Click on a question to get the answer.
This is not necessarily true. Comparing different types of building, i.e. one with solar panels vs. a traditional building will show an initial upfront cost but the operating costs will be much more economical. This return on investment should cover and offset the initial upfront costs compared with a traditional building.
Purchase office supplies from local companies. Purchase/lease low emission vehicles and provide a written policy on all future vehicles. Environmental concerns related to building include vehicle emissions and the need for vehicle infrastructure as building occupants travel to and from the site. There are a number of ways to mitigate these emissions. Among them are hybrid vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, carpools and mass transit. Provide incentives (if possible) for carpooling, biking or using mass transit.
Yes, unless you manually set your temperature down or up depending on your location. You may also be able to shut down your system overnight. A final option is to have a programmable thermostat. Using programmable thermostats automatically adjusts the target temperature for your system so you can minimize the amount of energy your system will use.
Turn off electronic equipment that is not in use. Energy savings is an essential part of being “green”. An easy way to start is to simply turn off electronic equipment that is not in use. For example turn off printers, computers, radios, lights, etc that aren’t in use. This should also include unplugging chargers that are not in use. While still plugged in chargers still use a small amount of energy. Using “Energy Star” office equipment or equivalent for all new equipment purchases will help reduce the amount of electricity used. Using motion sensors inside your building will reduce the amount of time that the lights are in use.
The toxic chemicals found in most common building material negatively affect indoor air quality (what you breath every day). To help prevent some of this clean or replace your HVAC filters per the manufacturers instructions. Inspect and clean air ducts and both supply and return grilles on a regular basis to minimize dust collection and mildew.