Your Everyday Buying Choices Can Support the Economy and the Environment

If you like to spend your money where you can get what you want and feel like you’re doing some good in the world, the trend in sustainable building practices for retail and commercial sites probably brings a smile to your face. The last 10 years have seen a rise both in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified projects and in engineering and architectural design choices that, while not officially rated by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), which is the entity responsible for LEED Certification standards, still have the ultimate goal of improving conservation and energy efficiency.

Hotels, for instance, which take up gigantic footprints, use massive amounts of energy, and generate literally tons of waste do a lot of good for themselves and the rest of us when they adopt sustainable practices. And that is a trend that is starting to gain momentum. In 2008 The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., became the first LEED Platinum–certified hotel in the U.S. And the USGBC reported in 2015 that the number of LEED-certified hotels was on the rise.

Grocery stores are also notorious for the footprint required. But those requirements can be mitigated with the strategic use of retaining walls and controls for both customer and commercial truck traffic. And while refrigeration, cooking, and lighting needs can turn groceries into energy hogs, a combination of energy-efficient lighting and “daylighting,” plus highly efficient HVAC systems and cooling units can make a huge difference.

You probably won’t notice the “greenness” of the design, but you might notice the quality of the design. Frick’s Market, winner of the Progressive Grocer Magazine 2014 – New Store Design Award, worked with the engineering consultants at Cochran to not only take advantage of sustainable materials and energy efficient heating, cooling, and lighting options, they’re also using reclaimed heat to warm their warehouse and plan to install a waste oil (cooking oil) furnace to reduce both their energy usage and waste output.

While high-tech trends such as remote or AI-controlled energy settings, driverless trucks, and solar panel rooftops may not be coming to your local retail or hospitality building sites anytime soon, there are some very basic steps that you can ask your local businesses to take.

Smart Use of the Sun

We usually think of solar energy as using the power of the sun to replace traditional energy sources. But when you consider that electric lighting accounts for 35 – 50 percent of total electrical energy consumption in most commercial buildings it makes sense that just using the light of the sun more effectively, a design technique known as “daylighting,” can make a significant impact on energy usage. Of course, solar panels are becoming more cost-effective as well, so make sure your city supports their use, especially in commercial districts.

Don’t Pour Money Down the Drain

Retail and hospitality spaces use a lot of water. From laundry and cleaning, to public toilets or, in the case of hotels, showers, baths, and pools. Add to that the water used for landscaping or water features and that’s a lot of precious drops going down the drain every day. Commercial spaces can make the most of their consumption by installing rainwater or graywater recovery systems, planting native vegetation or vegetation that thrives on the natural rainfall available to the area, adding motion-activated faucets that turn off when not in use, and using water-conserving fixtures where possible.

Follow the Footprint

Give your vote to businesses that make smart use of the land they occupy. Pay attention not only to the layout of their storefront and parking, but also to the materials used in building and landscaping. Remember that locally-sourced building and design elements not only look more natural, they also didn’t require as much energy to move from the site of origin to the building site.

Re-member the Importance of Re-use and Re-cycle

Whether it’s using reclaimed heat or recycled cooking oil in the furnace, including recycled materials or reclaimed wood in the building design, or offering an incentive for customers to bring their own shopping bags, businesses that take advantage of every opportunity to get the most out of the resources at hand are the businesses of the future.

The USGBC gives a strong business case for green construction, but let’s work together to make the incentives more local and more personal. Ask your local businesses which of these energy-saving strategies they’re using, or are willing to incorporate. Give the locations that are making an effort as much of your business as you can, and let others know why you patronize those retailers. And ask yourself how you can apply these principles to your own home or office. Not only will the planet thank you, your pocketbook will thank you as well.

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This post is republished on Medium.

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