36161850 go-green-initiative

GO GREEN INITIATIVE

Go Green Initiative
Submitted to:-
Prof. Reema Mohanty
On

13th May 2010

Indian Business Academy

Submitted by:-

Amit Dandapath-FPBO911/009

Internal Purpose Only(IBA) ©Amit Dandapath Page 1

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Apart from the efforts of mine, the success of this project depends largely on
the encouragement and guidelines of many others. I take this opportunity to
express my gratitude to the people who have been instrumental in the
successful completion of this project.
I would first like to thank our CEO, Mr. Manish Jain, and Dean, Dr. Subhash
Sharma for being so encouraging and helpful throughout my report work .
I would also like to express my profound gratitude to Prof. Reema Mohanty
for her constant and valuable suggestions while doing the project work.
Without her encouragement and guidance this project would not have
materialized.

CEO DEAN

M.Comm Faculty

INDEX

GO GREEN INITIATIVE

S. No Contents Page No
1 Introduction 4
2 Objective 6
3 Why Are Firms going Green? 6
4 What can be the available options 7
5 Rising challenges 10
6 Global Megatrends 11
7 How to achieve green growth? 12
8 Sector Segments - Alternative 14
9 Green Building 16
10 Features of Green Buildings 16
11 Green building perspectives & bottom line benefits 19
12 Green building in a down economy 21
13 Successful commercial green building projects 22
14 Green marketing 23
15 Conclusion 27
16 Bibliography 28

1. Introduction

As the world is facing problems with global warming and problem of
climate change there is pressure from the developed countries on the developing


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countries to reduce their carbon footprint and help reduce the impact on the
environment. The world has a fixed amount of natural resources - some of
which are already depleted. So as population growths there is great strain on our
finite resources. So the first step in this cause is to become sustainable and
reduce the environmental impact and focus on going green as it has many
benefits other than cost associated benefits.

Based on significant research and input from experts in the field,
including the advisory panel convened to help guide this study, Pew has
developed the following definition: A clean energy economy generates jobs,
businesses and investments while expanding clean energy production,
increasing energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste and
pollution, and conserving water and other natural resources. The clean energy
economy comprises five categories: (1) Clean Energy; (2) Energy Efficiency;
(3) Environmentally Friendly Production; (4) Conservation and Pollution
Mitigation; and (5) Training and Support. As a Renewable Energy service
provider targeting emerging markets, Green Power Renewable Energy will
compete in the industry known as Renewable for Sustainable Power (RSP). RSP
is a small, but fast-growing subset of the gigantic global energy industry, which
is currently experiencing an economic revolution. One significant characteristic
of this revolution has been astonishing growth. Over the past ten years, for
instance, the world's demand for electricity has increased by 40 percent. Experts
predict that, as industrialization sweeps developing countries, current demand
could triple by 2020. Because so many new electricity users live in remote
areas, most of this increased demand has been, and will continue to be, serviced
by RE, As a result, renewable are by far the fastest growing segment of world
energy use. The second trend of importance is the American Clean Energy and
Security Act of 2009, a bipartisan legislation effort to p osition the U.S. to lead
the development of clean energy by ensuring that commercial financing for
clean, new technologies is readily available for future energy use right here in
America. A strong renewable electricity standard (RES) is an essential
component of any comprehensive national energy policy, not just an important
part of such a strategy, but an essential component. A national RES also will
reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, increase our energy security, and enhance
the reliability of the electricity grid by creating more homegrown renewable
energy. Rapidly ramps up clean, domestic sources of electricity by requiring the
gradual increase of the amount of renewable energy utilities produce. Sellers of
electricity must obtain the following percentages of their electricity from
renewable energy resources or from energy efficiency improvements .

YEAR __ %
2011-2013««««..3


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2014-2016««««. 6
2017-2018««««. 9
2019-2020«««« 12
2021-2039«««« 15

An aspiration goal of limiting global temperature increase to 2 degrees
Celsius, broad terms have been formulated for the reporting and verification of
countries actions; a collective commitment by developed countries for $30
billion in ³new and additional´ resources in 2010 -2012 to help devel oping
countries reduce emissions, preserve forests, and adapt to climate change; and a
goal of mobilizing $100 billion a year in public and private finance by 2020 to
address developing county needs.

To meet the above goals of the Copenhagen summit the gov ernment has
to develop alternative projects, such as solar or wind energy or reforestation to
reduce the carbon footprint. Government agency alone cannot do, it can only be
done with the help of the private sector. There is immense pressure from the
Central Pollution Control Board on the Business ,the companies should take this
in positive terms in with if they focus on these objectives they can benefit
themselves not just short term but in longer and much broader perceptive and
create new opportunities of this they should focus on convocation that will help
the business to grow and make them more competitive in long term, these
initiative should range from layout change , operating activities to build green
buildings so as reduce the impact on environment and will meet the business
needs effectively.

2. Objective

y Why the companies are going green.
y To find a green business model that can be applied to different business
y How the companies become self sufficient in carry in out their operation.


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y Market research on green marketing.

