§         How do LEED buildings reduce waste?      

Energy.  Americans constitute 5% of the world population but account for 25% of the world’s use of energy.  LEED certified buildings, using a tighter building envelope and energy-efficient systems  often use as little as half as much energy as their conventional counterparts.

Water.  By 2025, it is estimated that  40% of the world’s population will be living with chronic water shortage.  LEED certified buildings incorporate water conservation strategies such as low-flow fixtures, collection of rainwater for landscape irrigation, and re-use of grey water for non-potable applications.

Waste.  We waste more than 1 million pounds of materials per person per year.  For every 100 pounds of produce, we create 3,200 pounds of waste. LEED certified buildings are often specially designed to reduce waste generation. Recycling and reuse strategies are common.

Maintenance.  In 1998, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimated that the US has a $1.3 trillion backlog of desperately needed work on just public infrastructure projects.  In many cases, the developers of LEED certified buildings have chosen materials that require less maintenance and last longer. For example, a rain-screen siding detail reduces the need for repainting wood siding.  Xeriscape landscaping requires less maintenance than landscaping that does not feature native plants.  

To Learn more, please visit  www.melaver.com or www.usgbc.org.

§         Can your workplace improve productivity?

Salaries and benefits cost, on average, $318/sq.ft. per year in a typical office building. Compare that with technology, which costs in the neighborhood of $50/sq.ft., lease expense which typically costs about $16/sq.ft., energy at $2.35/sq.ft., and about $1/sq.ft. for employee churn. Clearly, using technology to  improve the health and productivity of a workforce can have a dramatic bottom-line impact. Healthier environments that increase the level of daylighting and outdoor views and reduce the level of volatile organic compounds in flooring, cabinetry, and paints help increase productivity and reduce absenteeism and turnover.  In one study, an increase of daylight from 1 to 20 footcandles improved the cognitive abilities of workers as much as 13%. Outdoor views (also a goal in many LEED buildings) improved performance by as much as 25%. Similar positive correlations were found between productivity and increased fresh air supply.  Absenteeism in healthy, LEED buildings has been noted to decline by as much as 15% while productivity has been documented as increasing as much as 18%.