Green building or enhancing with some green elements is important for several reasons, according to Ashley Katz, manager, communications for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in Washington, D.C. Green(er) buildings use less energy, less water and fewer resources, and have less of an impact on the environment, resulting in healthier places for occupants.

According to U.S. research sources, the footprint of the "built" environment is significant. Buildings are responsible for nearly 40 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions (more than cars), 12.2 percent of water use that is fit to drink and 14.7 percent of the $10 trillion U.S. gross domestic product.

For shops, one place to begin a greener approach is through Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED). This certification, through USGBC, provides independent, third-party verification that a building meets the highest green building and performance measures. (Visit http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=64 for more details).

"LEED certification, the voluntary, consensus-based national certification program for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings is like a nutrition label for your building - you can see exactly how much energy and water it is using, what the building is made of, where the materials came from and what the indoor environment is like," she says. "LEED measures all of these features (building site, water efficiency, materials and resources, energy and atmosphere and indoor environmental quality)."

"Green building benefits the occupants through increased health, safety and productivity. Owners benefit from an increased bottom line gained through energy savings, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and turnover, and happier employees. Green building reduces resource use and the impact of the building on the land," Katz explains.

More commercial business owners are making the switch to green. Green building is estimated to be 10 to 12 percent of the current commercial and institutional building market. McGraw-Hill predicts green building will represent 20 to 25 percent of new commercial and institutional construction starts by 2013.

If you're not in a position to build, Katz recommends starting smaller and seeking out ways to reduce the footprint.

According to Ceil Scandone, spokesperson for the Bay Area Green Business Program (BAGBP), there are numerous initiatives small businesses such as collision repair shops can take on a small scale to make a greater difference overall. Shops can buy only recycled-content paper and copy double-sided, clean with less toxic products, conserve water with low-flow toilets and faucet aerators, conserve energy with fluorescent lights and Energy Star equipment and invest in renewable energy with renewable energy credits and solar panels.

Even if your community does not yet have an organized green program, Scandone says businesses can also incorporate any number of the following tasks into their overall business strategies:

1. Monitor and record rates of water and energy usage.

2. Have your local energy utility or an energy service company conduct a commercial energy assessment.

3. Perform regular maintenance on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

4. Conduct an assessment of your facility to identify pollution prevention opportunities.

5. Prevent contamination of storm water runoff.

If a business wants to build a new facility or remodel an existing one using green principles, Scandone advises selecting a contractor who is knowledgeable about green building practices. "Specify in the contract your interest in environmentally responsible fixtures, finishes and practices to help obtain greener results," Scandone says.