3. Why Are Firms going Green?

Firms are implementing go green in their systems, policies and
products due to economic and noneconomic pressures from their
consumers, business partners, regulators, citizen group and other
stakeholders. Some of the other reasons may include.

y Some scholar claim that green policies/products are profitable : green
policies can reduce costs; green firms can shape future regulations and
reap first mover advantage.
y Now a day firms are becoming more concerned about their social
responsibilities. They have taken S.R as a good strategic move to build up
an image in the heart of Consumers. Even the socially responsible firms
are getting leverage, whenever they intend to enter into foreign countries.
There is example of firms like HCL, TCS, Infosys; these are heavily
promoting them as environmentally concerned firms, so as to get
important client abroad as well as domestic contracts.
y Change in customers attitude: with increasing concern about
environment, consumers attitude towards firms having green policies or
green products are becoming motivating factor.
y Governmental pressure: in all most all civilized countries Govt. has the
law to protect the consumers and the environment from the harmful
goods or byproducts and ensure through law that all types of consumers
have the ability to evaluate the environmental composition of goods.
Govt. established several regulations to control the amount of hazardous
waste produced by firms and many by-products of production are
controlled through the issuing of various environmental licenses, thus
shaping the behavior organization towards more socially responsible one.
Government has designed guidelines in such a way that consumer would
have appropriate information which would enable them to evaluate
organization¶s environmental claims.

y Competitive pressure: competition is the integral part of business; and
one can¶t over-look any competitive action taken by the competitor. So to
be in the market one has to have a vigil over your competitor¶s move for
marketing its products.

y Cost or profit issue: firms may also use green strategy so as to have a
control over the cost associated with waste disposal. Therefore firms that


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would able to introduce green -practices by not inculcating or lesser use of
harmful ingredients would able to reduce its operating cost to a
considerable extend.

4. What can be the available options

If you are looking for ways to put a little green in your wallet by putting
some green in your portfolio, you might be surprised at the wide range of
offerings available for your consideration. Let's take a look at 10 interesting
areas, which are highlighted below.

Wind
Windmill farms are sprouting up around the world. Australia, Europe and
the United States are all investing in wind as a l eading source of renewable
energy. The business of wind not only includes the generation and sale of
power, but also the design and construction of wind turbines. Few countries rely
on wind for more than a tiny fraction of their power generation need, but many
countries are interested in the possibility.

If this is of interest to you, look for wind farm companies that sell wind-
generated energy or companies that produce the windmill technology. There are
few pure play stocks that deal in wind in the U.S. , which will likely change over
time, but companies like General Electric have a presence in this market.

Water
One of the most important natural resources we have is water as it is a
necessity in our survival. However, there has been a lot of fear that we are
running out of clean water sources as the global population continues to grow.
To investors this has created a clear opportunity to invest in companies that
collect, clean and distribute water. The largest water utility company in the U.S.
is Aqua America, which supplies water to nearly 3 million people. Another
company in the industry, on the purification side, is ITT Industries, which
produces water purification systems that help to make drinkable water.

To see the power of water, one needs look n o further than China's
massive Three Gorges Dam project. While this $25 billion structure on the


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Yangtze River will be the largest hydroelectric power station in the world, it's
sure not the only one. Hydropower involves a lot of technology, a lot of
infrastructure and a lot of power-hungry customers. Every one of those areas
holds potential opportunities for investors. On the power side, two publically
traded producers include PG&E Corp. which has one of the largest hydro
operations and which has 17 hydro projects. (For related reading, see

Solar Energy
Solar energy is powering homes, buildings and a variety of other items
from lights to radios. As the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise and their
availability continues to decline, the future looks bright for solar energy.
If you think the sun is just starting to rise on this industry the companies
to look at are those that produce solar energy panels, which will benefit if
homeowners and businesses adopt solar technology. Two of the leading
producers of solar panels are Evergreen Solar and Sun power Corp. which
develop, manufacture and sell panels and components and will directly benefit
from the increased adoption of solar power.

Fuel Cells
On a smaller scale, researchers are working with fuel cell technology to
develop an alternative method of powering automobiles. The U.S. government
hopes that hydrogen powered cars will be commonplace by 2020. If this
technology works, there are millions of cars - and millions of consumers -
waiting for it.
If you think this is the type of energy is the wave of the future there are a
few companies that operate in the space and and develop fuel cell technology.
For example, some of the largest producers include Ballard Power Systems
which produces cells that can be used in from cars to power plants, and Fuel
Cell Energy which focuses on providing power options to commercial and
industrial facilities.

Efficiency
Just about every aspect of efficiency is good for the environment. Energ y
efficient construction and appliances reduce home energy use and energy
efficient cars reduce our dependence on oil. From efficient lighting to creating
the paperless office, innovative companies are developing innovative products
that maximize the benef it that we get from the resources that we use. Efficiency
is the watchword of the day and a developing field that will create the

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technologies that we will use tomorrow.
This area is a little more difficult to invest in as there are no real pure play
companies dealing strictly in efficiency. However, there are some companies
that have done a great job at leveraging efficiency such as General Electric with
its Ecomagination business unit.

Pollution Controls

Reduction is the key term here. From reducing green house gas emissions
on industrial power plants to minimizing the emissions that come out of the
tailpipe of your car, the pollution control industry is on the rise. Every time
legislation mandates an improvement in the amount of some harmful chemical
that can be released into the environment, the pollut ion control industry
responds. If this is something you are concerned about, look for companies that
develop pollution control technologies such as Fuel-Tech and Versar.

