Page 225 - The Green Building Bottom Line The Real Cost of Sustainable Building

REALIZING THE VALUE OF GREEN FOR KEY USERS 203

Making Dollars and Sense

for Our Tenants

When comparing the Birmingham Federal Reserve & Tower to conventional develop-
ments, it is natural to focus on key differentiators. The project doesn’t lack distinct ele-
ments to highlight, including many of significant importance: energy efficiency, water
conservation, waste management, renewable energy sources, nontoxic materials, recy-
cled/reused materials, reduced environmental impact on the building site, wise use of
space that reduces total building size, the balance of economic and environmental and
social considerations, consideration for cultural and historical factors of the site, and
proximity to transportation. The list is extensive. But when we prepare for a presenta-
tion of a green project to a potential end-user, we seem to stand ready to confront any
and all resistance to green with a plethora of facts and statistics supporting our case. I
wonder sometimes if we are mis-reading our audience.
A significant number of technological innovations like those in the Birmingham
Federal Reserve & Tower give exciting previews of what buildings will look like and
how they will perform in the not too distant future. It’s easy to become lost in the tech-
nical elements and be wowed by the coolness of it all. It is also fairly easy—and typi-
cal—for those familiar with the LEED program to rattle off basic attributes of the
program: self-selective point system, five major categories, third-party verification of
performance, how many LEED buildings have been built to date, etc. But in framing a
green project in this way, we ignore the cardinal rule of business: focus on the client.
Too often, developers of green projects—and we are as guilty of this as any—ignore
the characteristic that sets a LEED building apart from all others. Plainly stated, a green
or LEED building is a structure designed foremost from the tenant’s and community’s
point of view, not the developer’s. So basic and simple and obvious. And yet it is so
easy to lose the forest for all the cutting-edge trees, to forget about the basic purposes of
a structure: to provide for basic human needs for shelter and protection and comfort.
A green building provides the occupants with greater comfort and control over the
temperature of individual workspaces. Design that maximizes light yet reduces heat
gain also minimizes eyestrain by reducing glare on computer screens. The improved
air quality means reduced airborne allergens and irritation from fumes. From the com-
munity standpoint, a green building fits into context, respecting its surroundings and those
who live and work in the area. It consumes less land and water, common resources to
all. It encourages vibrant activity in the surrounding environs. A sustainable building is
a place where its occupants are proud to come to work, are more productive through-
out the day, and leave with more to give their families when they return home.
There’s one other element: money. A green structure improves upon the occu-
pant’s work experience, enhances a tenant’s reputation, and delivers better financial
performance. Viewed this way, rent might more appropriately be viewed as an invest-
ment rather than an expense for a tenant, one that demonstrates a specific rate of return
to the tenant. That’s a fairly radical, paradigm-shifting notion, one that merits atten-
tion in any discussion of a green bottom line.