In an effort to protect the environment, many companies have begun
developing sustainable business practices. By implementing green and
sustainable practices, many have found that they can make choices that
help the planet as well as their profits. Sustainable business is a
relatively new concept for many companies, but it has grown in
popularity and use over the past decade and considerable advances are
expected for the future.
Sustainable business requirements
Not just any company that chooses to recycle is meeting sustainable
business standards. There are certain requirements that must be met in
order for a company to be considered part of the green business world.
These include:
- The business must be considered more environmentally friendly than traditional businesses
- Sustainability is at the forefront of business decision making
- An observable commitment to green practices has been implemented across the board
- Services and products offered from the business are environmentally friendly or meet the public demand for sustainable products.
Because green practices, standards, and demands are always changing,
it is important for businesses that employ efforts to stay green to keep
up with changing technology.
One area that has been growing even more than others is green
building and construction. In many instances, by creating homes,
offices, and public buildings that are environmentally friendly, the
costs of operating said buildings can be extremely low, and many
companies are moving to this form of building.
Green building standards
The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) is the government
organization in charge of overseeing the green design and function of
buildings across America. By constructing buildings with efficient and
supportive designs, the USGBC believes that they can help minimize the
energy crisis and create jobs.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) concept has changed several aspects of the way
green construction
and sustainable business practices are run. This international standard
is offered as a reward to the building owners who operate their
companies within certain standards of excellence in this field. With
LEED in mind, many property owners are able to implement sustainable
business practices, green construction, efficient building design, and
maintain daily operations in an environmentally friendly manner.
Similarly, the United States Business Council for Sustainable
Development (US BCSD) is available to help improve environmental
awareness within industry, government projects, and business ventures.
This non-profit organization is part of a worldwide group of councils
that are partnered with the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development. These organizations work across the globe to promote
sustainable business initiatives on a worldwide scale, but their impact can be felt locally.
(Read More)
(Excerpt of
article by the Triple Pundit. NOT AFFILIATED WITH LAMBOO)
Traditionally, building practices have focused on large scale, low
cost production with little regard as to how this could be maintained in
the future. This lead to many natural resources becoming strained due
to over use and mismanagement. In an era of rising populations and
demand for the buildings and structures to support it there becomes the
need for not only more efficient building practices but also materials
sustainable enough to provide a long term solution. With a maturity rate
of 6-8 years (versus 25-50 with timber) Bamboo is just the resource the
industry has been searching for. Bamboo is a remarkably strong plant
that is not only able to rapidly replenish but also regrows without
planting, saving an enormous cost associated with timber in terms of
capital and energy.
Additionally, incorporating Lamboo
(LVB) laminated veneer bamboo into projects can earn
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certification under MR Credit 6 – Rapidly renewable materials, IEQ
Credit 4.4 – Low-emitting materials; ID Credit 1 – Innovation in Design
(Environmentally Preferable Material), and ID Credit 2 – Innovation in
Design (Life Cycle Assessment / Environmental Impact).
*Please refer to
USGBC for information regarding project requirements
For more information about the advantages of Bamboo please visit our
sustainability page.
For questions regarding Lamboo, our products, or to schedule an interview please
…
“MAKING INNOVATIVE THINKING A STANDARD” – Lamboo Incorporated
Blog by: Dustin Dennison
