When I talk about sustainability or green construction, I often get the questions:
“What’s in it for me?”, “Why would I do that?” or “Who cares?”.
Well, the best response that I can give is that green construction saves MONEY! So, what’s in t for you, is MONEY in your pocket. Why would you do it? Because it increases your retained earnings. Who cares, I think you and anyone associated with you should care.
We all know that money is a limited resource, just as fresh water, oil, lumber are limited. When you decide to design a project to ensure that the operations will reduce energy consumption, therefore reducing your energy bills. This enables you to retain earnings for profit or other operational functions. When you design a project to use less fresh water, it reduces the need for supply and treatment of that water, which reduces your cost. Therefore enabling you to retain earnings for increased profits or other operational functions.
When a project is designed to improve air quality, it reduces the amount of time-off taken by employees as a result of respiratory related sicknesses. Time-off reduces productivity and in return reduces earnings. Earnings that could be used for other things.
Decisions about green construction are decision about green dollars. As I say “Green is Green”.
Or as Benjamin Franklin said, a penny saved is a penny earned.
