6.4 Green building and facilities management

Green building and facilities management are crucial for sustainable business operations. These practices focus on creating environmentally responsible structures and processes throughout a building's life cycle, reducing energy and water use, improving indoor air quality, and minimizing waste.

The benefits of green building include lower operating costs, enhanced employee productivity, and reduced environmental impact. Facility managers can implement sustainability audits, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable purchasing practices to improve environmental performance and reduce operational costs.

Green Building Principles and Benefits

Key Principles

Top images from around the web for Key Principles

• 

  Note : The shortlisted actions are presented by life cycle stage, and their contributions to ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : EE, energy efficiency; GHG, greenhouse gas; PaM, policy and measure; RES, energy from ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  How can we reduce and make better use of waste? — European Environment Agency View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : The shortlisted actions are presented by life cycle stage, and their contributions to ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : EE, energy efficiency; GHG, greenhouse gas; PaM, policy and measure; RES, energy from ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Key Principles

• 

  Note : The shortlisted actions are presented by life cycle stage, and their contributions to ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : EE, energy efficiency; GHG, greenhouse gas; PaM, policy and measure; RES, energy from ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  How can we reduce and make better use of waste? — European Environment Agency View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : The shortlisted actions are presented by life cycle stage, and their contributions to ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Note : EE, energy efficiency; GHG, greenhouse gas; PaM, policy and measure; RES, energy from ... View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Green building design and construction aims to create structures and use processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life cycle
• Key principles of green building include:
  • Siting and structure design efficiency
  • Energy efficiency
  • Water efficiency
  • Materials efficiency
  • Indoor environmental quality enhancement
  • Operations and maintenance optimization
  • Waste reduction

Benefits and Certifications

• Benefits of green building include:
  • Reduced operating costs
  • Improved occupant health and productivity
  • Lower environmental impact
  • Enhanced asset value and profits
• Green buildings consume 25-30% less energy compared to conventional buildings
• Improved indoor air quality in green buildings can lead to 8-25% gains in employee productivity and well-being
• Green building rating systems and standards, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), provide frameworks for assessing and certifying the level of sustainability in building projects
• Integrated design processes that involve collaboration among architects, engineers, and other stakeholders from the early stages of a project are critical to optimizing green building outcomes

Environmental Performance of Facilities

Sustainability Audits and Efficiency Measures

• Facility managers can conduct sustainability audits to assess current environmental impacts and identify areas for improvement across energy, water, materials, and indoor environment
• Energy efficiency opportunities include:
  • Upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems
  • Improving insulation
  • Installing renewable energy systems (solar panels, wind turbines)
  • Implementing energy management systems
• Water efficiency measures involve:
  • Low-flow plumbing fixtures
  • Water-efficient landscaping (drought-tolerant plants)
  • Rainwater harvesting
  • Greywater recycling
  • Water metering

Sustainable Purchasing and Environmental Management

• Sustainable purchasing practices prioritize products with:
  • Recycled content
  • Bio-based materials
  • Energy-efficient equipment
  • Minimal packaging waste
• Implementing an ISO 14001-based Environmental Management System can provide a systematic approach to continually improving environmental performance
• Regular preventive maintenance of equipment and systems can optimize efficiency and extend the service life of assets while reducing environmental impact

Reducing Environmental Impact of Operations

Green Cleaning and Waste Management

• Establish a green cleaning program that uses environmentally friendly, low-toxicity cleaning products, equipment, and practices to maintain a healthy indoor environment
• Implement a solid waste management plan focused on the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" waste hierarchy, including:
  • Waste stream audits
  • Recycling programs (paper, plastic, glass, metal)
  • Composting of organic materials
  • Safe hazardous waste disposal

Sustainable Transportation and Indoor Air Quality

• Encourage sustainable transportation options for building occupants, such as:
  • Public transit
  • Carpooling
  • Cycling
  • Installing electric vehicle charging stations
• Develop an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) management plan that includes:
  • Regular monitoring
  • Source control
  • Ventilation
  • Air filtration
  • Occupant communication to maintain a healthy and productive indoor environment

Occupant Engagement and Performance Tracking

• Engage and educate occupants and stakeholders on sustainable practices through:
  • Green teams
  • Signage
  • Trainings
  • Incentive programs to foster a culture of sustainability
• Set sustainability performance goals and regularly track and report on key metrics, such as:
  • Energy and water consumption
  • Waste diversion rates
  • Indoor environmental quality indicators

Cost-Benefit of Green Practices

Life Cycle Cost Analysis

• Conduct life cycle cost analyses to assess the long-term financial implications of green building investments, considering:
  • Upfront costs
  • Operating costs
  • Potential savings over the life of the asset
• Green building practices can result in significant operational cost savings through reduced energy, water, and waste expenses, which can offset higher initial costs over time
  • Energy-efficient buildings typically have 20-30% lower utility bills compared to conventional buildings
  • Water efficiency measures can reduce water consumption and associated costs by 15% or more

Incentives and Non-Financial Benefits

• Assess the potential for incentives, such as:
  • Tax credits
  • Grants
  • Utility rebates, which can offset the upfront costs of green building investments
• Consider the value of non-financial benefits, such as:
  • Improved occupant health, comfort, and productivity
  • Enhanced reputation and market differentiation
  • Reduced environmental risks and liabilities

Financial Metrics and Benchmarking

• Use financial metrics to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of specific green building strategies and technologies, such as:
  • Net Present Value (NPV)
  • Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
  • Payback period
• Benchmark facility performance against industry standards and green building rating systems to:
  • Identify areas for improvement
  • Demonstrate the value of sustainable practices to stakeholders