10 minor details that make a commercial property more eco-friendly.
Do you operate a commercial property and want to start a few small shifts to make the building greener? Do you want to operate on a tighter budget?
Eventually, progress will lead to installing renewable energy systems and renovating to optimize for passive solar design — but today is not the day.
Here are practical, less-expensive changes to incorporate into company structures to pave a path to eco-friendly goals.
1. Apply Window Film
Architectural films or electrochromic glass slide directly onto windows to amplify your heating and cooling systems. The darkening tint prevents as much sun from entering the building, making it unnecessarily warm for occupants.
This means the air conditioning doesn’t have to work as hard, wasting hard-earned dollars. The interior temperature is easier to gauge and regulate. Consistency is key, especially when detecting early signs of system failures.
UV rays also penetrate less when films shield interiors. You may not see the long-term impacts of progressive bleaching and sun damage, but film can protect flooring, furniture, equipment and more by guarding against sneaky UV light. The environmental benefits keep coming because you won’t have to replace as many devices or materials.
2. Plant Greenery on the Roof
The price and intensity of this eco-friendly upgrade depend on the quality and status of the building’s roof. Consider installing garden beds or other greenery if the roof is flat and clean. You can plant flowers to enhance the property’s beauty or make it a collaborative employee project by growing a community garden. The fixture has numerous benefits for the building’s health and carbon footprint, including:
- Reducing building temperatures
- Mitigating damage from heavy rains
- Conserving water
- Acting as a carbon sink
- Attracting pollinators and encouraging biodiversity
- Improving air quality
3. Change Lightbulbs
This is one of the most accessible switches for environmentally friendly commercial buildings. LED lights last far longer compared to their fluorescent counterparts. Plus, they don’t contain ecologically destructive mercury. The chemicals, broken glass, and other hardware pollute soil and waterways, seeping into the ecosystem with a much farther reach than you could comprehend.
Decreased pollutants are one benefit, but reduced energy consumption is another. Energy-efficient lighting can use up to 75% less power and produces less heat as a byproduct compared to alternatives.
4. Schedule Audits
The wisdom from a professional may be more valuable than any tangible upgrade in the building. Having someone come in to review energy efficiency and water usage could be invaluable for detecting early issues and crafting the most productive action plan for managing expenditures.
An energy audit can pinpoint necessary maintenance and appliances drawing too much power. Having plumbers and water auditors review pipelines and fixtures delivers insight into infrastructure health and cleanliness. They may suggest installing low-flow fixtures, adding dual-plumbing systems for smarter allocation or getting a sample test to check for particulates. These actions provide green advantages in unique ways.
5. Plan Cleaning
So long as you’re cleaning the building with chemical-free, eco-friendly solutions, you would be surprised at the benefits. Particles clog HVAC filters, and faucet grime reduces water quality. Whether you hire professionals or have staff get into a regular habit, green cleaning reduces environmental impact in the following ways:
- Prevents excess perfumes and detergents from entering the environment
- Keeps harmful, disruptive bacteria and other microorganisms at bay
- Removes dust and clutter from equipment to keep running at optimal efficiency
- Maintains trash, mold and debris from impacting the air and water
6. Separate and Track Waste
If you don’t already have separate waste bins for landfill, recycling and compost, incorporate those as soon as possible. Their presence will encourage responsible waste disposal from everyone in the building. There are easy ways to get more value from this installation to reduce environmental impact further.
Place signs near the bins on what goes where. For example, some employees may have never composted before and wouldn’t know meat is incompatible with the mixture. Additionally, management should do the research for employees to determine how their chosen recycling center sorts. Do they need plastics separated, and do they only accept certain numbers? Do containers need to be washed beforehand? Waste management’s impact all comes down to communication.
7. Train Employees
Buildings require a lot of energy, but it’s controllable by training inhabitants how to use resources while considering the planet. Commercial properties must teach employees about water, energy and waste management practices the corporation prioritizes instead of expecting people to pick up on their own.
The best method for teaching them in a way that sticks is by contextualizing desired practices, such as putting trash in the right place, with how their decisions matter in the big picture. Let them know their actions have a tangible impact, and make it clear with facts, figures and case studies.
8. Paving
Did you know your parking lot and driveways could be more sustainable by increasing their durability or using eco-friendly materials? For example, 100% of asphalt is recyclable, and permeable pavers are designed for rainwater capture and stormwater management. These options make these practical areas even more useful and carbon-friendly.
A schedule to review the space for imperfections and cracks is vital for protecting the property against flooding and maintaining regular water drainage. With the weight of heavy vehicles going over these spaces constantly, you’ll want to ensure it’s secure because a slope or split causes environmental damage when it happens and during repairs.
9. Invest in Smart Tech
The Internet of Things (IoT) are internet-connected devices that sync with everything from kitchen appliances to water fixtures. Have you ever wanted detailed data about your HVAC or energy system? IoT monitors and sensors are the easiest way to gain knowledge about performance.
What do you do with that information? It allows you to see the most wasteful, carbon-intensive aspects of the business, making environmental goal-setting more proactive and influential. It lets corporations target high-impact concerns first, beginning the green journey with a lot of momentum. If more buildings incorporated smart tech, global energy consumption could be reduce by up to 5% with current technology — this may increase as equipment becomes more innovative, comprehensive and capable.
10. Clean the Air
Monitoring indoor air quality (IAQ) has never been more streamlined due to smart devices. Here are a few strategies for making sure clean, indoor air remains secure without pollutants affecting performance:
- Incorporate air-purifying plants
- Add caulking and weatherstripping
- Schedule preventive maintenance
- Review smart tech apps regularly to notice changes
Being Green One Step at a Time
You can gradually incorporate eco-friendly features into commercial buildings. Every choice makes an impact, and subsequent installation compounds these benefits. Eventually, you’ll reap the rewards just as much as the planet will. Financial savings, productivity boosts and improved morale are only a few advantages of a greener building.
