Page 243 - The Green Building Bottom Line The Real Cost of Sustainable Building

REALIZING THE VALUE OF GREEN FOR KEY USERS 221

We envision our project as serving as a catalyst for positive growth in the commu-
nity. Each piece of the Birmingham Federal Reserve & Tower project should con-
tribute to a richer community fabric: our hotel to a better employment model; our
office tower to a greater regard for healthy working environments; our food and bev-
erage service to the value of gathering as a community; the historic preservation of the
Federal Reserve to a respect for our past, and the hope for our future. These goals may
sound lofty, yet they are grounded in a basic practicality: the business that neglects its
community is not sustainable. In serving our community, we serve our shareholders,
investors, and employees. If we subject ourselves to the scrutiny of a higher standard,
others will hopefully be compelled to do the same.
What is the business good in this? Vagrancy declines, vandalism declines, security
costs decline. Our guests and our tenants enjoy an increased sense of relaxation and com-
fort. The downtown area, which has for almost three decades had a nine to five o’clock
existence, should begin to expand its hours of operation, bringing people into the core city
area during the evening for cultural events and nightlife. Street life becomes more vibrant.
Time and again, we find that those who take care of the community get taken care
of by the community, a virtuous circle that extends well beyond the footprint of any
building. This virtuous circle, in which social, environmental, and financial aspects of
a project coalesce, is captured in Figure 7.5.
The bottom line? The City of Birmingham has weighed in with substantial financial
incentives for our project. That assistance is a down payment on a new way of doing
business. It is up to us to deliver.

ORGANIC DESIGN CATALYTIC DEVELOPMENT
• Integrating a nod to the past • Office (economic)
with a vision for the future • Hotel (tourism & employment)
of the community • Food service (community)
• Retail (entertainment)
• Historic rehab (fabric)

CLOSED LOOP LOCAL SOURCING
SOCIAL PARTNERING • Workshops, Inc.
• Firehouse Shelter • Alabama Power
• Pathways Shelter • Alagasco
• Magic City Harvest Shelter • McWane, Inc.
• Families of hospital patients

Figure 7.5 The virtuous circle.