How good is green?

I’ve written about the Faculty of Law’s commitment to a sustainable renewal project—excess, old furnishings from the Bora Laskin Library recycled or donated, demolition materials sorted and separated for reuse, and the revitalization of green space with native species.

And I’ll be posting updates on the state-of-the-art green initiatives to be deployed in the Jackman Law Building as we hit each construction milestone.

It also helps to be working with a team which shares our green philosophy, such as Eastern Construction and B + H Architects.

Recently, B + H participated in World Green Building Week, one of about 25,000 organizations from 98 countries, to band together and highlight that ‘green is good.'

The annual event encourages members to host events, raise awareness and celebrate sustainable projects.

B + H featured its support for a novel, cloud-based platform called GIGA that is influencing green construction in China, making sustainable materials more easily available to developing countries, and transforming green design into a more efficient and cost-effective alternative than conventional design.

B + H also launched the Evolve Sustainable Design Competition, together with sponsor RBC, for Canadian university students in architecture, engineering and design programs. The challenge is to design a net-zero energy and water-wise sports research institute.

But the World Green Building Council says green offices and buildings are designed not only to save energy, water and money, but also to boost employee and student productivity and satisfaction, reduce sick leave, stress and absenteeism, and serve as an influential recruitment tool.

Green offices can boost productivity:

-by 11% from fresher air

-by 18% with access to daylight and operable windows

-by 23% from good lighting and access to views

Take a look at this infographic for more details, courtesy of the World Green Building Council: