Green technologies intended to improve efficiency and reduce dependence on natural resources have become common options for new buildings, changing many aspects of the construction industry. Many new buildings are being built with green technologies such as solar panels and rooftop gardens that help with climate control. Now, architecture firms that specialize in green technology and design are making a push to retrofit older buildings, according to The Buffalo News.
Many industry leaders have gathered in Buffalo, N.Y., for a five-day conference that focuses on the importance of green construction for preserving the past and ensuring the future. They will also examine issues surrounding historic preservation, community revitalization and urban planning.
"A green building is a better building. It generates its own energy, cleans its own water, filters its environment," Eric Corey Freed, a principal of organic/ARCHITECT, a green architecture and development firm from California, said at the conference, the news source reports. "In truth, we can't afford not to make every building a green building, and the sooner we realize that, the better."
Green innovations may affect more than the building itself, and McGraw-Hill Construction recently released a report that outlined the need to determine all advantages of going green. The company is calling for a close examination of the financial, social and environmental benefits of this process, also known as the triple bottom line. The intention is to provide a more complete picture of green construction to highlight the importance of advancing the industry.
"To date, owners have acted on compelling benefits from their green investments, mainly savings in energy, water, waste and lowered operating costs," said Harvey Bernstein, vice president of industry insights and alliances at McGraw-Hill Construction. "However, these are only a fraction of the advantages offered by green buildings - missing is a quantification of the full triple bottom line benefits from these investments, especially around the social benefits to human performance and well-being."
The report also calls for industry-wide actions such as standardizing and disclosing operational costs for a green building. The materials needed to build a structure with green technology tend to be more expensive, so companies looking to go green may want to consider buying and selling used construction equipment. This can help to maximize profits during the transition to green construction.
