In today's economic climate, does it make sense to invest in your building by making "green" improvements? Potential savings on energy costs over time make the idea of spending now more attractive, but it's hard to project exactly what your future savings will be.

With energy savings and §179D deductions as incentives, building owners and tenants can look at various improvements to the building envelope to discover maximum benefits. Air barrier systems are designed to block unwanted air movement through the building envelope. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, air leakage through the building envelope is responsible for up to 40% of heating and cooling energy costs.

Click Here to read the entire article.

Keeping your business green is an important decision to make.  Not only does this decision help the planet but also helps further your company for the better.  Business owner’s are incorporating long-term sustainability plans to assist their progress in a more eco-friendly business world.  Saving money while saving waste is the big idea business owners have in their sights. In return for helping the environment, businesses gain a positive image within their community; an asset money cannot touch.  Kelly Spors, an author of smallbiztrends.com, put together a crash course on how to make your business more sustainable. 

Click Here to read the entire article.

Is it just me, or is there an over abundance of green-certifications out there? It’s really confusing. There are almost two-hundred estimated standards that are in use, but one that really seems to stand out is Cradle-to-Cradle.

Started in the 1990s by William McDonough and Michael Braungart, C2C has gained some steam since about 2002, when their book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things was released. It’s not necessarily the coolest name around, but the criterion to get the certification is stringent. What needs to be accomplished to be C2C certified, you may ask. We just happen to know…

1. Materials – Whatever goes into making the product, if synthetic, needs to be nontoxic,
   non-harmful, and must be able to be reused over and over again into the
   “same level” product, without becoming lesser (ie. tires to artificial turf). If
   organic, the materials should be able to be disposed of in any natural environment
   and decompose into the soil.
2. Disposal – When a product is finished being used, a plan to either dispose of it in
   a safe way or reuse the materials must be outlined.
3. Production – Making the product must be green, too. For the highest level of
   certification, at least 50% of all energy in production needs to come from the sun.
4. Water – If water’s used in making the product, the discharge from the plant is
   measured for safety.
5. Social Responsibility- The factory in which the product is made must treat its
   workers with fair wages, hours, and in a humane manner.

If you’re more interested, check out McDonough and Braungart’s book, or their website. We’ve got some C2C-certified chairs, too – try Leap, Think, Amia & Move. And that’s not all, Cobi and i2i are currently going through the C2C certification review process so check back soon.