SUSTAINABILITY
Building Certifications:
Keeping Our Country Beautiful By: Dusty Muck There are many beautiful states in this amazing country, one would be hard pressed to find more diverse and beautiful views than those found in the United States of America. Choppy waves wash along the shores of Maine. Ancient sequoias grasp at the sun in California. The Blue Ridge Mountains sit in serene sleep throughout the south. The USA is full of awe-inspiring sites and wonders. In my home state of Georgia, daffodils shine bright yellow in the morning sun like little heads looking around announcing the beginning of spring until old dogwoods and azaleas explode into whites and pinks in mature stately landscapes, our country offers some of the most beautiful sights on the planet. Keeping our country beautiful is not a passive pursuit. Actions must take place to sustain our planet and our property managers and owners, are always searching for new ways to protect our environment and reduce the impact the built environment has on our beautiful states. One of these options is through third party programs where properties can become certified for green or healthy
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Insight • Special Issue, 2022
building practices. These third-party certifications identify companies practicing sustainability programs such as LEED and BOMA 360 and creating healthier buildings for their prospective tenants utilizing principles from WELL and Fitwell.
Certified Excellence “It gives people confidence in how the buildings operate and that they are working in a good environment where the ownership cares,” explains Chris Lelle, portfolio chief engineer at Lincoln Properties. “They can be healthy, and they can be more productive in the building. It really does demonstrate that you are doing the right things in the building. We should always be good stewards of our environment and efficiency.” “It’s not just a marketing thing for our leasing agents. Many customers are really jumping on the sustainability bandwagon and I’ve had several customers reach out to me because they’re
