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'Going Green' is about the environment, worker health, company profitsBy Mark Crawford
Building an environmentally friendly workplace results in two winners: • Workers, who are healthier and happier; • The company, which sees increased profits because fewer sick days are taken and workers are more productive. A greener, more energy efficient workspace also means money saved on reduced electricity and water consumption. "Productivity is the biggest payoff, but because there isn't a lot of hard data to document this, people often discount these claims as anecdotal," said Joe Ring of Park Towne Corporation at 402 Gammon Place, Madison. "Some businesses have reported increased productivity, fewer work days missed, and less turnover after moving into a green building. The most expensive cost for any company is salaries. If productivity is increased by just one percent, that's a big savings for many companies." Improve air quality Creating a profitable "green" workplace begins with air quality. It's not difficult to remodel office space to create a safer, more energy-efficient indoor environment, with better air quality and reduced utility costs. The first step is getting rid of the toxic materials that are already in the workplace. One of the biggest risks to indoor air quality is the accumulation of volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs are carbon-bearing chemicals that evaporate easily at room temperature and are often irritating or harmful to humans (some are actually known carcinogens). Common VOCs are benzene, toluene, methylene, chloride, 1,3-butadiene, and formaldehyde. Interior products that often emit VOCs are paints and varnishes, cleaning solvents, sealing caulks, pressed wood (plywood), upholstery fabrics, carpets, and adhesives. "Even though the majority of the outgassing of VOCs takes place (immediately) after the product is installed, it usually continues at a reduced rate over the life of the material," said Doug Hursh, an architect with Potter Lawson Inc. Formaldehyde is common in pressed-wood products and in insulation. Plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) are often part of cabinetry and furniture. "Formaldehyde is also one of the most reactive VOCs for individuals with sensitivities and allergies," said Hursh. Vinyl is also a top offender. "Vinyl is also a petroleum-derived product," said Hursh. "Anything that uses fossil fuels these days as one of its primary ingredients is under the microscope because of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming." New products developed Over the last 10 years a large number of alternative, environmentally friendly building materials, flooring products, finishes, adhesives, carpets, and fabrics have come onto the market that are just as effective as their traditional counterparts, and often cost the same. For example, a variety of no-VOC, or low-VOC alternatives, are available for paints, wood finishes, and adhesives. "Some low-VOC paints are slightly more expensive, but as more people demand these products, the cost will continue to go down," said Hursh. "I have purchased zero-VOC paint and low-VOC paint from Menard's for home projects that were less expensive than some premium-brand name regular paints." "For an office build-out or remodel, there are only so many areas you can work with," said Ring, who supervised the extensive green remodel of Parke Town Corporation's offices. "We used non-VOC paint, installed high-recycled-content ceiling tiles, and installed two switches in every office so the occupants can turn off one light if they didn't need it, saving electricity. We also added motion detectors to turn off the lights when the office is empty, and reused partitions with environmentally friendly fabric coverings." Many new carpeting products do not contain VOCs or formaldehyde; more are also starting to include recycled content. Recycled carpets are just as durable, and come in as many colors, patterns, textures, and styles as regular carpets do. "Rubber wall base is another good example of a product that can easily replace vinyl wall base, and is made from recycled content," said Hursh. "However, rubber wall base is about twenty percent more expensive than vinyl." Linoleum flooring, made from sawdust and linseed oil, is a good alternative to vinyl. "We have also used wheat board in lieu of particle board for plastic laminate substrates," said Chris Quandt, a project manager for Bachmann Construction in Madison. "There is no difference in workability and the price is about the same. The big difference is that wheat is a highly renewable resource, compared to lumber." Depending on the scope of the project, the extra cost of using environmentally friendly products, compared to their toxic equivalents, ranges from 0-15 percent. Low-VOC or no-VOC paints and varnishes are about the same price as regular paints and varnishes. Recycled carpet also costs about as much as regular carpet. Installing higher-efficiency lighting might cost an extra 10-15 percent. "Cork and bamboo flooring is popular enough that it will probably not cost much more than standard flooring, but a new recycled countertop will cost 10-30 percent or more above the typical vinyl," said Ring. Leadership in Energy The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program (LEED), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, is the nationally accepted benchmark for the construction of energy efficient, high-performance commercial buildings. Key components in a green building are more energy efficient HVAC systems, reduced water usage, and natural daylight and views. The council has recently launched a new category for existing buildings called LEED-EB. "LEED-EB provides standards for ongoing, environmentally friendly operations and maintenance in existing buildings," said Ken Pientka, COO of PLANNING Design Build. Additional requirements include the use of green, "alternative" building materials, recycling, green cleaning, and outdoor air delivery. PLANNING Design Build's office building on Madison's West Side will be the first multitenant office building in the Midwest to receive LEED-EB certification. The company spent more than $1 million on an extensive interior remodel to meet other EB requirements, including using 50 percent or more alternative building materials. By retrofitting restrooms with waterless urinals, low-flow faucets, and dual-flush toilets, PLANNING Design Build is conserving about 170,000 gallons of water every year. Installing a computer-controlled irrigation system for outdoor watering will help save an additional 450,000 gallons annually. "The feel of our space creates an energy and enthusiasm that is rare in today's workplace," said Angie Addison, human resources director for PLANNING Design Build. "Our high-quality environment results in a healthy and productive workplace, lowers absenteeism, and helps us with recruiting and employee retention. Working together with our tenants has also created a better sense of community within our building, where a common bond everyone shares is a commitment to sustainability." Mark Crawford is a freelance writer. A guide for creating green interior spaces • Use recycled materials or materials with recycled content • Use materials with low or no toxicity and low-emitting materials • Choose low maintenance and durable materials • Reuse as much existing material as possible • Recycle as much material as possible • Reuse furniture, or buy used or salvaged furniture • Use locally manufactured products to reduce transportation energy • Use products constructed from rapidly renewable resources such as bamboo, sunflower seed board, wheatgrass, cork, and wool • Use wood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council • Create an environmentally friendly cleaning plan • Encourage recycling — Doug Hursh, Potter Lawson Use green products for cleaning work spaces Another important part of a green workplace ethic is "green clean" - the selection of a janitorial service that only uses cleaning supplies that are healthy for both the janitorial workers and office employees. Kleenmark, a Madison-based company, only uses cleaning products and equipment that are safe for the environment. "All our products, including our general purpose cleansers, degreasers, carpet cleaners and hard floor finishers and strippers - are certified by Green Seal, a nonprofit organization that provides rigorous environmental certification standards," said President Scott Stevenson. But that's not where it ends. For a total holistic approach, Stevenson's crews use "green" equipment as well, such as microfiber cleaning cloths and flat mops, which capture 50 times more soil than conventional cloths and mops. They also use self-contained bag vacuums with high filtration and noise reduction. Stevenson indicates the cost of green janitorial services is about the same as conventional services. For more information, visit www.kleenmark.com. giltedge@chorus.net madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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