W.E. Carlson—Environmental Solutions: LEED Certified Green Building, Energy Conservation

Environmental
Going Green: Save Money,
Save the Planet

Related Links:
Congress Bans Incandescent Light Bulbs
Exterior Energy-Saving Solutions
Interior Energy-Saving Solutions
Workplace Safety/Comfort
ENERGY STAR
Building Green Publishing
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Green Buildings Council (LEED Ratings System)
JohnsonDiversey Builds LEED-Certified Green Facility with Help from Rite-Hite’s Revolution Fan

Eco-conscious building and manufacturing and “green” working environments are all the rage. And it’s a trend experts predict is here to stay. What could you be doing in your facility to save money, reduce energy consumption and help preserve the planet for future generations?

For instance, according to ENERGY STAR, if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

W.E. Carlson has taken steps to reduce energy consumption and landfill waste by switching all of our showroom lighting to longer-lasting ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL bulbs. If you are working to realize energy efficiencies and sustainability in your workplace, W.E. Carlson can help. Check back often for Going Green updates!

What is Green Building?

According to the EPA’s Green Building Web Site, the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and removal of buildings takes enormous amounts of energy, water, and materials, and generates large quantities of waste, air and water pollution, as well as creating stormwater runoff and heat islands. Buildings also develop their own indoor environments, which present an array of health challenges.

Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. Research and experience increasingly demonstrate that when buildings are designed and operated with their lifecycle impacts in mind, they can provide great environmental, economic, and social benefits.

For help determining what your company can do to create a healthier and more sustainable environment, and if your may qualify for tax credits, visit the U.S. EPA Green Buildings Web site.

Where to Begin?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and 18 other Federal agencies adopted Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings, seeking to establish and follow a common set of sustainable Guiding Principles for integrated design, energy performance, water conservation, indoor environmental quality, and materials aimed at helping Federal agencies and organizations:

� Reduce the total ownership cost of facilities;
� Improve energy efficiency and water conservation;
� Provide safe, healthy, and productive built environments
� Promote sustainable environmental stewardship.

For more information to help get you started, visit ENERGY STAR’s Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency Web site.

The Greening of Your Doors

Some say going green starts with reducing energy consumption. The quality of your facility’s doors makes a big difference in energy savings, and your company’s impact on the environment. While you may pay a higher price upfront, your return on investment in smaller energy bills and less waste (your equipment will last longer!) is priceless.

According to the Fall 2007 issue of Door & Access Systems magazine, in addition to recycling manufacturing scrap, reducing pollutants created by the manufacturing process, and keeping doors and door packaging out of landfills, manufacturers such as Wayne Dalton are going green by reducing the U-Factor and increasing the R-value of their doors, ensuring the maximum available insulation and energy efficiency. Read the entire article on the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International Web site.

Green Resources

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov
U.S. Green Buildings Council (& LEED ratings system): www.usgbc.org
ENERGY STAR: www.energystar.gov
Building Green Publishing: www.buildinggreen.com