Going Green Will Cost You . . . 5%.

In Canada, greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 30% since 1990 and buildings are responsible for 30-40% of these emissions and up to 50% when including embodied energy in building materials. Green building design, construction and operation can reduce these impacts by 50% or more with current technology and know-how. If implemented on an urban scale, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced even further

  CaGBC Business Plan 2007

Was able to attend a Commercial Realtor® luncheon put on by the Realtors® Association of Edmonton regarding LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.  

There are 6 categories of measured performance in the LEED certification process:

• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy & Atmosphere
• Materials & Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality
• Innovation & Design Process

Points are awarded in each category, which determines your certification:

• Certified      26-32 points
• Silver           33-38 points
• Gold            39-51 points
• Platinum     52-70 points

Here’s what I found most interesting; the added cost of building green.  According to their numbers, in up-front start-up costs you can expect to add:

• LEED Certified – .5% – 1.5%
• LEED Silver – 1% – 2%
• LEED Gold – 2% – 5%
• LEED Platinum – 5% plus

How long would it take to recoup that initial cost from your building life-cycle costs?  

The fringe benefits to building LEED certified:

• Investment at beginning will save money in the long term
• Reduced operating costs will add value to the building
• Green buildings are gaining a reputation for superior quality and performing as per design intent
• Green Buildings lease up faster with better long-term tenants
• Green buildings attract and retain employees interested in better and healthier work places
• Future proof your building – energy costs, carbon constraints 

Where do you fit in the mix?

 Source: USGBC

We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us.
- Winston Churchill

Learn more at the Alberta Chapter of the Green Building Council.

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