Construction

Green Building Costs & Financial Benifits

Lets face it, no matter how "popular" energy efficiency and sustainability have recently become, when it comes time to approve the funds for high efficiency/high performance building projects, the subject always changes from natural resources to financial resources.  The decision makers want to know how much more a "Green" building is going to cost, and what kind of financial returns they can expect. 2003 Report  Fortunately, there is good, solid data available.  Click HERE to see the outline of a comprehensive 2003 report on the rate of return for energy efficient, High Performance Buildings.  You may be surprised.

The financing system for commercial construction is actually biased against sustainable construction projects

From an article on zdnet.com:

"It can be clearly shown how green tech makes the building more efficient and cheaper to operate. Yet the entire commercial lending and building system is based on least cost, highest profit. There’s no flexible formula to take into account energy or other operating costs or savings. The loan is so much per square foot, take it or leave it."

The complete article is Here

_______  Earth Friendly Methods and Materials  _________

Paint Interior Walls with Clay read more...

 The minimum annual water consumption needed to sustain life, including food production, is 7,500 gallons per year. In the United States, the average consumption is 500,000 gallons per person, per year. To change this number, water needs to be conserved and recycled. Rainwater harvesting, tidal flow wetlands and environmentally sound water treatment systems not only lower building water use, but also reduce energy consumption.  A list of local resources for Rainwater Harvesting is Here, or Download the 12 Page Document: