Why to go Green?

Glass is Green Blog from Inspired to be Green

“Why to go Green” this is a frequently discussed topic, and I don’t want to start all over again with arguments like: We should stop global warming! Cut down on energy consumption! Save the world for our children! I guess all of us are aware of these facts. Let’s look at the question from a different perspective, the perspective of a businessperson. Does it make economic sense to go Green?
If you look at a standard product and a green product the first difference you will find is the price, and that is the point where a lot of people stop and say: “Green is expensive”. The statement: “Buy cheap, pay dearly” tells us that there could be more behind a higher price. There is certainly a bigger difference between the products then just the price, the product may be more energy or water efficient, not using any toxins or helping to reduce energy consumption and environmental damage. In general all green building products pay back the incremental cost within a few month or few years through the operating cost savings. It is like investing in land and property; we like to buy properties which promise increased property values after a few years. The same way investing in a green building and green building products can be profitable. It is important to assess the value of the green building product for the individual project and then make a decision if it is a worthwhile investment. If we take glass for example: a double glazed unit is certainly more expensive than single glass but the energy savings through implementing the double glazed unit could be a profitable investment. To make a clear decision if it is better to select the green and more energy efficient product or the standard one it is necessary to estimate the energy savings for the individual project with an energy simulation. At the end the savings potential must be compared with the incremental cost of the green alternative to calculate the return on investment. Rising energy costs give advantage to the energy efficient and green products, and in the future we can expect the energy cost to rise continuously.
So green building products can have a great impact on the energy performance of the building as well as on the operating cost, just imagine that the energy consumption could be reduced by 20-50% just by using the right products and a sustainable building design. The energy savings potential in buildings is like a hidden gold mine … it just needs some dedication and a little bit of time to find the “Green Gold”.
Stay inspired,