There are many ways that a property owner can take a proactive approach to being environmentally responsible, and at the same time make sure that the property remains viable and profitable.  Not only are the steps that can be taken tangible and physical, but psychological as well.  Most important in the whole process is the ability to attract tenants, and more and more tenants are looking for owner’s that provide excellent buildings and services, but do so in an environmentally responsible way.

For new developments, this task is a little easier because the environmental activities can be planned and budgeted from the beginning.  For existing buildings, smart property management can be adopted that review and implement a whole range of initiatives that slowly make the building more environmentally friendly.

It is possible that a formal assessment can be undertaken by the property management company if the owner so desires.  However, in the absence of that formal assessment, a really good property manager would be considering this from a business and social responsibility angle quite naturally.  Among the potential items that would be under review are the following:

1. For any internal construction activity, environmentally preferred materials eg. Recycled, reused, low toxicity and sustainably harvested materials can be considered to improve indoor air quality.
2. Updated equipment including efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems could dramatically improve energy usage and lower your costs at the same time.
   Both of the above items may also have a positive effect on occupant health and well being which is likely to improve productivity.  This healthy indoor environment will definitely make the workplace more desirable from both a tenant and employee perspective and make the building a better choice for environmentally concerned people.
3. Great property management companies also continue to look for Operations and Maintenance Improvements.  This could take the form of using sustainable flooring material that can reduce the need for stripping and waxing that could require toxic chemicals.  In addition Water Efficiency can be dramatically improved through the use of more efficient equipment (taps, toilets and boilers), landscaping that reduces water usage by using drought-tolerant plants, and waste water technologies.
4. One of the more significant innovations could be the installation of a Green Roof on the building.  Green roofs involve the addition of vegetation on top of a water proof membrane that will ultimately reduce the need for heating and air conditioning, absorb rain water, provide habitat for birds and other beneficial insects, and ultimately extends the life of your roof.  With the roof of a building being one of the most common significant cost components for repair or replacement that an owner or landlord can confront, it does deserve some serious consideration.

Overall, while not always considered a direct influence on the health of a business, environmental factors do have a number of benefits including direct costs savings, increased productivity, employee attraction and retention, and newsworthiness in media – something that can be leveraged since not that many building owners have converted to this way of thinking, just yet.

Armadale Property Management likes to take the lead in this kind of initiative and innovation, and while not actively pushing the environmentally friendly approach, will always be ready to discuss this kind of initiative with a building owner that is environmentally inclined.  It may turn out to be a remarkably valuable piece of your business arsenal.