Why green buildings are worth the cost

The erection of a “green” school or other public building can easily draw cries of dismay or even outrage, because sustainable design and building cost more than traditional techniques. For the same reason, people planning a new house might shy away from requesting green features that add so much to the upfront cost.

While green buildings are initially more expensive, they cost less to operate. While solar panels or windmills might be nice to have, sustainable design and building do not depend on such features. It is possible to design windows that both let in natural light, thus diminishing the need for artificial lighting, and minimize heat transfer, thus diminishing the costs of heating and air conditioning.

Retractable awnings, carefully placed trees and landscaping, and other design choices can let sunlight into a room without the sun ever shining directly on a window. Programmable thermostats can save money on heating and air conditioning. It is even possible to install occupancy sensors in order to turn lights on automatically and adjust the temperature when someone enters a room and turn the lights off and readjust the temperature when they find that the room has been empty for a certain amount of time.

In recent decades, builders have provided sealed buildings. It is impossible to open windows for fresh air. Initially, it seemed like a good idea, but the air quality in these buildings has too often turned out to be worse than that of outside air. In fact, the effects of poor indoor air quality have been identified as the “sick building syndrome.”

Sustainable design and building pays close attention to interior air quality. The windows open to let in fresh air, but if the outside air is for any reason unhealthy, they close tightly enough to prevent either pollutants from coming in or heat or cooling from escaping. The healthy interior of a green office building can reduce absenteeism and boost productivity as workers are both physically and emotionally healthier. A green house or apartment building likewise helps its residents’ health and ability to work, entertain, run errands, etc.

Because the design of green buildings conserves so much water and energy, the savings will more than cover the initial higher costs, usually within a year. Because sustainable design and building also enhances the health of the building’s occupants, green building also saves money on health and insurance costs. As a result, when it comes time to sell the building, it will command a higher cost.

Besides my own knowledge and experience, much of the content of this post has come from “Benefits of Green Buildings.”  The same author has written in more detail in “Building Green: Which Materials and Techniques Should Be Used in Green Architecture.” The previous post in this blog examined the green design and construction of a luxury hotel.