Waste Reduction

Recycling has become a standard practice for many people in recent
decades. The stuff that was formerly thrown away and trucked off to the landfill
is now turned into useful products. Most people are aware that household
products such as paper, metal and glass are reprocessed and reused, but they
never stop to consider the business behind these endeavors. Of course, these
aren't the only items that are reused; waste oil, vegetable oil, batteries, cell
phones, computers and even parts from cars can have a second life. Rec ycling
these items involves a business enterprise humming along in the backgriound.

In terms of your portfolio, waste management companies with a large
base of recycling facilities may be of interest including companies such as
Allied Waste Industries and waste management.

Organics

Organic farms eschew the use of pesticides, engage in sustainable
farming practices and sell products that are often healthier to eat than the stuff
composed of three-syllable words that you can't pronounce and a shelf -life
measured in decades. They also engage in animal management practices that
avoid the use of hormones and antibiotics, keeping those chemicals out of the
food chain and out of the ground and water surrounding the farms .


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Best In Class

For many companies, the urge to go green is a relatively recent
phenomenon. Like change everywhere, some firms adapt and some don't.
Investment managers in the "green" space have begun to categorize firms by the
place they hold along the "green" spectrum. Take oil companies fo r example.
One would be hard pressed to think of these firms as green, and for the most
part, they aren't. But if you take a closer look at their business models, it is easy
to see that some are greener than others. Choosing the firms with the best
environmental records And practices is another way of looking at ³green´

How to Grow a Green Portfolio

If a "green" investment catches your eye, there are plenty of ways to find
a place for it in your portfolio. Mutual funds, exchange -traded funds, stocks,
bonds and even money market funds that focus on the environment are all
available.

5. Rising challenges

Over the next four years, UNIDO will continue to pursue its overarching
development objective of industrial development for poverty reduction,
inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. It will promote
capacity development, technology transfer, policy and institutional support,
gender mainstreaming and sustainability, with the aim of enhancing growth,
competitiveness and wealth creation in developing countries. Wealth creation,
said Yumkella, is key in the fight against poverty. To better respond to the
challenges of today, the Director-General emphasized three cross-organizational
initiatives: industrial upgrading and enterprise competitiveness for existing
industries in developing countries; greening industry; and South-South
cooperation.

Many African countries are rich in raw materials, so rural development and
value addition have to be addressed in order to foster economic growth. The
next four years will be challenging. Focus will be on change management,
knowledge management, results -based management, field effectiveness and
staff mobility, and accountability Of these, change management is a lynchpin.

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UNIDO has accomplished much in the past four years, but needs to continue
doing more, and doing better. The Director-General closed his speech with an
urgent plea to Member States to invest in the Organization and give it the
resources it needs to achieve its aims.

6. Global Megatrends

The world¶s economic slowdown is not the only issue affecting developing
countries as they strive to build their economies and improve living standards.
In his speech, the Director-General discussed these so-called µglobal
megatrends¶ and their implications. Here is an outline:

1) Food, fuel and financial crises continue to strain fragile economies.
Loss of exports, reduced growth and concomitant rising unemployment is
resulting in deepening poverty for many. Meanwhile, food prices have
increased by more than 50 per cent over the past three years and the long-
term trend for fuel prices is upwards.
2) Demographics rapid population growth in developing countries means
increased demand for food and fuel. In 1959, Africa¶s population was
estimated at 221 million. In 2009, it reached one billion and continues to
increase rapidly.
3) Illicit economy is growing worldwide. Statistics show that poverty, and
the lack of jobs and economic prospects for growing populations, is
linked to an increase in crime and illegal migration.
4) Climate change is the defining global trend of our time. Developing
countries are suffering most from the effects of global warming even
though they contribute the least to greenhouse gas emissions.
5) Green growth and green industry energy access is crucial for
development, economic growth and poverty reduction. Developing
countries are ready to adopt clean technologies and build green industry,
but they need international help to do so.
6) Globalization is creating greater interdependence and market
connectivity, but not all developing countries and regions are growing at
the same pace. Some are booming while in others the share of global
trade has grown only slightly in the past decade.


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7. How to achieve green growth?

A. Innovation

The proceedings got under way with an inspirational presentation by
Gunter Pauli on ³how to respond to the basic needs of all, with what we have´.
Pauli listed case after case in which small, unlikely ideas have grown into
powerful expressions of self-sufficiency, generating jobs and revenue, while
being environmentally sound and sustainable. Referring to organic waste, he
said: ³Natural systems never throw things into a landfill or use an incinerator.´
³But in coffee growing, for example, we have developed a consumption pattern
in which we only give value to 0.2 per cent. That¶s what ends up in our coffee
cup. The rest is waste,´ Pauli said. He then described a programmer in
Colombia, which converts coffee bean husks into a substrate for growing
shitake mushrooms. After the mushrooms have been harvested, the spent
substrate is used as animal feed. Today, in countries like Zimbabwe, women are
working with this method, building up businesses along with self-confidence,
providing jobs and food for the local population, and generating revenues from
the coffee that is exported. ³In future the lateral mind will be one of the keys.
It¶s the linkages between ideas and technologies, that is when innovation
comes,´ agreed Gerard Evenden. He said the essence of Masdar City, the global
clean technology cluster in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, of which he is
designer, is innovation. Currently, seven per cent of the energy needed to run
Masdar, a city of 100,000 people, is produced from the waste generated by
those people. ³Innovation is not about technology,´ said Deborah Wince-Smith.
³I would define innovation as the integration of imagination, ideas, ingenuity,
and impact. Together we have transformational power. Every human being can
be an innovator.´ She also pointed out that by 2020, 80 per cent of global
consumers will be outside of the developed world, so globalization and
integration must work in cooperation, not competition

