Senior living communities across the nation are turning to a variety of green initiatives to save millions of dollars. From changes such as using LED light bulbs, to installing green roofs, communities are finding countless ways to save money while positively impacting the environment and, in some cases, improving or protecting the health of residents.
Both new and old buildings are able to take on green initiatives to improve efficiencies. Turning buildings green is a costly task, but the return on investment makes it well worth it. There are numerous examples of organizations that have already invested in a variety of energy-efficient technologies and green initiatives for their senior living communities. Many common changes, such as lighting retrofits or insulation sealing, recover their original cost within two to five years of installation.
Transforming an existing building into an energy-friendly community or constructing a new green building can be a costly investment, but there are often outside sources to help fund these initiatives. Many states have policies and funds to support environmentally friendly initiatives and oftentimes this is a perfect place to start looking for funding and support.
Communities that have already taken the plunge to go green encourage other communities to begin the process by getting an energy audit. This allows communities to understand just how much energy they are using, or in many cases wasting, and how much money they are spending on energy.
Although there are numerous senior living communities that have invested in these initiatives already, there are countless opportunities to expand their work and also bring these initiatives to new communities.
Source:
