Reduce and Reuse

The following excerpt is from IREM’s publication, A Practical Guide to Green Real Estate Management (IREM © 2009): 

The products purchased for and consumed by your portfolio have an environmental impact from the beginning of the supply chain all the way to the waste stream. Simply adjusting purchasing practices to favor environmentally preferable products and materials can reduce waste at the source, and reusing materials can help you cut down on purchases at the front end. This practical approach is the “Reduce, Reuse” portion of the familiar “3 R’s” mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” 

Reducing involves purchasing products and materials that use fewer resources to reduce waste at the source, as well as using less of these products to begin with. Environmentally preferable products that accomplish these goals may: 

• Be durable and long lasting 
• Be designed to use less raw material in production and packaging 
• Contain recycled content or rapidly renewable materials 

Some environmentally preferable products and materials are available at no cost premium or even save money over the long run. This is especially true for products purchased in bulk to reduce packaging and shipping costs; where purchasing a more durable product enables you to save in replacement costs; or when manufacturers purchase less raw material for their products, achieving cost savings that can be passed on to you, the consumer. Although you may find yourself paying a premium for other green products, you’ll be able to create substantial value through market differentiation no matter what. As more companies with strong purchasing power express a demand for green products, prices will likely drop and products will become increasingly cost competitive with their less-green counterparts. 

Reusing involves finding other uses for products and materials before they can enter the waste stream, whether they’re reused in your buildings or donated to outside organizations. According to the EPA, 2 to 5 percent of the waste stream is potentially reusable. Buying reusable products and getting the most out of them equals cost savings for your portfolio; donating materials for reuse by other organizations can also create value by demonstrating community and environmental responsibility. 

Though many people don’t think about waste management until the “Recycle” phase of the “3 R’s,” a comprehensive sustainability strategy should consider “Reduce, Reuse” as well—meaning managing all materials and products that enter your buildings, as well as those that are discarded from them. 

Integrate these considerations into decisions you make for your portfolio and for your own offices, and be sure to share this knowledge with your tenants to inform their purchasing decisions and office management practices.