Green building consulting firm, Paladino Company has reiterated four top reasons why home owners and architects should choose green buildings. Ever since the commercial real estate market has been picking up, architects and home owners are interested in commercial office spaces again.
Particular areas such as Silicon Valley, Seattle and other technological and industrial hubs are showing a spurt in business. According to Paladino, the top four reasons include increased financial performance, improved brand differentiation and reputation, employee attraction and retention and lower operational expenses.
In a study conducted by Notre Dame it was found that deposits, which are a measure for financial institutions that are based on retail deposits, were higher in LEED bank branches. The deposits amounted to $431,000 per employee. This could be attributed to the fact that employees in LEED institutions were happier and enjoyed the space. The Green Brands study was conducted in June 2011 where it was established that 60% of consumers across the world wanted to purchase from companies that were environmentally responsible. According to Paladino a green building is the ideal platform through which an institution can focus on contributing to the society through social responsibility. A study conducted by Charlton College of Business an employer who worked for a company known for its social responsibility had higher job satisfaction and happiness. According to Paladino, a major portion of a building’s cost is spent on operational expenses. Paladino has concluded that the cost for setting up a green building need not exceed the total building cost. Initial investment done on a green building can be recovered within a short period of time if proper life cycle cost analysis is done.
Source: http://www.paladinoandco.com