If you are currently building or remodeling a commercial building, you might be thinking about ways to do it as "green" as possible. This means your building and the materials used are eco-friendly and don't make a large impact on the local environment. This lowers your carbon footprint and provides a more enticing building for future tenants of the various offices. Here are some ways to have a greener commercial building.

Use Recyclable Materials

You should start by looking at the building materials you are using. This can make a large impact on exactly how environmentally-friendly your building ends up being. Try to use as many recycled materials as possible, even reusing some materials for other uses. If you are using a construction company that does a lot of renovations, ask them if they have demolition materials from previous projects they can reuse for your remodeling project. For example, they might be able to create built-in bookshelves for one of the main offices with wood they tore down from a previous building, or can use ceramic tiles for a tiling project in your new building. Also look at sustainable materials, including those gained without using harmful gas or emissions.

Install Energy-Efficient Appliances

For interior renovations of your building, try to switch to as many energy-efficient appliances as you can. For example, if you have a break room in the office, you will likely have a refrigerator, dishwasher, and possibly a stove and oven as well. You can choose energy-efficient appliances that are much friendlier to the environment, with the added bonus of lower monthly utility costs as well. You can also get an energy-efficient water heater, washer and dryer if there is a laundry room in your building, and smaller appliances as well.

Utilise Solar Energy

This is a bigger job to implement, but one of the best ways to have a greener building. Consider using solar energy in your building, whether you just have a solar hot water heater, or you have solar panels installed to get most of your lighting and electricity from these panels. With solar energy, you are getting most of your building's power from the sun's UV rays. The panels help to turn the sunlight into energy, which is then stored until you need it. That way, during evenings and cloudy days when there isn't any sunshine, you still have access to the natural form of energy.

Speak With an Environmental Consultant

Finally, it helps to speak with an environmental consultant before and during renovations. They can provide a lot of tips for other ways to improve your impact on the environment with your building and materials being used. They can offer tips for a greener type of roofing, let you know about ways to use more renewable energy, and provide tips on reducing gland and water contamination.

For more information, contact companies like Geotech Testing Pty Ltd.