Why Build Green?

The benefits of green building are multifaceted. The obvious advantage is environmental. Green building can improve air and water quality, enhance and protect ecosystems reduce solid waste and conserve natural resources There are also direct and indirect financial benefits to high performance buildings. Less toxic materials and improved ventilation lead to healthier employees and therefore less sick days and a possible reduction in healthcare costs. Healthier employees me better quality of life and therefore less turnover. Studies confirm that work environments that with abundant light, efficient ventilation and lower toxicity lead to comfortable more productive occupants. Direct financial benefits are reduced operating costs. High performance buildings use energy more efficiently and resulting in high ROI. “LEED certified buildings perform 25-30% better than non-LEED buildings in terms of energy use. Gold and Platinum LEED certified buildings have energy savings approaching 50%.” Green building becomes a financial asset to the owners; they have a greater marketing potential and higher lease rates with less tenant turnover. The benefits of LEED building also extends to the community. Typically, green buildings are a welcome asset to a community because they demonstrate shared values.

IMC & Green Building
IMC Construction is committed to sustainable construction and adheres to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building best practices on our jobsites. Currently, over 90% of IMC’s Production Department is either LEED™ certified or Green Advantage® Certified.

The EPA estimates the 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition (C&D) debris is generated each year within the U.S. By adhering to the green building best practices, IMC is able to divert much of our construction waste to be recycled. Recently, 97% of the demolition debris from the IMC new corporate headquarters was recycled. As a general contractor, we make all sub contractors onsite adhere to our rules and regulations to prevent contamination of a green job site. Some rules that are enforced onsite by our superintendents include:
• No Smoking
• Separate Trash for recycling
• Use no substitutions. Only materials specified can be used.
• Use only low VOC products
• Suppress construction dust, use Hepa filters on all vacuums
• Protect ductwork from contamination by keeping construction materials out of mechanical rooms with air handlers
• Keep equipment exhaust away from air intakes

U.S. EPA Characterization of Construction and Demolition Debris in the United States, 1997 Update.
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1718
New Buildings Institute, Energy Performance in LEED™ for New Construction Buildings, March 4, 2008

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