Mar 11
A green first
Posted by AG under: Economic development; Green .
Greensboro just chalked up a “first” in the green building revolution.
Green buildings — structures designed to have reduced environmental impact and conserve energy — make sense to lots of people.
Developers and businesses are finding that green buildings also make sense economically.
According to data from Liberty Property Trust, green buildings can reduce operating costs from 23 percent to 60 percent. Improved air quality and more natural light helps improve employee performance by up to 25 percent.
Liberty Property Trust is a national leader in creating green buildings. The company currently has about 3 million square feet of space that meets LEED standards. LEED, a designation of the U.S. Green Building Council, stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
A new Liberty project awaiting LEED certification is the Bull Ridge Distribution Center near Piedmont Triad International Airport. It includes two 341,000-square-foot shell buildings, which are ready and waiting for tenants. In real estate lingo, these are spec, or speculative, buildings.
These high-ceilinged structures with plenty of loading docks are designed to move goods in and out quickly and efficiently, taking advantage of our highway system and airport.
And they are the first industrial spec warehouse buildings in the nation to meet LEED requirements.
Greensboro just got a little greener.
One Comment so far...
gdobrogosz Says:
17 March 2008 at 2:05 pm.
The key to the so called ‘green revolution’ will be to promote the ’smart science’ behind it and the long-term cost savings. Mainstreaming the new technologies and focusing on the consumerism is where the real impact will be generated. Projects here and there are great and set the new standard but in-your-face consumerism for cars, housing, energy-efficient designs will ultimately be required to turn the ‘revolution’ into a viable market. We are trying to start this at the Natural Science Center with our all-new green and sustainable maned wolf exhibit, housing and breeding center. All of the consumer-based applications will be highlighted through graphics. tours and educational programs. These range from buy-all-sell-all solar power and radiant floor heating to Rostra-Block, green concrete, solar-driven irrigation and gray water re-use. Perhaps green-minded companies and builders could create a Greensboro-Green Trail to promote the smart applications being used in our region.
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