B. New thinking needed

A new way of thinking is called for ± thinking green, said Suzana Kahn
Ribeiro. ³Public awareness is very important. Consumers are now becoming
aware of environmental problems and they are demanding other kinds of
products,´ she observed. ³The most challenging thing is to help people learn
how to live in a greener manner, change their behavior. We must invest in
raising awareness in people.´ For Wince-Smith, the focus has to be on making
the business case. ³One of my concerns about the climate issue
is that we still have to think about energy security. If we delink energy security
and the need for energy for every single thing we do and only talk about the


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climate challenge, we are creating an unsustainable model for global support,´
she said. ³Firstly, let¶s look at energy efficiency. We have to link innovations to
the demand and business case and cultural attitudes if we want to move
forward.´ ³It¶s a matter of basic market conditions,´ remarked Ola Alter ³In
Sweden, we are about to phase out fossil fuels completely from the heating
sector. It¶s basically using waste heat and energy in a more intelligent way, but
it would not have been possible without a high CO2 tax. The ecological cost
was reflected in the market. So we are changing the whole heating sector .

C. Technology transfer

Developed countries continue to export old technologies to the developing
world, Evenden pointed out. He said that energy-wasting buildings with single-
glazed windows are still being constructed around the world. There need to be
export controls on old technology. Ribeiro said that some multinational
companies prefer to build factories in countries with weak legislation so that the
product can be cheaper. What is needed is to build institutional capacities in the
least developed countries in order to create a business envir onment that can
attract innovative solutions and avoid the transfer of old technologies. ³The rich
countries can afford to waste, although they should not for moral reasons. The
poor countries can¶t afford to waste,´ noted von Weizsäcker. ³It¶s the duty of
the rich countries to cooperate with poor countries in terms of technology, etc.,
to make efficiency and sustainability worldwide issues and not just those of the
technologically-advanced.´ Referring to Pauli¶s discussion of biomass, Alterå
observed that the solutions are not always to be found in sophisticated
technology. There was so much to be achieved on the ground and in that sense
he was optimistic about green growth.

8. Sector Segments - Alternative

A. Building retrofits

An average-sized single-family home in the United States would require
an investment of as little as $2,500 in energy-efficiency retrofits to produce a
cost savings in the range of 30 percent per year.( 7) This would involve caulking
to plug air leaks in the house and adding insulation to attics and basement
ceilings. For an additional $2,500, further energy savings are available through
replacing windows with air leaks and installing energy efficient appliances.


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Despite these potential savings, most homeowners have not retrofitted their
homes because they are unaware of the costs savings available to them or they
cannot afford the upfront expenses and time commitment involved. But these
barriers to retrofit investments will come down through the specific government
spending programs that finance retrofits, the building codes that establish higher
efficiency standards in buildings, and the more general regulatory environment
that raises the costs of burning conventional fossil fuels. As the market becomes
more extensive and efficient, this will further encourage new investment in
retrofits. In particular, banks, utility companies and various types of nonprofit
groups will increasingly organize themselves to supply the upfront financing for
these projects. In addition, construction crews wil l begin to organize their
services to take advantage of the expanding opportunities. The potential market
for building retrofits is huge. There are roughly 110 million occupied housing
units in the United States, including 80 million single-family detached homes,
as well as smaller numbers of a) ached units, apartments, and trailers. As a
rough approximation, assuming an average investment in retrofits would be
around $4,000 per unit implies an overall potential market of $400 billion. We
would then add the corresponding market for non-residential structures. The
U.S. Green Building Council surveyed the existing stock of these structures in
2008, including all educational buildings, hospitals, retail outlets, and office
buildings of various sorts. They estimated the costs of retrofitting all of these
buildings at $358 billion.

B. Cogeneration

Energy cogeneration systems utilize the heat generated by industrial
processes to generate electricity on-site. These systems therefore offer a
significant means for utilizing available energy sources at higher levels of
efficiency, These investments will thus be encouraged" along with other energy
efficiency investments "through regulations that set a cap on carbon emissio ns
and subsequent increases in conventional fossil fuel prices. The Energy
Information Administration projects that investment in on-site cogeneration is
expected to grow by about 40 percent between 2007 and 2030 . It is reasonable
to expect that this will roughly entail an additional $5 billion in inv estment each
year.

C. Renewable energy

Investments in renewable energy "wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and
hydroelectric power" will aim at advancing technologies to the point where they
are fully cost-competitive with conventional fossil fuels, and to integrate these
cost-competitive technologies into the U.S. economy¶s ongoing operations. This
will also proceed across the range of markets in which renewable energy

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sources are viable including on- and off-grid electricity generation, non-
electricity forms of energy generation, and alternative fuels.

