NATIONAL NEWS - Global demand for energy has been growing at a rate far above our current production capacity. This differential has resulted in a diminished supply of spare resources and a spike in prices. The problem is not necessarily caused by a lack of resources, but a lack of cost-effective resources. We are nearing depletion of easily accessible oil, and, as a result, will be forced to turn to other, more expensive options. Some of these options include deep-sea drilling, production in areas of political unrest, extraction from tar sands and heavy oil, which is a type of crude oil that is challenging to produce.
These options are far more costly to pursue and therefore contribute to energy price increases. Another option is to turn to other types of fossil fuels: coal and natural gas. However, these alternatives have met with strong public opposition. Coal mining can have detrimental effects on the environment, specifically through methods such as mountain-top removal. Natural gas requires receiving terminals in our ports, which pose the risk of liquefied natural gas fireballs. However, even if we manage to shift our dependency to other fossil fuels, we will start to run out by the end of the century. As energy consumption continues to rise, it is imperative that we find a way to live without a reliance on fossil fuels to protect the planet's climate and preserve the fuels for future generations.
There are many reasons to build and operate your facilities in an energy-efficient manner, and as the costs of building green decreases, these are appearing more commonly in news reports and the public dialogue. Often the number one motivation, reduced energy costs are a major benefit. Measuring, monitoring, and automating your building systems ensure equipment is only in use when it is needed and that all operations are at peak efficiency.
But improving the working environment for your staff members can have a significant impact on their productivity. Green buildings offer better daylighting, outdoor views, and indoor air quality. A healthy work environment can help to attract new employees as well as contribute to reduced employee turnover. Due to the healthier environment provided by green buildings, you can anticipate less illness and therefore reduced absenteeism.
Along these same lines, green buildings can be more comfortable as well as conducive to higher productivity. They can reduce drafts, minimize floor-to-ceiling temperature stratification, and control noise. Furthermore, many green buildings enable tighter control of individual spaces/offices, thus meeting the diverse needs of occupants. Individuals often benefit psychologically from knowing they have control over their workspace environment. And recent studies have found that green building features such as daylighting, noise control and outdoor views increase learning rates.
By reducing a building's operating costs, the net operating income of that building is also increased. According to the New Buildings Institute, increasing a building's net operating income increases the building's appraised value by ten times the annual cost savings. Property value may not be the highest priority for public entities' facilities, but they should bear in mind the impact that their property values have on the surrounding community.
Source: Greener Buildings