Clean Living

The environment and bottom
lines blend into green

By Rebecca R. Konya

The green roof, or living meadow roof, of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Oaklyn Branch Library, designed by Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc., Milwaukee, reduces storm-water runoff from the building. Photo courtesy of Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc.

When Madison Gas and Electric Co. began construction of its West Campus Cogeneration facility last October, the utility set out to recycle at least 75 percent of construction waste from the project.

That effort helped reduce environmental impacts from the development, and it's saving the company big bucks.

"The project has already saved over $70,000, and construction isn't even half over yet," said Jenna Kunde, executive director of WasteCap Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization that provides waste-reduction and recycling assistance to businesses.

The utility's project is just an example of a green-building movement that is gathering momentum in Wisconsin. Members of the construction industry are recognizing that being kind to the environment can also improve their bottom lines. Whether it's increased market demand for healthy homes and workplaces or sustainable techniques like construction-waste management, which saves builders money by reducing the amount of waste they create, green building is fast becoming an economic engine for the industry.

From the beginning, green building hasn't necessarily been about protecting the environment as much as protecting people's bank accounts. The concept first emerged in the 1970s, a decade of soaring oil prices that ignited a nationwide energy crisis. High oil costs meant high heating costs, so builders and designers set about making buildings more energy efficient.

The LightBridge, a clerestory structure that rises above the surrounding roof meadow at Evansville-Vanderburgh Oaklyn Branch Library, designed by Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc., lets in an abundance of natural light. Photo courtesy of Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc.

It was construction's first foray into green building, but it was one-dimensional and had its mistakes. The initial results were super-tight buildings that stifled indoor air quality. Extra insulation and thicker walls helped retain heat, but the measures also decreased ventilation and trapped moisture and contaminants that once escaped through drafts.

"We didn't understand air exchange in those days," said Tom Boldt, chief executive officer of The Boldt Company in Appleton.

But with few "green" products available from building manufacturers and a perceived lack of consumer interest, builders in Wisconsin saw their commitment to sustainable building weaken as the 1970s came to a close.

Then in the 1990s, green-building programs began sprouting up, existing techniques were refined and green products like recycled carpeting and no-VOC paints began emerging in the national market.

While most green-building methods and technologies in practice today have been around for a long time, the concepts are quickly becoming mainstreamed into residential and commercial building projects throughout the state.

"The misnomer about green is that it's something new," said Boldt. "It's just been repackaged."

The air-deprived buildings of the 1970s taught the construction industry that focusing on just one component of building can have unintended environmental consequences, such as poor indoor air quality. Today, green building is approached as a holistic concept, with environmentally friendly practices integrated into every aspect of the building process. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, a national green-building standard introduced four years ago, emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

“You can do well by doing good.” Tom Boldt

With all of the tools in place, the decision to go green falls to the construction people who dictate the course of their companies. Boldt believes that today's construction industry leaders, many of whom grew up in the 1970s, are one reason the current green-building movement is rapidly gaining momentum.

"This generation of professionals has grown up with a higher level of environmental awareness," said Boldt, who is on the board of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative and whose company has become a strong advocate for green building.

To Mark Ernst, a partner with Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc., a Milwaukee-based architectural firm, going green just makes sense. The firm, which organized its own in-house Green Team, strives to incorporate green elements into nearly all of its projects.

"We're not doing anything special," Ernst said. "We're just being good architects."

oing the right thing and having leaders who believe in green building are great concepts, but they won't go far if they don't eventually converge with opportunity. Boldt sees that opportunity emerging in the institutional, commercial and industrial areas.

Ernst sees the same thing. Altruism is nice, but it's the consumer demand that has more and more industry members jumping on the green bandwagon.

The Evansville-Vanderburgh Oaklyn Branch Library sits nestled in a field. Photo courtesy of Engberg Anderson Design Partnership Inc.

"What motivates people at the end of the day is money," Ernst said. "Clients aren't going to embrace green concepts just because they're right. They want something in return."

And what's luring clients to green design? The promise of lower energy and water bills, increased comfort, healthy indoor air and increased resale value.

Boldt said that, in the end, today's green movement is basic business philosophy.

"It's about creating value, maintaining quality and competitive pricing," he said.

That has led to a business sense where helping the environment has essentially become a byproduct of sustainable building, said Jim Buyers, director of purchasing and estimating for Bielinski Homes in Waukesha. A leader in conservation development, the homebuilder got involved in green building about six months ago.

"Once we found out how much of a leader we were in the conservation area, we decided to get into green building," said Buyers. "We knew it was contradictory if we weren't at least working on incorporating the concepts into our building process."

Today Bielinski, which puts up about 500 homes per year, uses green elements in every new home it builds.

Whatever its motivation, the industry is clearly committed to sustainable building. But environmental groups want to make sure that the concept isn't as rootless as a market trend or as unpredictable as consumer demand. They're not as concerned about what's driving the construction industry to embrace green-building concepts as much as they're interested in making sure builders stay true to their commitment.

For environmental groups like WasteCap Wisconsin, that means capitalizing on green building's market advantages, such as the cost savings associated with construction waste management. The organization hosts a business-to-business peer exchange so that builders can share their success stories and encourage others in the industry to follow suit.

"We do things that help both business and the environment," said Kunde.

But there are times when it seems the environment still takes a back seat to development.

A case in point is the swift passage of the Job Creation Act late last year. Among other things, the act was designed to speed up the state Department of Natural Resources' permitting process for projects taking place along bodies of water or in wetlands. It also contains provisions to streamline permitting under Chapter 285, the section of Wisconsin law that regulates air quality.

The building industry contends that the main idea behind the Job Creation Act was to make the current rules and regulations more clear and to help builders avoid long permitting waits for small jobs. But environmental groups remain concerned about the development of sensitive properties near the state's lakeshores and rivers.

"Protecting the character of an area is as important as maximizing its value," said Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1,000 Friends of Wisconsin, a nonprofit coalition created to protect and enhance Wisconsin's urban and rural landscapes.

Environmental groups aren't trying to dictate development, but there are certain types of building projects they advocate over others. One of those is New Urbanism, which, among other things, incorporates fairly dense development, sidewalks and homes close to the lot line. From a community perspective, the building concept fosters a neighborhood feeling. From a financial standpoint, more buildings on smaller parcels of land means more profits for builders.

"We know that development is going to proceed," said Hiniker. "We just want to see smart development."

Despite their differing opinions on recent state legislation, builders and environmentalists seem to be in sync when it comes to green building. As green continues to go mainstream, both parties are recognizing the value of the movement — environmentally and financially.

"You can do well by doing good," said Boldt.