Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Commercial Office Renovations - Environmental Aspects

Environmental issues are a hot topic. We all need to try to be greener and to use sustainable processes. If you are considering a commercial office renovation, this is perhaps even more important. It is likely that parts of your old office were true energy drains and that your carbon footprint is sky-high. However, did you know that by choosing to renovate and by taking environmental aspects into consideration, you may find that you will be create something greener than if you were to invest in a brand new building?

Contrary to popular belief, the benefits of reusing and renovating buildings outweighed the benefits of constructing new energy-efficient structures.

Indeed, the construction of a new building will require between 10 and 80 years to counter its negative impact on the environment when compared to an office renovation.

What Makes a Building Green? 

So what sort of things should you think about if you want to turn your commercial office into a green building? Essentially, it is a full package. The main thing is that it uses less fossil fuels, which means a reduction in energy (gas and electricity) and water. Furthermore, it is a building that increases the overall health of employees by thinking about the actual environment in which they work.

Materials that contain fibers such as fiberglass composite materials or insulation can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract when disbursed in the air and/or inhaled.

In ensuring that the actual environment is greener, employee productivity is also increased. This is true not in the least because there will be fewer incidents of sickness. Also, a green building reduces the amount of pollution that it causes. Hence, it should reduce the amount of wastes that are produced as well. There are numerous ways to achieve this, including using recycled or sustainable products in construction, and installing renewable energy sources such as wind turbines or solar panels. It is important to see the bigger picture and to view a building as something that will last for a long time.

A green building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout its life-cycle. These objectives expand and complement the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

The benefits of focusing on these environmental aspects are tremendous. It has a positive impact the planet as a whole through the lowering of carbon emissions. As stated, it also helps to improve employee health. Finally, it also helps with the economy, both on a large scale by working together with manufacturers of sustainable products and on a smaller scale, by improving the revenues of your own business. Indeed, because people are so focused on sustainability right now, businesses that can demonstrate their care for the environment tend to see a huge jump in profits.

A Green Contractor 

In order to actually receive all these benefits, it is very important that you work together with a contractor that has a commitment to sustainability and can demonstrate that they have the necessary experience to make this a reality. Look for contractors like www.apollointeriors.com/, for instance.

We acknowledge that the construction industry has a huge impact on the environment but whilst being a part of the problem, with knowledge and care we can be a part of the solution.

Statements of intent towards sustainability are very important in any contractor you choose to work with. Some, for instance, will even be able to give you a green seal of approval, which demonstrates that your commercial office is as green as it can be. The planet is decaying at an alarming rate, but it is possible for us to do something about it.

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