Page 240 - The Green Building Bottom Line The Real Cost of Sustainable Building

218 CHAPTER 7

TABLE 7.2 MELAVER, INC.’S SOCIAL METRICS FOR VETTING POTENTIAL
DEVELOPMENTS

QUALITY QUESTION
Alignment Are our partners, local decision makers, etc.
aligned with our values?
Extending the circle To what extent does the project engage a broader
stakeholder base?
Ripple effect Does the project facilitate catalytic development
that would revitalize an area?
Addressing real community To what extent is this a “pull” (as opposed to a
needs “push”) project?
Social justice To what extent does the project attend to social
inequities in a community?
Diversity Does the project lend itself to a mix of uses and
users?
Educational outreach To what extent does the project serve as a teach-
ing tool about sustainable practices?
Aesthetics To what extent might the project facilitate the cre-
ation of lasting beauty?
Context To what extent does the project enhance the
unique historical and social aspects of a place?

color live near facilities emitting toxic air pollutants at a rate that is 575 percent of that
in areas where whites live. In Hillsborough County, Florida, the rate is 152 percent.
Here’s another example: The rate for low-income families living nearing toxic facili-
ties is 159 percent; for those below the poverty line, it is 169 percent. For children in
8
poverty, it’s 188 percent. Environmental irresponsibility exacerbates social inequal-
ity. This is true from Birmingham to Boston.

SOCIAL MODELING IN ACTION
A triple bottom line development company by and large understands the connection
among social, environmental, and financial issues. Civic leaders also get this connec-
tion and are proving more inclined than ever to link incentive packages for develop-
ers to projects that address social and environmental justice issues.
But the triple bottom line developer can’t just be spouting rhetoric. Careful thought
must be given to the various communities or constituencies a development company
serves. Three fundamental communities come to mind: the citizens of the surrounding
area; those who physically occupy or visit a building; and those who are in one’s em-
ploy, either directly or through supplier or agency relationships.