BENEFITS OF GREEN BUILDING:
COST SAVINGS

• The Costs and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings: A Report to California’s Sustainable Building Task Force dated October 2003 and based on LEED buildings in the State of California states that an upfront investment of 2% in green building design, on average, results in life cycle savings of 20% of the total construction costs - more than ten times the initial investment.


• According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research, tenants can save about 50 cents per square foot each year through strategies that cut energy use by 30%. This can represent a savings of $50,000 or more in a five-year lease on 20,000 square feet.


• A study done for the California Board for Energy Efficiency Third Party Program found that sales in stores with skylights were up to 40% higher compared to similar stores without skylights.


• A study done by the cost consultants David Langdon Adamson concluded that the costs per square foot for buildings seeking LEED certification falls into the existing range of costs for buildings not seeking LEED certification.