{"id":77779,"date":"2007-05-07T14:36:02","date_gmt":"2007-05-07T14:36:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/article\/auditors-welcome_o"},"modified":"2007-05-07T14:36:02","modified_gmt":"2007-05-07T14:36:02","slug":"auditors-welcome_o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/projects\/infrastructure\/auditors-welcome_o\/","title":{"rendered":"Auditors welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Wouldn’t it be nice to work for Google? A March article in The New York Times<\/i> discussed the many perks of working for the giant Internet-search company, including round-the-clock access to free, chef-prepared meals, volleyball courts, two lap pools, and a climbing wall.<\/p>

Company-provided transportation’s the No. 1 bonus for Google employees. <\/p>

Each day, more than 1200 employees board 32 biodiesel-fueled buses, eliminating an estimated 1000 cars from the freeways to ease traffic and reduce pollution.<\/p>

If a green audit of Google’s headquarters were conducted, the company would pass with flying colors. In addition to the environmentally friendly transportation option, the company has implemented waste, water-, and energy-reduction programs based on solar power; uses environmentally safe cleaning products; has advanced heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems that flush out 90% of indoor airborne impurities; and uses the air from the nearby San Francisco Bay for cooling.<\/p>

While a public works department may not be able to offer its staff the same perks as Google, it can incorporate green operations into its facilities to operate with less impact on building occupants and the environment. The best way to begin the process is to conduct a green audit.<\/p>

Defining The Process<\/b> <\/p>

A building consultant, architect, engineer, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-accredited professional can conduct this audit. Cost typically is based on a per-building scale, with a basic audit starting at $1000.<\/p>

A green audit studies the facility’s overall impact on the environment. Among a host of other measures that help a facility run more efficiently, an auditor investigates: energy and water use, and where you can incorporate savings or implement alternative power sources; indoor air quality; recycling programs; source elimination; and waste-reduction measures.<\/p>

Though still a relatively new concept in many parts of the world, green audits are becoming more common. \u201cThey’re viewed as a justified expense because they contribute to a healthier working and learning environment for all building occupants,\u201d says Mike Sawchuk, vice president and general manager of Enviro-Solutions, a Peterborough, Ontario-based manufacturer of cleaning chemicals. \u201cThey also help employers save money in reduced energy use, waste reduction, and lowered workman’s compensation expenses and other insurance costs.\u201d<\/p>

The key goal of a green audit isn’t just to protect building occupants’ health and the environment, but to decrease operating overhead, which helps save taxpayers money. Solar panels, for instance, reduce energy consumption costs, cutting back on fossil fuel use and reliance on big energy providers.<\/p>

\u201cA green audit also explores and, if necessary, encourages staff members to get involved with the \u2018greening’ of their facilities,\u201d says Sawchuk. \u201cMany of the best ideas on how to run a more environmentally friendly facility come from the bottom up, with staff members empowered to suggest ways for greening their own work areas. As collaborative and long-term efforts, the solutions can positively impact the environment, as well as cut expenses.\u201d<\/p><\/div>

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Where To Start<\/b>

You may already be incorporating several tactics to make your facilities green.<\/p>

An inexpensive and easy option is to switch from conventional to environmentally preferable cleaning chemicals and products. If these products are certified by such organizations as EcoLogo or Green Seal, they have minimal impact on the environment, perform as well as or better than conventional products, and are cost-effective.<\/p>

Recycling office paper is another simple change your department can make.<\/p>

\u201cWhen desktop computers became commonplace in offices two decades ago, we believed we would all be working in a \u2018paperless’ world,\u201d says Sawchuk. \u201cUnfortunately, this hasn’t happened except in situations where the organization takes significant \u2018war on paper’ measures to reduce paper use. These steps often begin with, and are the result of, a green audit.\u201d<\/p>

An extensive green audit will confront more serious issues and include a laundry list of facility operations and maintenance tasks to investigate. It will evaluate whether the facility’s meeting current federal, state, and local regulations. Recent court cases also may be reviewed to provide suggestions for exceeding these regulations. An investigation may look at:<\/p>