While many benefits are general in nature, certain industries also stand to gain even more advantages from investment in green buildings.
Having green hospital buildings offers several benefits for healthcare workers and patients. There are many international studies, including The World Green Building Council’s Business Case for Green Building, that show how healthcare facilities within green buildings provide higher quality patient care. The benefits include an 8.5% reduction in hospital stays, an 11% reduction in secondary infections and 15% faster recovery times. Patients also tend to feel calmer, more comfortable and have greater peace of mind in sustainable hospitals. Another report found hospitals that employ green building practices are more likely to receive donations, funding and subsidies through their increased energy efficiency and efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
Green schoolsShowcasing environmental stewardship can help attract new students as well as high performing staff in education environments. A school that embraces environmentally friendly design and processes creates a better teaching and learning atmosphere, which can impact a child’s academic progression by up to 25% throughout a school year.
There are many steps you can take towards greening your school building, such as good natural lighting and ventilation, which can have significant impacts on student performance, showing up to a 15% improvement on test results, while also driving down energy costs.
Green commercial buildingsGreen commercial buildings can contribute to a higher return on investment compared to their non-environmentally friendly counterparts. The Australian Green Property Council found that green CBD offices could outperform non-green office spaces, with an average additional return of 10% per year. This is achieved through more efficient resource usage that reduces operating and maintenance costs.
Green strata buildings52% of Australians say they want to live in more sustainable homes that accommodate eco-friendly measures. In fact, having a green home has been shown to improve the health and wellbeing of residents. As the World Health Organisation states, better air quality leads to fewer cases of respiratory conditions, allergies, heart disease and stroke. Additionally, buildings that use eco-friendly processes can help owners and occupiers save money, increasing the value of the property.
Green retirement villagesRetirees are increasingly looking for residential communities that are more sustainable, cost less and promote a healthier way of living. Green buildings are therefore more likely to attract buyers and give a retirement facility a competitive edge over traditional facilities.
So now that we’ve highlighted the benefits of greening your building, how do you achieve it?
Ensuring that indoor environmental quality (IEQ) standards are met will improve the health and wellbeing of your building’s occupants. This is achieved through adequate ventilation, reducing indoor pollutants that can affect respiration and trigger allergies, and enhancing occupant safety and comfort.
Indoor air quality forms an important part of this and can be regularly assessed by purchasing an indoor air quality monitor, testing for mould in the air and installing carbon monoxide alarms. However, IEQ goes beyond just air quality to also include other factors that influence people’s comfort indoors, such as temperature and humidity, acoustics, lighting, building layouts and cleanliness.
By gathering feedback from occupants and making improvements to these areas, you can even boost productivity by as much as 10.9% as the CH2 building in Melbourne did, saving $2 million per year.
Reducing energy consumption in your building will be better for the environment and save your tenants and owners money. There are a number of sustainable alternatives and practices that you can implement, including:
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The benefits of greening your building are numerous and eco-friendly paints and processes can have a significant impact on your sustainability efforts. If you're looking for help implementing some of these solutions, why not choose a contractor who shares your sustainable values and desire to protect the environment.
Higgins is committed to supporting green buildings and sustainable processes, as shown by our internationally recognised Tri-Certification Accreditation. This means that we provide an enhanced quality of service that protects the environment, promotes the values of green buildings, and ensures the health and safety of communities. With our unrivalled attention to detail, we’re here to help you deliver cost-effective solutions that meet modern sustainability measures.
