Page 133 - Green Building Through Integrated Design

110 THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GREEN BUILDINGS

certification also provides effective protection against charges of “greenwashing,” or
making claims of environmental benefits that are exaggerated or can’t be substantiated.
Because positive public relation has direct monetary benefits for private developers,
in terms of gaining government approvals or mitigating citizen opposition to projects,
it is a critical benefit of green buildings for them. In addition, many institutional own-
ers (hospitals, universities, K-12 schools, and similar facilities) are vitally dependent
on public relations for fund-raising, legislative budget authorization, bond elections,
and other purposes; it is in their interest to put forward a green building agenda as a
sign of an organizational commitment to sustainability.

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS AND OCCUPANT SATISFACTION
Those who work in buildings as tenants and corporate, public and institutional
employees want to see a demonstrated concern for their well-being and for that of the
planet. Intelligent owners are beginning to realize how to market these benefits to a
discerning and skeptical client and stakeholder base, using the advantages of green
building certifications and other forms of documentation, including support from local
utility and industry programs. This is more than just “greenwashing,” it is a positive
response to a growing public concern for the long-term health of the environment. A
good indication of how corporations have embraced this concept is the explosion in
green building projects and associated public relations since 2006; for example, if you
sign up to receive Google Alerts and put in “green buildings” as a keyword, you will
be inundated with 6 to 12 news stories almost every day from the news media, as well
as numerous blog entries.

PLATINUM PROJECT PROFILE
Bernheim Arboretum Visitors Center, Clermont, Kentucky
“Imagine a building like a tree” was the design concept for the Bernheim
Arboretum Visitors Center, completed in 2005. This 6000-square-feet facility con-
tains recycled wood (from pickle vats and bourbon whiskey rack houses) that may
be the building’s most apparent sustainable feature. Simulating the natural
processes of the tree, the facility has a peat-moss sewage filtration system and an
8000-gallon underground cistern. Wrap-around trellises and pergolas provide
shade and, like a tree, natural habitat for local flora and fauna. The design employs
a green roof and both active and passive solar systems.*

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Being a good neighbor is appropriate not just for building users, but for the larger
community. Developers, large corporations, universities, schools, local governments,

*Zach Mortice, “Arboretum Visitor Center Stands Tall—Against the Yardstick of a Tree”, AIArchitect, Volume
15, February 15, 2008 [online], http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek08/0215/0215d_bernheim.cfm, accessed
April 2008.