How can older condo buildings go green?
May 23, 2008 BY DAVID MACK - Special to the Sun-Times
How can associations incorporate sustainable or green principles and products into their operations?
Let’s consider suggestions for older buildings from Jim Stoller, president of Building Group, a Chicago-based condominium management company.
Incandescent bulbs in exit signs should be replaced with LED (Light Emitting Diodes), which can save up to $24 per year per fixture. (They are expensive to buy but have a very long life.)
Incandescent hallway lighting, especially the heat-generating halogen bulbs, should be replaced with fluorescents for a savings of up to 70 percent per year.
Fluorescents offer more illumination so it may also be possible to eliminate some of the fixtures.
Movement detection sensors to turn on the lights also can save money.
Any HVAC filters should be cleaned or replaced monthly during peak seasons.
In terms of plumbing, “water conservation should be a priority,” Stoller said.
