Small Things Add Up to Big Things
You don't have to be a green builder or buy a newly constructed green condo to make a difference. Even those in existing buildings can move toward being more green - and earn LEED certification points along the way.
"Older buildings have some really wonderful creative opportunities to retrofit," Jay asserts. "You have so many opportunities to make use of junk--the idea of 'waste equals food.' It could be insulation made from recycled blue jeans or concrete in which you use recycled fly ash. You have so many opportunities to take waste material and turn it into part of a new building."
Jay recounts the story of a developer who had the idea to reuse scrap iron in a condo conversion he's working on in Chicago's North side. The iron, which he removed from the old loft building, will be used to create a new faà §ade for the building.
"You can do all sorts of new things when you start thinking in terms of reuse and through the filter of sustainability," says Jay. "I think it makes a project very exciting."
Individual residents can use sustainable cleaning products, upgrade light bulbs, reuse already-used water to give the plants a drink or install sunshades that help cool your apartment without expensive A/C.
"A lot of us leave the air conditioning on day in and day out, even when we're not in the building. You should turn it off when you're not there and shave usage," advises Draiman. "In this way, you can reduce your own costs, generate revenue and reduce the use of the dirtiest power plants during the time of the year when you least want to be introducing pollution."
People can work with their board and fellow residents to create a plan that rethinks the waste management system, creates a bicycle storage room to encourage the use of public transportation, organizes a carpooling system, uses low environmental impact pest control, changes light bulbs throughout the building, adds flow restrictors or puts timers on the lights in the hallways.
Some of these items might earn you LEED certification credits. But, even if they don't, you're moving in a direction that will not only improve the enjoyment of living in your building but also improve air and light quality, and possibly even increase the value of your building over time.
"Everyone can get involved," Jay says. "New construction is great, but if you are just a person who lives in a co-op or condo, you can still be mindful about this type of stuff."
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