D. Nonelectric renewable energy

Electricity represents only one form of renewable energy that final users
can generate themselves. There are other forms of decentralized renewable
energy production such as geothermal pumps, solar hot water systems and even
wood-burning stoves, in which individual households and businesses alike
could invest. If we assume that the investment in these nonelectrical forms of
energy production is roughly equivalent to investment i n renewable electricity
generation by end-users "as calculated by the EIA" then investment by final
users would total about $3 billion per year.

E. Alternative fuels for motor vehicles

Biofuels from non-food sources "for example, cellulosic biofuels" that
can be used for motor vehicle transportation represent another area of growing
clean-energy investment. By 2020, the market for ethanol from a variety of
sources is expected to be about 20 billion gallons per year. To produce one -third
of this quantity of ethanol from cellulosic sources by 2020, additional
investment of about $50 billion would be needed over 10 year s, or about $5
billion per year.

9. Green Buildings
Currently, conventional buildings in the U.S. have an enormous carbon
footprint (see table 1)1 which can be prevented and reversed through the
construction of new and retrofitting of existing buildings to be environmentally
friendly, or ³green.´2 Green buildings are designed, constructed, and operated
to maximize operational efficiency and minimize environmental impact. There
are several different green elements that can be incorporated into a building that
not only reduce environmental impact but have also proven to be cost effective
investments.


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Green Buildings are the Friendly Structures sustainable building, is the
practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally
responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from
sitting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renova tion, and
deconstruction. This practice expands and complements the classical building
design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort.

Now, it is beyond imagination, how much damage has been inflicted on
earth by the construction of various types of buildings using sand and water
from the rivers, stones from the mountains, cement manufactured from the
ingredients dug from the land. In addition, carbon emission from the buildings
and manufacture of construction materials warm up the air and spa ce.

The concept of Green Buildings envision a new approach to save water,
energy and material resources in the construction and maintenance of the
buildings and can reduce or eliminate the adverse impact of buildings on the
environment and occupants .

10. Features of Green Buildings

1. Rainwater recovery systems
y Rainwater and other non-potable water such as condensation can
be recycled for toilet flushing and site irrigation
2. Occupancy sensors that ensure lights turn off when not in use
3. ³Green´ cleaning products
4. Cool roof
y materials with highly reflective coating on the roof that allow the
hottest rays to bounce off
5. Recycling and solid waste management programs
6. Strategic landscaping
y Select plans that require little water and maintenance
7. Tinted windows
y Maximize natural light while blocking heat
8. Low-flow fixtures and waterless urinals
9. Preferred parking for high efficiency vehicles
10. Highly energy efficient HVAC systems
11. Low or no-volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and adhesives
12. Solar panels
13. Bicycle storage


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14. Location suited to take advantage of mass transit

Concept cross section of a Green Building
A. Land: The landscaping and the exterior design in a green building shall
be in such a way that there is more shaded area, the light trespass is
eliminated and local species of plants are grown.
B. Water: The green building by its design and shape shall not disrupt the
natural water flows, it should orient and stand just likes a tree. Rain
falling over the whole area of the complex shall be harvested in full either
to replenish the ground water table in and around the building or to be
utilized in the services of the building. The toilets shall be fitted with low
flesh fixtures. The plumbing system should have separate lines for
drinking and flushing. Grey water from kitchenette, bath and laundry
shall be treated and reused for gardening or in cooling towers of air
conditioning.
C. Energy: The solar energy at the top of a green building is harvested to
supplement the conventional energy,. The natural light is harvested in the
intermediate floors to minimize the usage of electricity. Sunlight is
restricted by the high grown trees outside the lower floors of the building.
High efficiency light fixtures make a pleasant lighting apart from saving
the energy. High-efficiency windows and insulation in walls, ceilings,
and floors are used for the benefit of better temperature control.

Green buildings improve internal environment for the occupants

A. Light: In a designed green building the occupants shall feel as if they are
in outdoor location. The interior and exterior designs shall go hand in
hand by blending the natural and artificial lighting and presenting
transparent views wherever possible.
B. Air: In the air conditioned environment, a green building shall be
specially equipped to ensure the Indoor Air Quality for a healthy
atmosphere. Even the nasal feelings shall be pleasant free from the odor
of paints and furnishings.

Green buildings preserve the environment at places far away from the
buildings.


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We all know that a building is constructed using cement, sand, steel,
stones, bricks, and a lot of finishing materials. These materials are quarried or
procured from far away from the location of the buildings. Building materials
are responsible for about 20 percent of the greenhouse gasses emitted by a
building during its lifetime. Green buildings shall use the products that are non-
toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable wherever possible. Locally
manufactured products are preferred so that the collective material environment
of the locality remains a constant and moreover the fuel for the transport of
materials is saved.

As we see, our food and domestic products are tagged with green as a
fashion of eco friendly practices; building materials are also going green. The
futuristic green buildings are to use green materi als which are in research stage
now.

