Sustainable Construction: Building a Better Future for the Earth

Guest Post by: Sam Marquit 

As a commercial contractor, I've worked with all kinds of businesses that want to change their facilities to operate with sustainable energy. It's inspiring to work for individuals who feel so strongly about the future of the planet and want to contribute to the green movement. The green material marketplace has certainly grown in recent years. It's now a $116 billion industry, and it's growing. Financial analysts project that by 2020, the green industry will grow to be more than $254 billion. However, it's difficult to see this as a reality when you consider the effort that would have to be taken on a global scale. I'm hopeful that people and businesses can change to more environmentally friendly products and choose to build sustainable structures.

Businesses have taken action to prevent water waste in light of this news. For example, the Las Vegas Palazzo Hotel and Resort is one of the biggest hotels in the desert oasis. Even with big landscapes, lots of gardens and outdoor areas, they have managed to save eight million gallons of water every year by using drip irrigation systems. Drip irrigation is really beneficial for plants and the environment at large. It cuts down on the amount of groundwater and water waste that regular sprinklers can cause. In addition, the Palazzo uses moisture sensors to eliminate unnecessary watering. Finally, they replaced some of their outdoor areas with artificial turf grass. The hotel has also won awards for its green practices.

On the other side, residential areas can also use these ideas to reduce their own water waste. Drip irrigation systems save on water costs and unnecessary watering. You can also use gray water from showers, bathtubs, washer machines and dishwashers. Many homeowners are installing tankless water heater systems that don't need a large tank of water to be stored in their homes. All of these efforts combine to really reduce water waste on multiple levels.

Hotels have also begun incorporating natural lighting schemes in their buildings. Skylights provide natural light for major areas of hotels as well as guest rooms. Swimming pools throughout the travel industry also feature solar heating systems. The excess energy from these systems can also be fed back to the hotel to build hot water and heating systems. These types of systems are especially evident with the new Las Vegas hotels.

Outdoor living isn't just for big businesses. Homeowners can also incorporate some of these ideas at home. Skylights are actually economical and easy to install. However, most people are remodeling to include naturally lit areas throughout the home such as sun rooms, decks and porches. These areas provide natural light and heat sources throughout the year.

As the green industry continues to grow and innovate beyond recycling and upcycling, better and more efficient products will come to market. More businesses and homeowners need to catch on as the benefits are two fold, you can save the planet as well as in your wallet.