From Guest Blogger Chloe Taylor: Environmentally Friendly Real Estate Development

A growing body of evidence suggests that global warming and other environmental problems cannot be ignored. The consumer demand ramps up, green movements proliferate, and new standards and policies emerge. As a result, green practices are becoming a norm instead of an added bonus.

A breath of fresh air

Many real estate giants are showing off green innovations and spearheading the wave of the tech revolution. They seek to establish themselves as global leaders in the booming green building sector. Other developers have taken notice and incorporate elements such as solar panels and smart lighting into their projects.

It is clear that the winds of change sweep across both the residential and commercial sector and carry environmentally –friendly materials and green technologies.  It is important to note that tenant and market expectations are one of the main drivers behind this dynamic change that reshapes property landscape.

From the ground up

There are two prime goals behind this real estate evolution: to mitigate the environmental impact and to empower real estate owners to make money savings and embrace a sustainable way of living or doing business. Consequently, the entire building process has been revamped.

New materials are used for everything from carpeting and floor tiles to cladding and roofing. What is more, one of the most prominent trends in the sustainable sector is increased availability and utilization of recycled and reused materials. In fact, we have already witnessed whole houses being built with waste material.

The rise of green buildings

A modern technology blows strong winds into the sales of innovation and in that area, we are constantly breaking new ground. Today, we do not just see engineers, designers, and architects making strides towards lower environmental footprint.

The goal of many developers is to create green buildings that have zero carbon emissions, net-positive energy performance, and are water self-sufficient. These capacities form the core of what is known as a regenerative design concept. It refers to a sustainable matrix of systems that renew and restore their sources of energy and materials.

Urban development

Cities like Vancouver have announced their plans to commence a green transformation and become global leaders in the green arena. A local government has started building new bike lanes, runs offices with LEED Certification, and promotes eco-friendly building practices.

Likewise, one can find high-tech buildings with storm water capture and highly-efficient energy systems.   The city should also become the home to the world’s largest sustainable warehouse with a LEED Gold Certification. This is just the tip of the iceberg as many other urban jungles get ready to launch their eco-friendly projects.

Commercial ecosystem

Just like they want to live in healthy environments, people also want to work in them. Sustainability is a great selling point for commercial property, regardless of whether you offer an industrial, retail, and office buildings. Hence, the owners and developers strive to cut the operating costs for tenants and make their life easier.

That is why numerous commercial spaces now include motion sensors that turn the lights off and on as well as smart thermostats that bring forth considerable money savings. Finally, endorsing sustainability allows companies to reap benefits from branding and marketing, so there is no doubt that green is the way to do business these days.  

Baby steps, leaps, and bounds

Tenants and consumers are prepared to pay extra for green features. They look beyond upfront costs of adoption and consider long-term benefits. Besides, it is often possible to secure tax reductions for environmentally-friendly retrofits and implementation of systems such as solar panels.

In the light of shifting preferences, the new investment opportunities abound. In some cases, developers go an extra mile and create buildings that are true paragons of sustainability. Namely, they harness 100% renewable energy, which enables one to even sell the surplus of juice back to businesses and utility companies.   

Nurturing the chance

Environmentally-friendly practices and systems are not just some bells and whistles that form a passing fad. There is a number of underlying factors that have pushed sustainability into the mainstream and made it pivotal to the day-to-day functioning of residential and commercial buildings.

Whether you want to trim the monthly utility bills, boost the company reputation, nurture corporate culture, or adhere to state regulation, sustainability is the way to go.  The future could be as green as grass if we plant and sow the seeds of change across our urban jungles, industrial complexes, corporate spaces, highways, and byways.