Locally,
both the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) and CPS Energy (CPS) offer
rebates for customers who implement efficiency measures. For more information
on these valuable rebates, please visit www.saws.org/conservation/programs
and www.citypublicservice.com;
or for a compendium of all green building rebates and incentives, see www.mp4e.info/index-rebates.htm.
Another
benefit to employers from having a green-built structure is improved indoor air
quality, which can lead to reduced owner liability and improved employee
productivity. A 2002 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study reported that
feasible and commonly recommended improvements to indoor environments could
reduce health care costs and work losses resulting from communicable respiratory
diseases by 9 to 20 percent; from allergies and asthma by 18 to 25 percent; and
from other nonspecific health effects by 20 to 50 percent. The researchers
estimated that employing the use of green building approaches could decrease
employee absenteeism and health care costs enough to generate an estimated
savings of $17 to $48 billion across the country each year.
Green
building certification is available for both residential and commercial
structures. The U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) program certifies commercial buildings. More
information about this program and a link to the local chapter of the USGBC is
available at www.usgbc.org/leed/leed_main.asp.
Build
San Antonio Green is the region's residential certification program
co-administered by the Metropolitan Partnership for Energy and the Greater San
Antonio Builders Association. Visit www.buildsagreen.org
for details.
In
addition to the two Web sites listed above, there are many excellent sources to
use in finding and learning about green building materials.
Linda Stone is director of the Metropolitan Partnership for Energy, a
nonprofit collaborative of local governmental entities aimed at increasing the
San Antonio area's energy efficiency and sustainability by providing the region
with energy leadership, education and expertis