The real estate industry is one sector that has joined the green movement. Studies have shown that green construction will continue in the coming years contributing to the growth of the industry.
A 2009 Green Jobs Study undertaken by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) projected that green building will contribute $554 billion to the national economy. In addition, it said that the number of green jobs will go up to 7.9 million.
In terms of savings, owners who have constructed green buildings are already enjoying significant savings. Between 2000 and 2008, some $1.3 billion in energy savings has been gained. This amount is foreseen to increase to $6 billion moving through 2013.
Self storage facilities are following the same trend these days. It may be slow but a growing number of developers are already into green construction. Their focus is on lowering variable costs such as the utilities. Despite the huge cost entailed in venturing into this type of project, developers believe owners will enjoy much savings for the long term.
Investors who are targeting to put up a green self storage should consider several factors. This is to ensure that the benefits will not only be enjoyed by them but by their customers as well.
Lighting - Using LED lights is strongly recommended. With the price of this lighting fixture reduced these days, operators can gain their investment back in a period of two to three years only. They also need not change their lights often because the bulb can last up to 30 years.
Solar panels - Using solar power is one of the cheapest ways to enjoy electricity inside a building. Solar panels are ideal for rental units that have large and flat roofs such as those that store recreational vehicles (RVs) and boats. The initial cost can be an issue but then again, it can be offset by the huge savings moving forward.
Another benefit in using solar energy is the incentives provided by government programs. Incentives can include sales tax exemptions, tax write-offs and low rate utility loans.
Biodiesel conversion - Many self storage providers offer free moving, pickup and delivery services. As such, fuel cost is a major issue. The solution is to convert the vehicles to biodiesel which is not only eco-friendly but can also reduce the costs. Unaware to many, used cooking oil or vegetable can actually enable a vehicle to run which means more savings to the company.
Heating and cooling - One area that developers are focusing on is using energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. This is not much of a problem, though, because of the availability of more efficient HVAC products these days. Facilities situated in areas which experience high temperatures can benefit greatly from using a green system through lower utility bills in the future.
There are other areas where green construction is possible. These include using low VOC paint and carpet, eco-friendly cleaning products and installing reflective roofing materials. An important thing to note, however, is that when choosing products, operators also need to make sure that they're indeed authentic.
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