Opting forenvironmentally friendly techniques may cost a bit more in development, but it is expected to save on energy costs down the road.
“The idea is making a decision to make an investment on the front end,” said David Pratt, president of the Baltimore regional chapter of the Green Building Council. “That?s a business case that?s much easier to make today.”
Over time, residents and companies will expect green building, said Peter Garver, a director at COPT Development & Construction, a leading owner of office space in the region.
“This is really a trend, not a fad,” he said.
The materials and techniques are not hard for builders to find, Garver said.
On a 100,000- to 200,000-square-foot building, it usually takes a company six to eight years to make its money back through energy conservation savings, he said.
Green techniques and materials can add about 2 percent to the building costs, Pratt said.
Green buildings can save 30 percent to 70 percent in energy costs and improve employee productivity, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit which administers the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system.
LEED certification assesses and assigns points for site planning, design process, water management, energy use and air quality.
