Home > Small Business > Money Saving Actions > Build Green

Build Green

Man and woman installing energy efficient windows

Buildings produce nearly 25% of California's greenhouse gas emissions. A recent cost-benefit study showed that green design saves between $50-70 per square foot, more than ten times the additional cost of building green.

Table of Contents [hide]
    1. Plan to Build Green
      1. Select a Business Location within a Certified Green Building
      2. Design and Build New Facilities as Green Buildings
      3. Design and Build New Homes as Green Buildings
    2. Longer Term Investments to Build Green
      1. Maintain and Operate Facilities to Green Building Criteria
      2. Engage in Smart Growth and Sustainable Development
  1. Attachments

    Plan to Build Green

    Select a Business Location within a Certified Green Building

    Lease office or retail space in a certified green building to save money on energy bills. Green buildings have been shown to improve occupant comfort and health, thus increasing worker productivity and reduceing missed work days.

    Design and Build New Facilities as Green Buildings

    Complete a green building checklist to identify green building features for new construction projects.

    Design and Build New Homes as Green Buildings

    Small business home builders can design and build new homes to meet the Green Point Rated or LEED for Homes green building rating system. When green building features are included as part of the original design, there is no upfront added cost for construction. Home builders can also use the green building features as a marketing edge to sell more homes.

    Longer Term Investments to Build Green

    Maintain and Operate Facilities to Green Building Criteria

    Review the LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) checklist and operate existing buildings according to these guidelines.

    Engage in Smart Growth and Sustainable Development

    Energy and water resources can be conserved through environmentally-friendly landscaping, use of low-impact development strategies, smart transportation and more. To learn more about specific resources to green your business, visit the US EPA’s Smart Growth and Sustainable Development website.

    Resources

    • California’s Green Building Initiative
      Governor Schwarzenegger committed California to leading by example in improving the energy and environmental performance of existing and new state-owned buildings. Executive Order S-20-04, calls for reducing electricity consumption in state buildings 20 percent by 2015.
    • U.S. Green Building Council
      Non-profit organization that developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ to provide a guidance and rating system for green buildings.

    • US Environmental Protection Agency's Green Building Program
      Describes green building components, provides specific ways to green commercial buildings and provides information about funding opportunities.
    • Green Building-related Tools
      • Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability 4.0 (Developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology) offers a powerful technique for selecting cost-effective green building products. The tool is based on consensus standards and is designed to be practical, flexible, and transparent.
      • I-BEAM (US EPA's Office of Air and Radiation's Indoor Environments Division) is a computer software program that integrates indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and building economics into a unique building management tool.