posted on April 01, 2010 21:52
An increasing number of companies want to operate in sustainable buildings and incorporate more environmentally friendly practices, not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it makes business sense, commercial real estate and other experts said at a conference Tuesday in Dallas.
In the past, it was mainly "early adopters" who were interested in constructing, buying or leasing space in buildings with Energy Star or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification, but those and other sustainable practices are quickly becoming the norm, said Dan Probst, chairman of energy and sustainability services for commercial real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle. In that position, Probst is responsible for developing and delivering products and services to help clients reduce energy costs and their real estate-related environmental footprint through better occupancy strategies, operating practices and workplace standards.
Probst and others were part of a Sustainability Symposium held by the Urban Land Institute North Texas, the North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors andThe Real Estate Council at CityPlace in Dallas.
The economic and real estate downturn is causing more national, regional and local companies to take a bottom-line approach to sustainability, and that approach is likely to continue after the economy improves, the symposium panelists concluded.
Sustainability is a broad term that refers to practices that meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Goals of sustainability include avoiding depletion of natural resources and minimizing environmental harm. Sustainable development involves energy conservation, reduction of gas emissions, recycling and generally reducing the impact of construction and buildings on the environment.
As new construction has slowed, it has become more important to think about sustainability for existing buildings, not just new development, said Shoanna Woodham, senior engineering project manager for RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. Woodham leads RaceTrac's initiatives for sustainable and efficient design.
"My opportunity is not in new construction," she said. "It's in retrofit."
Woodham, who tests new products and construction methods to determine their effectiveness, said she tries to add one new technology or feature per site so she can isolate its impact on the building's performance.
David Rodriguez, vice president and director of sustainability for Ware Architecture in Dallas, said the sustainability movement in North Texas has been slower to take root, but the shift toward sustainability is clearly under way.
"Change is hard in North Texas," he said. "North Texas is still a land of abundance, so there's not as much pressure in North Texas to be sustainable."
Futurist Chris Luebkeman reminded attendees to remember the big picture implications for sustainability when making day-to-day development decisions — especially concerning issues like transportation and water and energy consumption.
"When I hear you talking about 12 million people here in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (projected by 2050), I wonder how people are going to get around," said Luebkeman, director of global foresight and innovation for Arup, a global firm of engineering and design consultants.
Luebkeman, who was educated as a geologist, structural engineer and architect, said the projects that today's planners, developers and designers take part in will change the face of North Texas long after they're gone.
"Consider not just this generation, but the next couple of generations," he said.
March 30th, 2010 | Dallas Business Journal - by Bill Hethcock Staff Writer