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While it may be “green, green…on the far side of the hill,” as the song goes, no one seems to know the color of things in central Ohio.
That’s what the Central Ohio IFMA Chapter is attempting to learn: Just what, if anything, are area communities, companies, and individuals (make that facility managers) doing to advance green/sustainable issues.
The immediate answer to the vexing question of what’s occurring in central Ohio seems to be that despite some movement toward recycling, energy conservation, and working toward a cleaner, healthier atmosphere, green/sustainability has yet to have a major impact, and probably won’t until driven by the federal government and education groups.
Members of the chapter met at Dupler Office January 30 for a roundtable discussion on Green/Sustainability, but came away with more questions than answers. Some of these will be addressed at the chapter’s February program, The ‘S’ Word. What is SUSTAINABILITY? What does it have to do with INTERIORS? at 7:30 a.m. Feb. 20 at Design Group, 515 E. Main St.
Keri Luly, Allsteel stewardship manager and LEED accredited professional, will lead the discussion, and cover such topics as:
Stephan Cooke, co-chair of the chapter’s Programs Committee, said registration and networking and continental breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. and the program will start at 8 a.m. Those attending are asked to RSVP to Cooke at cookes@dupleroffice.com.
Luly has 25 years experience in the environmental field. She works with Allsteel members across the country to help them better understand their roles in sustainability, and to incorporate environmentally positive innovations into all aspects of product design and business.
While searching for a definition of “sustainable,” and coming up with renew and reuse, Cooke, who moderated the roundtable, said there are a number of simple things that can be done by companies and individuals at little or no cost.
These range from paper and trash shredding and/or recycling, requiring employees to use stairs rather than elevators, using vendors within certain areas, providing employees with water coolers to eliminate use of plastic bottles in the workplace, and providing boxes for recycling.
J.D. Flaherty, chapter vice president, said while everyone seems to be in favor of environmental change, “no one wants to tackle it themselves, and that’s why government is taking the lead.”
Those attending also said many businesses might become involved with environmental changes through incentive programs, or by being shown how these changes will have a positive impact on their bottom line.
Last week, Westerville Council entered into incentive agreements with the Liebert Co. for a green office building/learning center the company plans to construct in that city. The agreement constitutes a 15-year, 65-percent property-tax abatement for the project, and extends an existing 12-year, 65-percent abatement, granted for the original building in 1998, to 15 years. The city also agreed to waive100 percent of the water-system capacity charge that was approved for the initial building.
In return, Liebert will incorporate various building and site features with the purpose of seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Several educational ideas tossed around by the IFMA group included helping to establish a Green Building Council in central Ohio, creating an IFMA committee to deal exclusively with issues of sustainability, and offering a special showing of Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore’s award winning documentary on global warming.