“Green” design choices make good business sense

From retail centers; to financial services branches; to entertainment, gaming and dining venues, design professionals are fielding an increasing number of requests to create exterior facades and interior environments based on environmentally friendly materials.

Business owners and operators have discovered that from their customers’ perspective, design elements inspired by natural materials can make spaces look upscale, comfortable, professional, elegant and more.

But it’s not all about looks, it’s also about sustainability.  Using low-emitting, energy-saving and recycled materials and systems in overall design can reduce maintenance, improve energy-efficiency, eliminate pest damage and help curb rising operational costs.

Eco-friendly materials can also earn organizations and businesses “green building” laurels, leading to increased customer satisfaction and higher levels of staff productivity.