Green Building Practices on the Rise

Landscape contractors with commercial or interiorscape accounts could have a growing sales opportunity on the horizon. According to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), the majority of respondents to a recent online survey reported implementing green concepts within their organization’s facilities.

Findings from IFMA’s 2005 Sustainability Study showed that 70 percent of companies are implementing “green building” concepts. The aim of green (sustainable) building is to minimize the disturbance to and improve the function of ecosystems during a building’s construction and service life.

Using natural daylight, purchasing recycled office products, water conservation, participating in incentive programs offered by local utilities or state/provincial agencies, and adding environmental criteria to the vendor and product selection process topped the list of the most common green building practices.

Landscape contractors may be able to help commercial office buildings meet these green building objectives through water-saving irrigation and energy-saving landscape designs. In addition to recognizing that turf and shade trees can lower summer air conditioning bills, and that interior landscapes can bring with them better work environments, many buildings also are turning to “green roofs” whereby rooftop landscapes further lower a building’s energy costs.

According to an IFMA news release, when asked about the motivation behind implementing green policies, facility managers reported concern for improved employee health and productivity, cost savings, environmental responsibility, reduced liability and life cycle cost strategy. Slightly of less importance were public opinion and corporate or government mandates.

Compared to the 2002 survey results, there has been a 3 percent increase in those who have reported adhering to a master plan to implement all feasible green concepts. In this year's study, the majority of facility managers, 59 percent, reported implementing selected green building concepts, unguided by a master plan; 11 percent are following a master plan to implement all feasible green concepts; 17 percent haven't implemented any green strategies, but will do so within the next two years; and 13 percent haven't implemented any green strategies, and do not plan to do so.

"The rewards of green building, like improved employee health, cost savings and environmental responsibility, have really started to emerge, so we were not surprised that more facility managers are adopting green building policies now," said Shari Epstein, associate director of research for IFMA.

The data for this study was based on 341 respondents to a Web-based questionnaire sent to 3,510 U.S. and Canadian professional members of IFMA on May 12, 2005. Full results of the study can be viewed at IFMA's web site www.ifma.org.