Going Green: 5 Ways to Leverage Green Construction

Do you work in the construction industry? By placing an emphasis on green construction, you can minimize your business's impact on the environment and preserve natural resources. At the same, green construction can save you money on materials, labor and other costs. It involves the use of sustainable and Eco-friendly practices. Here are five ways to leverage green construction.

#1) Choose Sustainable Materials

Green construction revolves around sustainable materials. Many construction businesses use traditional materials like concrete and steel. While some tasks may require these traditional materials, other tasks may support the use of sustainable materials like bamboo, engineered wood and recycled steel. Choosing sustainable materials such as these will pave the way for a greener construction project.

#2) Use Natural Lighting

You can use natural lighting to achieve a greener construction project. Natural lighting refers to the use of sunlight to illuminate a given space. Whether you're building a commercial space or a residential space, you'll need to consider lighting. You don't have to use artificial lighting, though. For some spaces, you can use natural lighting. Aside from offering cost-savings benefits to the tenants or homeowners, natural lighting is completely green and Eco-friendly.

#3) Minimize Waste

Minimizing waste is an essential concept of green construction. All construction businesses produce waste. While you may not be able to eliminate your business's waste, you can probably reduce it. You can reduce waste by choosing sustainable materials, such as those previously mentioned, and by recycling leftover materials.

#4) Optimize Water Usage

Another green construction tip is to optimize water usage. Homes and buildings use water. When building them, you should look for ways to reduce their water usage. You can install low-flow toilets, rainwater harvesting systems and drip-based irrigation systems. Optimizing water usage will promote a greener construction project that's good for the environment while also saving tenants and homeowners money on their water bills.

#5) Choose ENERGY-STAR Products

When sourcing air conditioning or heating systems for a building, look for the ENERGY-STAR logo. It indicates a high level of energy efficiency. ENERGY-STAR products consume less energy than those without this label. The end result is a more efficient building or home.

Green construction is an important step towards a more sustainable future. By choosing sustainable materials, using natural lighting, minimizing waste, optimizing water usage and choosing ENERGY-STAR products, you can achieve a greener construction project.