9 ways to greener buildings

Is the office building you're working in earth friendly?

It should be, if you want office productivity to increase substantially. "Green" building technologies have been long implemented in many developed countries not just because they're kind to Mother Nature, but also because these allow better use of resources, increase energy efficiency, and lessen the impact on individual health.

And now, amid the threat of global warming and the looming power rate hikes, the need for "green" buildings becomes more apparent.

Berna Santiago, head of Colliers Philippines' Sustainable Initiative Task Force, said that in recent years, communities in North America, Europe and Australia have implemented "Green Building" practices. Colliers International, a firm of real estate professionals, promotes green building practices.

Santiago's group has been dispelling "green building" myths, while showing how actual effective practices could be successfully implemented in the Philippines.

Colliers revealed that in the United States, an estimated $180 billion worth of worker productivity is added to the national income because of "green buildings," and $58 billion worth of sick time from work is saved. In addition, 40 percent of water use, 30 percent of greenhouse gases, and 50 to 75 percent of construction and demolition waste is saved when green buildings are fully implemented.

Santiago shared a number of suggestions from Colliers International Australia's Moving Times. These are general information of some commonly used "Green" initiatives:

1. Lights off. One of the easiest to do is to turn the lights off when not in use. Colliers suggests building managers to install "occupancy sensors" for different zones of the office or building. Sensors do away with manual switch offs. Lights typically consume over half the energy of an office, and installation costs can be paid off in just a few years.

2. Energy-efficient computers/equipment. Colliers suggests office personnel to use flat screens and laptops, which use much less energy than the old box monitors. Office purchasers also have to be mindful of the "energy star" ratings on equipment-which means they have to aim high.

3. Recycle. Either have separate bins for each recycling stream, or some waste/recycling companies can set up dry "recyclables" boxes for each desk that accommodates all streams and the wet waste goes into bins at central points.

4. Electronic docu instead of paper. Colliers says that these days it is easy to procure recycled content or plantation pulp paper. Set your printers and copiers to default double sided and encourage electronic documents.

5. Waterless urinals. Some buildings in the Philippines are already using waterless urinals, such as SM Mall of Asia. Colliers said many buildings now use urinals kept clean with small sanitizing cubes. Each waterless urinal is estimated to save 150,000 liters of water every year.

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