The True Cost of Sustainability

Designing what is commonly known as green or sustainable facilities used to be considered outside the realm of reason. A building was a building, and adding in new technologies that weren't absolutely necessary was not worth the high price. But as technology has improved, so have prices. It is no longer considered too expensive to build a sustainable facility; in many cases, it is considered too expensive not to build one.

The Savings by Design program offers cash incentives to the owners and the design team based on how well the building performs from an energy conservation standpoint when compared with minimums set by the already stringent California Title 24 Energy Standards. The incentives to build a sustainable facility are aimed not just at the design team, but at the facility owner as well. From a financial return perspective, it becomes very clear that building in this manner presents a win-win for all parties.

In some cases, the financial reward from municipalities can be significant. These incentives can be as high as $50,000 for the design team and $150,000 for the project owners.

Of course, because it is more than a standard improvement, there is an unavoidable added initial cost to building a sustainable facility, but as the types of improvements being made become more commonplace, we're seeing a drop in prices—an average of less than 15% in terms of a pricing difference. This difference is affected by many factors including project location, level of sustainability desired, building construction type and the building's intended use.

Sustainability is the responsibility of all the parties involved in a construction project. Each consultant or trade needs an understanding of the potential of the materials with which they work.

Carpet is a great example. Almost all the carpet manufacturers now offer carpet that has some percentage of post-consumer recycled material, as well as programs to take back their product after its life in the project has ended. This used material is either recycled by the manufacturer or sent to other product makers for their use. Designers and developers can receive credit for using both post-consumer recycled content products and ones that can be recycled in the future.

Owners can also look at other materials that lead to a sustainable facility without the extra expense. These include wall coverings and insulation, where materials without formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOC) are readily available. Low- or no-VOC paint, formaldehyde-free insulation and non-toxic glues are also readily available.

Not Just About Money

Sustainable design and construction is not just a way to save money or win awards. It's about the health of the people who inhabit the finished product. Using paint, sealant and carpeting that contains significantly lower or no solvents provides a building that is already healthier than most when the occupants move in because of improved air quality.

The other big area of opportunity as it applies to user's health is the use of natural lighting. Work done by Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker for Biosite Inc.'s San Diego campus included light shelves on the building's exterior office windows that allow incoming light to be reflected further into the building. A total of 800,000 sf of sustainable design is being brought to life for Biosite, which encompasses four buildings totaling 335,000 sf. Phase one of the project is already completed.

More often than not, the links between productivity and a healthier building aren't even factored into the return on investment, but the argument is strong: people working in buildings designed with sustainability in mind are less likely to call in sick and are therefore more productive.

The Role of Designers and Developers

In general, the architectural community is good about showing all the choices available to owners or developers. Part of our responsibility lies in offering our knowledge about the new design opportunities to our clients, regardless of whether or not they choose to take advantage of them. We may not be the ultimate decision makers on projects, but we should act as the facilitators of the sustainability building process.

Everyone is always waiting for someone to make the first move. If we can persuade an owner to make that first step, then it is paramount we help both the owner and the project move forward and keep the sustainable construction momentum going.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not Real Estate Media or any of its publications.