Future of Work: Green Buildings Making Dollars and Sense

Green buildings often have a misguided stereotype that they’re too expensive and you don't get enough return.

The truth is green buildings reduce negative environmental impact, save money while enhancing tenant satisfaction. According to a study by the U.S. General Services Administration, the largest operator of office space in the country—high-performance buildings deliver substantial savings compared with legacy buildings. They result in 23% less energy and 28% less water used, a 23% decrease in building operating expenses, 9% less waste sent to landfills, and a 2% increase in tenant gratification.?

• Green buildings save energy, save water, cost less to operate, produce less waste, and have more satisfied occupants compared with typical buildings
• In short, they deliver cost savings and tenant satisfaction.

In addition to saving money, high-performance buildings?make a lot of sense for long-term strategy.

The regulatory environment is shifting toward wider acceptance of—and demand for—sustainable buildings.?The 2021 building energy codes, for instance, often ask for high-performance design, and cities like New York and San Jose, California, are already requiring structures to be powered by renewable energy, aligning with growing adoption.

1. High-performance solutions improve health, efficiency, & savings

Buildings designed with high-performance elements reduce negative impacts to the environment—and demand for these structures is growing.?

Nonresidential net-zero buildings have increased by more than 700 percent, in the process boosting health benefits through improved air quality (reduced CO2?emissions, and indoor, when ventilated to reduce airborne pollutants, condensation, mold, and other hazards). They also provide ongoing economic benefits.

• High-performance buildings with sustainability certifications like Energy Star, for instance, sell for more than 15% than conventional buildings.
• LEED-certified buildings have an occupancy rate 4% higher than non-certified buildings. ?

2. An opportunity to take advantage of incentives

As high-performance buildings become more widespread, there’s greater demand for them, both in communities and by state and federal governments. Increasingly, there are government and industry incentives offered through private programs and large spending bills, like the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act,?which includes $5 billion to incentivize the use of low-carbon materials in public infrastructure projects and government-owned buildings.

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