Geis Companies

Why Build Green

Geis Companies has taken the initiative to join the Green Building Coalition of Greater Cleveland, and become members of the LEED program established in the United States. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) buildings fundamentally impact people's lives and the health of the planet. In the United States alone, buildings use one-third of our total energy. Geis Companies has included in their profile the ability to improve the quality of our buildings and their impact on the environment. Designer Showcases and NDI are two green buildings Geis is providing to clients. As the green building sector grows, more and more building professionals, owners and operators are seeing the benefits of green building and LEED certification. Green design not only provides a positive impact on public health and the environment, it also reduces operating costs, enhances building and organizational marketability, increases occupant productivity, and helps create a sustainable community.

Reasons for Building Green

1. Companies can recover higher initial costs, if any exist, through life-cycle efficiencies, energy and water reduction and other savings.
2. These buildings can be designed to maximize their cost-effectiveness.
3. Green techniques boost employee productivity.
4. They also enhance health and well-being within the workplace, which may result in reduced absenteeism and healthcare costs.
5. Clean and healthy buildings may reduce legal claims and liabilities for building owners and operators.
6. High-performance green features translate into high value for a building's tenants.
7. Similarly, they increase property values, thanks to easier maintenance, higher occupancy rates and greater market valuations.
8. Going green may enable companies to take advantage of various state and local incentive programs.
9. Communities value companies that follow environmentally friendly practices.
10. Thanks to life-cycle efficiencies and other benefits, going green can help companies achieve more predictable results.

The LEED Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based, market-driven building rating system based on existing proven technology. It evaluates environmental performance from a whole building perspective over a building's life cycle, providing a definitive standard for what constitutes a green building.

The rating system is organized into five environmental categories: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality. Innovation & Design Process are additional categories not covered under the five environmental categories.

LEED, the "Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design" Green Building Rating System, is the nationally accepted standard for green buildings developed by the USGBC membership.

Green Building Coalition of Greater Cleveland
U.S. Green Building Council

Did you know? The built environment has a profound impact on our natural environment, economy, health and productivity. In the United States, buildings account for:

    36% of total energy use
    65% of electricity consumption
    30% of greenhouse gas emissions
    30% of raw materials use
    30% of waste output/136 million tons annually
    12% of potable water consumption