Going Green Through Cleaner, Leaner Practices: GreenEfficient LEED Services Steps Up the Stakes in Texas

    HOUSTON, TX, April 08, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- When President Obama signed on the dotted line of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), it didn't just provide hope for the masses. It also provided hope for business owners interested in going green, an especially poignant moment for cities such as Dallas, Houston and Austin, Texas. These cities and others have gone out of their way to be as green and efficient as possible, and their initiatives include LEED certification for commercial facilities - for new construction and existing building retrofits.

"LEED-based green building is an excellent step towards better indoor air quality for health benefits, as well as significantly superior energy efficiency and cost savings," says Rick Walker, a LEED-AP in Houston, Texas. "Unfortunately, after earning LEED certification many property managers and business owners still run things like they would a regular building. This is a big mistake, and often causes many of the benefits that the U.S. Green Building Council advertises to be void."

Rick is also CEO of http://greenefficient.com/ [GreenEfficient LEED Services], and says this is the main reason the company was founded. "While working with a traditional maintenance provider, I started seeing an upswing in LEED facility chatter. Our research with architectural requests for proposals predicted a need for a specialized, integrated maintenance service provider, dedicated to LEED and sustainability. There was also - and still is - a lack of understanding of what to do with a LEED facility post-construction."

He and his team saw a need and filled it, taking nearly thirty years of traditional experience in the building maintenance industry, as well as what he learned as a LEED-AP, to open GreenEfficient LEED Services. GreenEfficient now provides building maintenance and consulting services to LEED and green-inspired facilities in Houston, Austin, Dallas and Corpus Christi.

"With the current economic situation," the CEO explains, "we're seeing a progression toward Energy Star portfolios over LEED portfolios. I think companies that only look at direct cost factors rather than occupant sick days and other indirect variables really leave much on the table and do themselves and their employees a disservice. By narrowing our focus to only LEED and green-inspired facilities, I feel like we're raising the stakes for those businesses by making it easier to get - and stay - LEED compliant."

What's so great about being a LEED facility? "When you look at the marketability of LEED facilities over non-LEED facilities," Rick says, "you'll start to notice that vacancy rates for non-LEED facilities are much higher than for LEED facilities. Based on recent research, one can safely assume that LEED facilities can expect an occupancy spread benefit of at least 4%. In addition, actual maintenance costs can be lower, rents a little higher and so on. For owners and smart managers who understand the benefits, they'll realize another 10 - 15% from the difference between an increased rental base and occupant energy savings estimates."

For more industry information on LEED, green building, green products and energy efficiency, visit GreenEfficient's blog: http://theleed.com

Company Bio:
GreenEfficient is the leader in the LEED building maintenance and operations market. Primarily serving Texas, their LEED Accredited Professionals (LEED-APS) manage commercial facilities using their integrated services portfolio of LEED-compliant janitorial services, Integrated Pest Management services, HVAC maintenance, lawn care services, purchasing oversight, occupant training and USGBC submittal services. Offices in Houston, Austin, Dallas and Corpus Christi enable the most active Texas LEED construction markets to be covered by their specialty services. GreenEfficient works closely with architects, property managers, building owners and engineers to ensure facilities remain LEED-compliant after construction. GreenEfficient was the first service provider which only serves LEED and green-inspired client facilities using their holistic approach.

GreenEfficient is available for comment and interviews. GreenEfficient is based in Houston, Texas and has offices in Austin, Dallas and Corpus Christi. Please contact us via our website (www.greenefficient.com) or phone at 1-877-788-6827 for further information.
Rick Walker, LEED AP
[email protected]
GreenEfficient LEED Services
Phone: 1-877-788-6827
Fax: 1-866-210-1204
blog: http://www.theleed.com
linked in: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickwalkerleedap
website: www.greenefficient.com
1330 Post Oak Boulevard
Suite 1600
Houston, Texas 77056
Offices in Houston | Austin | Dallas | Corpus | The Valley

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