Lately, more people have been doing their part of going green by constructing “green buildings”. The beautiful part of these green buildings is that they do more than save energy. In addition to saving energy, green buildings are also known to increase one’s productivity in the workplace and one’s reputation. Meaning, having a green building saves you money, while being more productive AND doing your part for the environment.
Recently, buildings such as King and King Architects in downtown Syracuse or Welch Allyn Global Headquarters in Skaneatlas Falls represent the trend in new green buildings to save energy. These buildings have encountered the aforementioned benefits, and according to Rick Fedrizzi, U.S. Green Building Council, “buildings that minimize the use of resources and reduce waste by using more daylight and improving air quality translate into higher productivity.”
Which leads us to this question, is it just businesses that can build and benefit from building green? Answer is, no. You, yourself can plan to restructure and remodel your home in order to save energy and increase productivity. One simple way you can do this is by installing solar panels. Solar panels will save you money AND help save the environment.
For more on possible housing improvements, see our A Possible Future of Green article.