Much of our progress today has been bought at the price of the environment. The results of the industrial revolution which ushered prosperity for many countries of the world are the greenhouse effect, air pollution, deforestation, and many other ecologically unsound by-products of our drive towards economic security. Fortunately, the world is waking up and more and more companies greening their commercial spaces. Even commercial space for rent becomes more appealing when enhanced by such features.
What is not to like about green commercial space for rent? Especially since three of the biggest advantages are decreased energy usage, money saved through recycling, and an environmentally healthy environment. The greening process, however, requires effort and considerable investment to start it off. It is not an easy process particularly if the real estate in question needs extensive renovation in order to install these features.
Tips To Make The Transition Easier
Only bite what you can chew. There are so many desirable improvements that can be made. Because they have great potential for cutting costs, and increasing the profit margin, many are tempted to implement too many of these modifications that they can handle. Renovating commercial space currently being used hampers work efficiency by a lot. To minimize this, phased modification would be advisable. Green your office, your store, or factory slowly according to a plan that takes into consideration your continued operation at as close to its usual efficiency as possible.
Allow your personnel enough time to get used to each green improvement or policy before enacting a new one. Most of these changes need their cooperation in order to be successful. Any company subjected to a series of changes without allowing for acclimatization will gradually become chaotic and inefficient. Change is a stressor, even positive change like this.
Someone should oversee the whole process. The main focus of the company is the business it is involved in. Greening the office, or store, is a just a way to increase profit and help the environment at the same time. Having a person or team responsible for monitoring and implementing the process frees the rest to focus on the “main thing” of the business. This way the bulk of personnel will only have to worry about their part. They can rest easy because those responsible will take care of the big picture.
One other way to make the change easier to transition is to utilize commercial space for rent that already incorporates green improvements similar to those being constructed. Of course, this is only done if you have to move out temporarily because of the magnitude of the renovation that has to be done. This way, when you return to your office, adjustment to the changes made would be small and would only take a short amount of time.
Some Great Greening Ideas
Ideally, though, the commercial space for rent or for sale that you plan to acquire should already have the environmentally friendly features that you and your company desires. Below are some examples of what is already appearing in the commercial real property market.
Light is very important in a store or office. It can be obtained without resorting to spending too much on electrical lighting. Two excellent ways are to utilize LED, or light emitting diode, lighting or choose space that maximizes natural light. The former uses significantly less energy than both the conventional incandescent bulb and the more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamp. On the other hand, the latter does not use up any energy at all. It makes use of wide glass panels and paint that reflect light to make the place brighter.
Coffee is another aspect which can go green, the coffee vending machine in particular. Purchase a machine that will allow the use your own mug. This will save you the headache of thinking about how to recycle used up cups. Or, if you already have a vending machine, talk to your supplier about using recyclable cups in lieu of plastic ones. These machines also have lamps that stay on almost round the clock. If these lamps are switched off, it can lower the electric bill by more than a hundred dollars a year per machine.
Making your commercial space environmentally friendly does not mean landscaping your commercial space with whatever greenery you can get your hands on. Plants that are not native to your locality are tedious to care for and use up more resources. The native flora, due to having adapted to the area, is more resilient and thus can survive easily. Doing so also will not upset the delicate ecological balance of the area.
To Sum Up
Greening your commercial space takes considerable effort and resources, especially in the early stages. The long term benefits, however, more than make up for the trouble. Those who wish to avoid this hassle should seek commercial space that already includes these cost-effective, ecologically sound features.
Article Photo by John Vetterli
