GGLO, the architects behind South Lake Union's Alcyone and Capitol Hill's Broadway Crossing, and several other notable projects in the Northwest, completed a post-occupancy study on some of its green multifamily projects. Here's what they found:
The post-occupancy study confirmed sustainable buildings come at an almost negligible cost increase over conventional buildings, and result in measurable utility savings. Of the three buildings in our study designed to LEED standards, the cost increases ranged [from only] 0.5 percent to 1 percent of the total hard and soft construction costs. Financial incentives available from a variety of sources cut cost increases in half and the yearly savings on utility bills averaged another 1 percent. After one year of occupancy, the green design features actually begin earning the project money. (Emph. added)If knowing that buildings account for nearly 40% of green house gas emissions isn't enough to convince developers to convert, the numbers should. Especially considering tenants will pay more for green, vacancy rates are lower, and the property value gets a boost. See the rest of the article on GGLO's study and more studies from the city.
Vulcan has even gone as far as making green its preeminent marketing tool in promoting South Lake Union. If you've trudged down Mercer Street, you've likely seen their WhatsGreen.com signage. If you go to the website, you'll find a map of everything green in SLU, and see that South Lake Union is trying to become one of the first certified green neighborhoods in the United States by participating in the LEED-ND pilot. Looks like the smart folks at Vulcan ran the numbers.
2 comments:
This is very interesting.
I find the most interesting thing, however, is the last paragraph in this post. I would bet my salary and my husband's salary that this blog is sponsored or written by someone at Vulcan.
I have yet to see a single negative post about Vulcan in this blog, yet I have seen a ton of postive feedback from Vulcan in this blog.
Does anyone think that this isn't true?
Not that I have a problem with it, but as the blogworld goes... so does opaqueness. Transparency, my dear watson!
I probably should probably just delete your comment or not respond, but I find myself wanting to defend my journalistic/bloggerific integrity.
I'd be obliged to take yours and your husband's salary as a donation to my blog (notice I said mine, not Vulcan's). I'd like to refer to you this blog's first post, or maybe my review of Alley 24 (a Vulcan property), or several other posts where my treatment of Vulcan and other developers is either favorable, neutral, or unfavorable.
Paul Allen owns 60 acres in SLU, he has taken on the risk of the being the first major developer in the neighborhood, and though he or his company is not without fault or capatalistic motive--they are by and large doing things the right way. Because of their huge influence on what SLU will become, they will continue to get a lot of coverage here, and I will call it as I see it and likewise allow readers to opine.
This blog is by residents, for residents. In the interest of transparency, I will add an 'about' section--that's where you'll find who to make the check out to.
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