Sustainable Design Saves Health Clubs Money Even without LEED Certification
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Sustainability is more than a trendy addition to the vocabulary of responsible club design and operation. It is a must-have for our crowded planet and is here to stay. However, the question I hear most from club owners is, “How green do I need to be?” It is an appropriate question since club owners are all concerned about their bottom lines. Most for-profit club operators do not have the luxury of taking their commitment to sustainable practices to the highest and most expensive level.
In addition, club owners often ask whether they need a green certification. This is an important decision. In the United States, the official standard of sustainability is the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification program, which offers any one of four optional levels of sustainability.
1. LEED Certification
2. LEED Silver Certification
3. LEED Gold Certification
4. LEED Platinum Certification
None of these certifications comes cheaply. All involve a substantial application and verification process in addition to the design construction and operational upgrades needed to earn the desired level of certification. You will spend a minimum of $50,000 and as much as $150,000 for the application and verification needed to qualify for even the most basic levels of LEED certification.
In addition to these “paper work” expenses, you will spend serious dollars for the design/construction/operational upgrades. Gold or Platinum certification can add as much as 15 percent to 20 percent to the total project development costs. Standard or Silver certification usually can be earned with a 0 percent to 5 percent increase in project cost. Given these substantial costs, the real value of LEED certification to you is worth considering.
If you don’t need the official certification, save those application dollars and just do the smart stuff, enjoy the payback and tell the world your specific story of sustainability. Numerous opportunities exist to implement proven, LEED-validated sustainable measures that save money and improve your member experience.
