The Cost of Going Green

“With returns like these it’s easy to see why the conversion to a ‘green’ building might mean an initial capital outlay however one that delivers returns that far exceed the initial cost.”

The perception is that for a business to ‘go green’ costs an arm and a leg and this is most often what keeps businesses from even trying to increase sustainability in the office. However, as the Harvard Business Review writes, “Being green is no longer a cost of doing business; it is a catalyst for innovation, new market opportunity, and wealth creation.”

The innovators in the field of conversion to a more ‘green’ office environment report significant cost savings and increased revenues in the long run. Here in Namibia, many companies are looking to reduce their environmental footprint and are seeing the benefit. One such company is the Emcon Consulting Group, a Namibian energy, electricity, building services and project management services company, who have recently been awarded the coveted title of a 6 star green rated office building, the highest accolade in green buildings.

99FM’s MYD Smart spoke to the Emcon Consulting Group to find out what the real cost of going green is after they converted their established building in the heart of Windhoek to what is now the ‘greenest’ building in the capital.

According to the Director of Emcon Glenn Howard, “existing buildings represent 99% of building stock, and have typically been constructed using older, more wasteful technologies. Accordingly, their energy and water impacts are considerable, and even minor renovations and refurbishments present an opportunity for significant improvement.”

To achieve the feat of now using 79% less energy that the average office building, Emcon used a variety of sustainability efficiency tools such as efficient lighting with significant daylight contribution controlled by occupancy and daylight sensors, and timers that switch off some equipment after hours. These and other smart tools have resulted in a 55% reduction in energy usage, a 18% average productivity improvements and 18% lower operating costs amongst many other cost savings.

With returns like these it’s easy to see why the conversion to a ‘green’ building might mean an initial capital outlay however one that delivers returns that far exceed the initial cost.

If you want more information about how Emcon converted their building into a ‘green’ building, take a look at their website by clicking here : Emcon Consulting Group

Or see first-hand by taking the tour. Emcon are inviting members of the public to take a tour of their offices with their trained ‘green’ tour guides. By appointment only.

Take a look here at the Forbes review on going ‘green’ for small businesses by clicking here : Going Green for Small Businesses