However, industry experts say even simple steps can help green a building. To encourage green building and renovation, BOMA has put together 24 strategies for increasing sustainability and optimizing performance, ranging from conservation to environmentally-friendly landscaping.

Install low-flow aerators, which cost about $2 each, on bathroom faucets.
Insert water displacement devices to limit water used in the toilet tank.
Consider motion-sensor faucets and cooling tower sensors.
Switch to "dry" cleaning. Using a broom, squeegee or vacuum cleaner instead of a mop saves gallons of water.
Reduce water pressure.
Reset hot water thermostats to the lowest setting possible.
Turn off hot water heaters when buildings are unoccupied.
Develop landscape that use indigenous plants and limited amounts of water.
Add composting to your landscape maintenance plan.
Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses because they use less water than sprinklers.
Schedule an annual review of your property's irrigation system.
Harvest rainwater to water your building's grounds.
Work with vendors that have recycling programs.
Set up disposal methods to discard electronics and hazardous waste.
Use coreless paper products.
Make sure your janitorial service uses green cleaning products.
Clean windows and skylights to let in the light.
Encourage tenants to turn off equipment after hours.
Encourage tenants to use ENERGY STAR® equipment.
Expand recycling programs to include lighting, plastics, metal, glass and cardboard.
Institute an energy awareness program.
Encourage tenants to reduce workplace energy consumption with work from home policies.
Create an electronic green newsletter to send to tenants.
Encourage tenants and staff to use environmentally-friendly transportation.

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From Simple to Sophisticated:Strategies to 'Green' Buildings

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