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Grow Your Business by Becoming LEED Certified!

If you thought that “going green” might harm your bottom line, you can stop worrying. A 2012 study conducted at Notre Dame University which looked at over 500 PNC branches found that LEED certified PNC bank branches were performing better, profit-wise, than their non-LEED certified counterparts. In fact, customers were even depositing more money at the LEED certified branches!

The study never pinned down exactly why that was so — whether customers were finding the LEED certified branches more inviting or whether their more comfortable employees were just being more productive. Either way, the LEED certified branches made more money, and it’s a safe bet to say their employees appreciated their working environment, too! Either way, their findings support a growing consensus that you certainly don’t have to “sacrifice” profitability to become more socially responsible and use more sustainable building materials.

In case you’re not familiar with it, LEED is an acronym for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design”, and to become LEED certified requires that your building must meet certain MPRs (that’s short for Minimum Program Requirements.)

Another interesting aspect of achieving LEED certification is that you’ll save money on your day-to-day operating costs, according to the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). Expect to reduce cost on maintenance, energy, and water all while reducing waste. That’s a win-win from every angle! And if you need more incentive, consider that because of these savings combined with increased efficiency, getting back the money you put in won’t take as long as you’d expect; According to the USGBC, green retrofit projects can expect to recoup their investment in as few as 7 years!

If you’d like to learn more about obtaining LEED certification and exactly what it entails, contact us at Scott Henson Architect today.  

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