How Green Are We?
“Green” business is loosely defined as practicing conservation of resources, recycling or reusing items, as well as using sustainable and environmentally friendly materials to lessen the impact of the business upon the environment.
Big Grins is housed in a LEED platinum-rated building, and we are close to commissioning a commercial interior at a LEED gold rating. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a standardized but rigorous certification process for documenting exceptionally green buildings.
Big Grins is the first business in Northern Colorado to practice in a platinum building and the first dental office to practice at the gold LEED level in Colorado and perhaps the nation.
Here are some examples of how our pediatric dental office in Fort Collins, Colorado, is committed to sustainable business practices:
- Over 90% of our appliances are Energy Star top-rated appliances, and all office furniture is reclaimed.
- Two low-maintenance, centralized water purification systems feed to all clinic chairs.
- Every window is designed for maximum daylighting and minimizing heat transfer through glazing, positioned outside shades and inside reflectors.
- The entire lighting system is run on a computerized automated dimmer system that dims lights as sunlight is available and senses movement to turn lights on and off.
- Cork flooring or flaxseed linoleum is used throughout the office; both are renewable resources.
- Non-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint is used throughout the office to reduce chemical off-gassing.
- Banana fiber laminates (another renewable resource) are used for almost all working surfaces.
- All wood in the office is FSC maple (Forest Stewardship Council), bamboo, or reused wood taken from other job sites. No new wood was used in construction of walls or floors.
- On-demand hot water heaters power the hydrothermal heating system located beneath a raised floor throughout the entire office. Heat and air come up from the “plenum” flooring, not downward.
- Solar panels mounted on the outside window shades help generate electricity with the ability to add more panels as prices lower and new technology becomes available.
- Lighting throughout the office uses fluorescent or halogen lights.
- A full recycling program is in place to recycle all cans, bottles, plastics, cardboard and paper products.
- The first in Northern Colorado, a Demolizer II reduces hazardous waste into a solid mass that can be eliminated as regular trash. It communicates via fax line to monitor usage rather than utilizing a hazardous waste collection company. Within nine months, a recyclable container will allow previous hazard waste to be recycled into park benches or other playground equipment.
Meet with our pediatric dentists, Dr. Greg Evans and Dr. Rachel Ecker, if you would like to learn more about how our office fulfills sustainable business practices. We invite you to schedule an appointment with us by calling our office at (970) 407-1020 today!