Many advantages to green building

The green building movement has been in the mainstream media for a while now -- long enough for the trendiness of buzz words like sustainable and green to have worn away. What we're left with is a true collective consciousness of the delicate state of the natural world and the realization that our actions must change if we are to continue to prosper as a society.

Building green is no longer trendy. Green buildings are more and more common, increasingly mandated by the government, and even becoming expected by workers. To date, individuals and companies who have created green buildings have done so as a matter of personal interest, whether it is from a true desire to reduce negative environmental and health impacts, from a desire to maintain lower operating costs, or from a desire to consume less oil as a matter of national security. Our firm is one of these companies. The U.S. Green Building Council officially named our new offices in downtown Winston-Salem the first LEED -- Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design -- certified project in Forsyth County.

Some naysayers believe that going green adds significant upfront cost to building projects. This is certainly a possibility for some structures -- every project and every owner are different. However, we've recently proved that building green does not have to cost more upfront. Our newly constructed 24,000 square feet of sustainable office space came in $200,000 under budget for a total of $3.2 million. These cost savings were made possible by combining age-old, smart-design strategies, using new technologies in the design process, following the LEED rating system, and working with a seasoned design team. Long-term operational cost savings and health benefits for workers, combined with the potential for upfront cost savings, makes not considering LEED certification on most new projects questionable.

Building green is soon to be a requirement rather than a choice. In October 2008, state Senate bills 668 and 1946 became law, requiring that all new state buildings, including community colleges and universities, be 30 percent more energy efficient and that they use 20 percent less water than the current N.C. plumbing code requires. Many states are way ahead of North Carolina in mandating energy and water conservation. California is rumored to be working on legislation to mandate that all public and private buildings meet a minimum level of LEED Certification.

Beyond the language of rules and laws are the true market forces that have brought green building to this moment in time. More and more employees are demanding healthier, more environmentally conscious work environments. "Sick Building Syndrome" was the buzz phrase of the 1980s and '90s and many building problems were brought to the public's attention. People became increasingly aware of harmful chemicals from foods and medicines, from breathing polluted air and from contact with everyday objects.

The negative impact of mountaintop-removal coal mining, holes in the ozone layer, global warming and a myriad of "Earth's health problems" are increasingly becoming a part of our national and global vocabulary. Young people entering the work force have been steeped in environmental awareness and not only expect better building practices and healthy office environments, but are making them happen by voting with their feet. According to Monster.com, a popular job-posting Web site, 90 percent of young professionals prefer to work for environmentally and socially conscious employers. The Kenexa Research Institute has found that individuals are more likely to stay at their jobs longer when employers promote environmental and social programs.

In addition to a collective environmental and social consciousness, younger workers are also more likely to select a city to live in based on its amenities first and their career aspirations second. If we want to be a community with the ability to keep and attract young talent, and to draw new industries, we need attractive, healthy, sustainably designed work environments.

What a difference it could make if a Google search of Winston-Salem generated a story with the headline: "Beautiful City of the Arts in Piedmont North Carolina leading the state in environmental planning … 10 new LEED certified buildings." We can go green for our own good as individuals and companies, and we can grow greener to attract the next generation of businesses and workers.

■ Heather Gardner is the sustainable design director for Walter Robbs Callahan & Pierce Architects. Larry Robbs is the president.


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