A. Green wood: A Stanford team has done a research for wood alternate.
Hemp fibers and biodegradable plastic when pressed together and heated
form layers and this material is as strong as wood. When buried in land
fill, it degrades faster. This wood creates more raw materials when it
breaks down. Microbes produce methane gas when they decompose this
wood substitute and other debris thrown into landfills. Another type of
bacteria absorbs this gas and turns it into plastic that can be used to create
a new wooden plank. By this cycle, there is a continuous source of raw
material for this wood. When this material at research comes to market, it
may help to control deforestation and promote the rainfall.
B. Green Cement: Bruce Constants at Calera, based in Los Gatos, has
developed a green method to produce both cement and aggregate, another
component of Concrete. Their method sequesters Carbon Di Oxide from
power plant flues and mixes the gas with sea water to produce the minera l
raw materials of concrete. For every ton of green cement Calera
manufactures half a ton of fly ash from coal plants is used apart from
preventing production and emission of Carbon Di Oxide.
C. Other Green Building materials: Renewable plant materials like
bamboo (because bamboo grows quickly) and straw, lumber from forests
ecology blocks, dimension stone, recycled stone, recycled metal are some
of the other materials used in a Green Building.

ENERGY STAR for Buildings Space Types Applicable for Commercial
Real Estate:


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1. Offices
2. Retail stores
3. Hospitals
4. Hotels/motels
5. Supermarkets/grocery stores
6. Banks/financial institutions
7. Medical office

11. Green building perspectives & bottom line benefits

The question of whose responsibility it is to transform commercial real estate
into a sustainable industry has been eagerly debated over the past decade. While
some feel it is a task for developers¶, others assert that if owners and tenants
demand it, green buildings will become readily available in response. Although
all sides of the debate have valid grounds, the reality is that the responsibility of
greening the industry rests in the hands of everyone involved.
Developers

Speak with any developer and they will tell you that their goal is to
deliver to their client the best building a specified budget and a defined time
frame will allow. Some claim that green buildings are virtually impossible to
build as a result of these strict limitations, especially in tough economic times
when clients are watching every extra dolla r a project requires. While this
justification may have been relevant in the past, when green construction
materials had a premium due to the lack of knowledge and availability in the
industry, it is no longer germane. Now that the costs of green building materials
are becoming competitive with conventional materials, developers who
previously dismissed green buildings should take a second look. Green
buildings have been sustainably designed and constructed within roughly the
same budgets and time frames as conventional building projects across the
country. Decreased material costs coupled with cost sensitive, strategic choices
of integrated sustainable design elements have made green buildings a superior
investment.

Although developers must make an initial investment to learn green
building techniques, they can gain a fairly complete understanding from
completing a single project. It is highly recommended to seek assistance from a
green building consultant or have someone knowledgeable about green bu ilding
on the project team. After this initial obstacle is accomplished, green building


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practices have proven to be easily adaptable and as straightforward as
conventional approaches. The investment in education can be quickly recovered
through profits made from an increase in the number of projects acquired
simply because of green building knowledge. Studies have also shown a
willingness of companies to pay more for green space. A 2007 study conducted
by the Jones Lang LaSalle firm surveyed corporate comme rcial buyers¶ demand
for green space and found that 77% would pay more for green office space.
additionally; a 2008 Costar Group study found buildings that earned the
ENERGY STAR sell on average for $61 per square foot more than comparable
non-green buildings

Owners

In the slow yet necessary process of constructing and converting
buildings into environmentally conscious, sustainable operations, owners net
leasing their buildings may feel as though they are incurring the bulk of the cost
while their tenants reap the evident financial benefits. Although this is true to
some extent, owners of net leased properties have the opportunity to realize key
benefits which make ³greening´ their buildings financially and economically
sensible. Owners that make the decision to green their properties sooner rather
than later have the potential to benefit from some government incentives and a
clear competitive advantage, both of which will inevitably slowly dissolve as
more buildings are greened and exceedingly feasible government mandates are
implemented.

Tenants across the nation are beginning to demand the greening of space
they lease due to the economic, environmental and human health benefits green
buildings offer. A survey of tenants conducted in breaker¶ factor in their
location decisions.11 Forward -thinking top U.S. companies (and excellent
tenants) which have started to operate out of USGBC LEED certified or
ENERGY STAR labeled buildings includes:

Walgreens Pizza Fusion Starbucks
REI PNC Bank Subway
Chipotle Mexican Grill Best Buy McDonalds
Whole Foods Office Depot Staples

Commercial real estate owners of green buildings can gain a competitive
advantage by securing and retaining high quality, desired tenants. Recent
studies show that green buildings generally have higher occupancy rates and
rents. For example, a 2008 Costar Group study 12 found that LEED certified
buildings have a 4.1% higher occupancy rate and rent for $11.33 per square foot
more than conventional buildings.

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12. Green building in a down economy

Despite the current down economy, the overall green building movement
continues to experience growth. One can draw this conclusion by simply
looking at the numbers. For example, Green build, the world¶s largest
conference and expo dedicated to green building, had more than 28,000
attendees in 2008, which is an increase of 25% from Green build 2007.
Moreover, in April of 2003, a mere 84 buildings had received LEED
certification. The most recent number of certified projects released by the
USGBC was 2,878 in May of 2009. This number will only continue to grow,
evidenced by the 21,252 projects currently registered seeking LEED
certification. The sustained growth in this sector may be baffling to those who
believe in sticking to what they know during hard economic times; however,
departure from conventional buildings may be exactly what is needed.

