Raleigh's Convention Center Goes for LEED

I went to the Raleigh Convention Center for the 120th Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting. I enjoyed the event tremendously, and took some time looking around at all the details incorporated into the building.

Why is the city & county willing to spend so much money on a new LEED certified convention center? It is hard to argue that environmentally conscious building practices make sense, but there are a lot of folks that think pursuing LEED certification isn't worth the cost.

But does that really hold water? I mean, would you buy a house without having an inspector tell you whether it meets the building code? Third party verification of building performance is the best way to demonstrate the building was constructed to the design plans...

How about municipalities demonstrating leadership in environmentally conscious principles? It makes a lot of sense for municipalities and universities to pursue LEED certification because they will likely own and operate the building for decades - plenty of time for the energy savings to offset the upfront costs of LEED certification.

A LEED certified convention center is more than a novel idea. More and more groups are seeking out locations in LEED certified buildings. Raleigh's convention center will likely attract conventions that would have been held elsewhere - simply because of LEED certification.

How about being a national leader? There are a handful of LEED certified convention centers across the U.S. have pursued this certification. Raleigh is now among them.

And what about the health benefits? LEED credits target indoor air quality to reduce the use of materials that contain toxic chemicals - paints, coverings, carpets, counter tops, etc. Remember that new building smell? Those are toxic chemicals out-gassing from the materials inside the building. I took some time to notice there was no 'new building' smell...something I'm much more aware now that I understand what that smell really is.
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Giving money to make money?

Have you ever considered that your Corporate Social Responsibility program can have an alter ego and actually help you increase sales?

I helped a previous employer develop a CSR that was strategic, purposeful, and had defined goals and metrics in place. It was an interesting exercise because as a small business, all dollars spent had to be effective and add value. There is this tendency among companies to sponsor events and give money to charities or community events with no guiding principles. Many times, companies don't have the time or resources devoted to making it an efficient program that [gasp] actually has a ROI.

Social responsibility efforts are fantastic, but when it comes to business there is something lost in translation. Businesses are in business to make money! So why is it that our corporate donations are often inefficient, lack direction, and have no accountability for a return? 

Because we don't like mixing charitable activities with ugly, capitalistic, free market money hounds. But does that really make sense?

Think about it. Corporate giving SHOULD be a strategic part of your business. A good plan has  goals, supports business objectives, has defined boundaries, dedicated resources, and annual reporting (and supports business objectives!). Your CSR should help you build your brand, expand into new markets, develop new markets, and have employee support. It should consolidate donations to be more impactful and promote the long term health of a non-profit. A good plan will even help you say 'no' without feeling terrible.

Once a good plan is established, management of the process is streamlined and has oversight so all activities are monitored to ensure giving is directed and purposeful in supporting business objectives.

"How can you put such a corporate spin on giving," you ask? 

Simple. Your company works hard to bring in those dollars. You have decided to spend some of it by giving back and improving the community where you, your employees, and customers live. There is nothing wrong with expecting the resources you donate to provide you with something in return. In fact, if you don't effectively communicate these CSR efforts, you are leaving money on the table.

Besides, it is a lot easier to tell your shareholders and employees your CSR program has business objectives, than keeping the money and suffering the consequences of communicating you don't care.

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I'll walk, thank you

I've recently started trying to be conscious of how much I drive my car, and opting to walk whenever feasible. This is great for getting a little extra exercise and for keeping the car in the driveway, but it often comes at the expense of funny looks. When I have the time, I'll load up a backpack with all the things I'll need for my journey.

I'm really only able to go so far since I'm not located in an urban area, but here's the usual list of services I'm able to reach on a walk (within a 1 mile radius of the house):

• The bank - I'm lucky to have two within one mile, each on different areas for an easy loop
• Post Office
• Dry Cleaner
  
• Grocery store - we've been missing the Fresh Market, but I hear Whole Foods is coming!
  
• Hair dresser
• Convenience store
• Coffee Shop
• Restaurants - we're lucky to be near several yummy mom and pop restaurants
  

We also have several bus stops nearby, and I've been trying to figure out how I can work that into my routine for longer trips.

This list is pretty short, in my opinion, and goes to the difference living in an urban environment can make. It is so much easier to get that extra exercise AND reduce your carbon impact by the convenience of having a lot of services nearby.

I've been studying for the LEED exam, and one of the first sections is on Site Selection. Interestingly, in order to qualify for one of the Alternate Transportation credits you have to have at least 10 services within 1/2 mile of the building entrance.

I would guess most people wouldn't walk a mile one-way to the post office or bank, but if you have a bunch of services in a 1/2 mile from your doorstep or office building it wouldn't seem like such a hike.

And, I'm sure if I lived in a downtown area people wouldn't think twice about seeing pedestrians in the crosswalks.

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