SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: RESPECT FOR CLIENT EARTH.

 

Hello! After decades of worldwide growth and overconsumption of resources without concern, industries and people alike are looking at the world around us in a new way. Sustainability, or what everyone is calling “being green,” has come into the daily lexicon – and Suffolk is no exception. In my first post I announced Suffolk’s new “Build Smart” positioning. A supporting pillar of that promise is our dedication to implementing and upholding green standards and practices as a company.

 

At Suffolk we understand that there are misconceptions about “being green”. Green is not just recycling, it’s not just climate change, and it’s not just LEED building. These are all components of sustainability, but they don’t tell the whole story. Ideally, sustainability is the convergence of consumer, business and environmental value.

 

There are amazing examples of green innovation all around us that we can learn from and be inspired by. Did we ever think that our discarded water bottles could be used to make World Cup jerseys? Nike did. Did we ever think that capturing body heat from passengers at a metro station could be used to heat an adjacent apartment building? A housing authority in France did. Did we ever think that by just one company being run by 100 percent by renewable energy, creating zero waste and selling products that sustain both people and resources, it could have the impact roughly equivalent to taking four million cars off the road for an entire year? Wal-Mart did. By applying innovative technology, dreaming big and thinking differently, amazing results can and have been produced. People thinking outside of the box can create changes big and small across the globe to benefit the environment.

 
These examples have a purpose. They show us that the construction industry needs a leader. As Wal-Mart found, our customers want a sustainable product, but traditionally the impact of construction is detrimental to the environment. Government agencies, property managers and design teams have started to respond, but there has yet to be a revolution in our industry.

 

At Suffolk, we have a tremendous opportunity to impact an entire industry. I believe our company has the dedication, the forethought and the innovative tools to see opportunities where others see inefficiencies and to show that we can provide clients, our industry and our environment tremendous value – sustainable value. We know that “good for the environment” and “good for business” are not mutually exclusive.

 

Until next time, be well and build smart.