Green buildings pave the way for businesses to prosper through a triple
bottom line encompassing financial, social and environmental goals, which has
proven an endearing strategy during hard economic times. Some industry
professionals have recognized this economic climate as the perfect opportunity
to ³green´ business and use triple bottom line benefits to save money and gain a
competitive advantage as other options are less obvious. A recent study released
by A.T Kearney found that companies focused on sustainability outperformed
industry averages by 15% during the current financial crisis.7The green
building movement will continue to grow as more companies recognize that a
small upfront investment in ³green´ can assist in retaining value and provide
protection from a volatile market.

13. Successful commercial green building projects

PNC Bank ± LEED Certified

Currently, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. has more certified green
buildings than any other company on earth.8 As of June 2009; the company had
achieved USGBC LEED certification for 66 buildings.

Ways LEED certification has benefited PNC¶s bottom line:


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1. According to Gary Saulson, PNC¶s corporate real estate director, PNC
has been able to build green branches for $2.6 million, which is
approximately $100,000 less than some competitors are spending on
comparable non-green branches.
y More than 50% of each branch is made from recycled materials,
including flooring, wall coverings, and carpet. Many of these
recycled materials cost less than non -recycled products.
2. Energy usage in PNC¶s green branches is reduced by 50% or more
compared to non -green branches due to high-efficiency systems and
insulation and maximum use of natural light (which has also been
associated with positive consumer response).
3. Water usage in green branches is reduced by 6,200 gallons a year.

Walgreens ± LEED Registered

Walgreens, the largest drugstore chain in the U.S., opened their first (and
the first) environmentally friendly drugstore on June 24th, 2009 in Mira Mesa,
California. It has registered with the USGBC and expects to receive LEED
certification within 4 to 6 months. The company has plans to open three more
LEED certified locations by the end of 2009, one of which is located in
Chicago. In 2007, Walgreens began taking a sustainable approach to reduce
their carbon footprint and save money by installing solar panel systems at select
locations. The perusal of green building certification further solidifies the
company¶s serious commitment to people, the environment, and achieving
economic advancement through efficient measures.

As the green Mira Mesa Walgreens location just opened a few weeks ago,
specific quantitative financial benefits achieved have yet to be revealed. The
company has stated that the store managed to reduce lighting related energy use
by 50% through the use of skylights, solar tubes, LED lights and highly
efficient coolers and freezers. The building¶s µwhite roof¶,11 another green
feature, will significantly reduce cooling related energy use. Furthermore, all
landscaping was done with native plants, which will require no watering
whatsoever. The environmentally friendly building has already generated a
great deal of free publicity for the company, yet another reason Walgreens made
an excellent decision to build to LEED standards.

In the company¶s 2008 social respon sibility report, financial savings
realized through already in place environmentally friendly measures were
discussed. For example, the company saved $5.7 million in energy costs by


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using high-efficiency fluorescent lighting in over 6,000 stores. The compa ny¶s
green building plans were also briefly touched upon and will hopefully be
evaluated from both a financial and environmental stand point in the 2009
report.

14. Green marketing

The promotion of environmentally safe or beneficial products as result new
³green´ products were introduced that were less damaging to the environment.
Divergent aspects of green marketing include ecologically safer products,
recyclable and biodegradable packaging, energy -efficient operations, and better
pollution controls. Advances produced from green marketing include packaging
made from recycled paper, phosphate -free detergents, refillable containers for
cleaning products, and bottles using less plastic.

As today¶s consumers become more conscious of the natural environment,
businesses are beginning to modify their own thoughts and behavior in an
attempt to address the concerns of consumers. Green marketing is becoming
more important to businesses because of the consumer¶s genuine concerns about
our limited resources on the earth. By implementing green marketing measures
to save the earth¶s resources in production, packaging, and operations,
businesses are showing consumers they too share the same concerns, boosting
their credibility

Green marketing , also alternatively known as environmental marketing
and sustainable marketing, refers to organization.s efforts at designing,
promoting, pricing and distributing products that will not harm the environment

Positive aspects of green marketing
y a good green marketing program is one that either: adds
renewables that would not already be added or supports renewable
projects that might not otherwise continue to operate . If these
things are already happening and being paid for by all, then the
program doesn't meet the bottom -line test: green marketing
programs must make a difference.


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y A sign of a good green marketing program is one that has strong
links to local environmental groups and that achieves broad
support among regional and national grou ps with an interest in
promoting renewable power.

y A green marketer that is seriously interested in greening the
electric system will have a program that is linked to a larger vision
and a strategic plan for making renewable an increasingly larger
part of the generation mix.

y For green marketing programs to be successful in the long run,
they should both improve the environment and be fair to
consumers. Prices should not be excessively higher than the actual
cost of the resources in the portfolio. This is particularly true for
green pricing programs, which are scrutinized by regulators, and in
imperfectly competitive markets, because in these cases, there is
no real competition in the green market.

Negative aspects of green marketing

y Selling green power at a mark-up that would have been produced
anyway with the cost shared by all.
y Programs that do not in some way directly benefit the renewable
generator. An example of this would be a utility that has an
existing power purchase contract with a renewable gener ator, but
does not flow any benefit through to the generator.
y Programs that make false claims and do not adequately inform
consumers about the nature of their product. For example, selling
"nuclear and coal free" power when consumer money are sent to a
nuclear- and coal-owning utility.
y Collecting premiums in exchange for vague promises to build
renewable in the future. Consumers should not be asked to pay for
someone else's investment when they get nothing in return, and
when no tangible benefit to society results.

Green marketing ± adopted by the firms


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Green marketing has been widely adopted by the firms worldwide and the
following are the possible reasons cited for this wide adoption:
1) Opportunities:- As demands change, many firms see these changes as an
opportunity to be exploited and have a competitive advantage over firms
marketing non-environmentally responsible alternatives. Some example of firms
who have strived to become more environmentally responsible, in an attempt to
better satisfy their consumer needs are:
y McDonald's replaced its clam shell packaging with waxed paper because
of increased consumer concern relating to polystyrene production and
Ozone depletion.
y Tuna manufacturers modified their fishing techniques because of the
increased concern over driftnet fishing, and the resulting death of
dolphins.
y Xerox introduced a "high quality" recycled photocopier paper in an
attempt to satisfy the demands of firms for less environmentally harmful
products.

2) Social responsibility :- Many firms are beginning to realize that they are
members of the wider community and therefore must behave in an
environmentally responsible fashion thus resulting in environmental issues
being integrated into the firm's corporate culture.

An example of a firm that does not promote its environmental initiatives
is Coca-Cola which invested large sums of money in various recycling
activities, as well as having modified their packaging to minimize its
environmental impact. Another firm who is very environmentally res ponsible
but does not promote this fact, at least outside the organization, is Walt Disney
World (WDW) with an extensive waste management program and
infrastructure.

3) Governmental pressure :- governmental regulations relating to
environmental marketing a re designed to protect consumers through regulations
designed to control the amount of hazardous wastes produced by firms by
issuing of various environmental licenses, thus modifying organizational
behavior. In some cases governments try to "induce" final consumers to become
more responsible by taxing individuals who act in an irresponsible fashion. For
example in Australia there is a higher gas tax associated with leaded petrol.

4) Competitive pressure:-Another major force in the environmental marketing


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area has been firms' desire to maintain their competitive position. In many cases
firms observe competitors promoting their environmental behaviors and attempt
to emulate this behavior. In some instances this competitive pressure has caused
an entire industry to modify and thus reduce its detrimental environmental
behavior. For example, it could be argued that Xerox's "Revive 100% Recycled
paper" was introduced a few years ago in an attempt to address the introduction
of recycled photocopier paper by other manufacturers. In another example when
one tuna manufacture stopped using driftnets the others followed suit.
5) Cost or profit issues: - Disposing of environmentally harmful by-products,
such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated oil are becoming
increasingly costly and in some cases difficult. In minimizing wastes firms often
develop more effective production processes that reduce the need for some raw
materials thus serving as a double cost savings. In other cases firms attempt to
find end-of-pipe solutions, instead of minimizing waste by trying to find
markets or uses for their waste materials, where one firm's waste becomes
another firm's input of production.

GREEN CODE

G eneralise with care. Consumer behaviour will not necessarily be consistent
across different product types, and particular market segments may respond to
certain issues on the green agenda but not others.

R emember, the validity of a piece of market research is not related to the
degree to which it supports your preferred option.

E xplore the context from which market research data comes. Be clear on the
nature of the sample used, the questions asked, the way i n which responses were
recorded and the time and place from which the responses come.

E nsure that where market research is crossing international borderlines, that the
terminology and interpretation remains consistent. Terms like µ environment¶,
µgreen¶ and µconservation¶ do not always translate precisely between languages.

N eutrality is important. Ensure that when you pose questions to consumers, that
they can make any response without being made to feel guilty or uncomfortable,
and ensure that your own preconceptions about the green agenda (such as an
assumption that green products will cost extra) are not encoded within the
questions.


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15. Conclusion

y Different initiative have been taken to reduce the energy consumption by
different corporate to become sustainable, but to achieve this success
people have to be accountable in terms of the amount of energy utilized
when they are not working.
y Green culture need to develop within the organization so that people can
come up with their ideas that suppo rt sustainability.
y Government organization have to work with the private sector so find
new ways to recycle the e-waste generated
y As the companies are trying to reduce their carbon foot print, their focus
is on effective energy utilization they also have to look into other aspect
of their business, from supply chain to marketing.
y Information technology companies have set the path in reducing their
carbon foot print, and developed a green model which can be applied to
other business sectors.
y Companies with green product have to make the customer aware of their
green product and initiative; they have to make the reports available to
general public.
y Companies have to increases their spending on green initiative so as to
focus on their long term goals.
y Companies also have to pressurize their suppliers to behave in a
environmentally friendly way.
y Companies should look at minimizing environmental harm, not
necessarily eliminating it.
16. Bibliography

www.worldwatch.org

www.gogreenindia.in

www.gogreeninitiative.org

www.greenpeace.com


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www.gogreen.in

www.savetheplanet.com

www.greeninitatives.com

www.greenmarketing.com


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