Click image for enlargement. Illustration by Anton. Francis Beland, director of the Springs Preserve between Alta Drive and U.S. Highway 95, overlooks the construction of a collection of environmentally friendly buildings. Photo by John Gurzinski.

Commercial developers and home builders are behind the curve on green building because they're focused on the selling price today rather than cost savings for years to come, a panel of building and design experts said.

Most developers are of the mind-set that it costs more to build green, the panelists said, but it's important to analyze both the initial cost and operating cost for the next 30 years.

The additional 3 percent to 5 percent construction cost for bringing a building to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification can be recouped in three years or less, architectural consultant Lynn Simon of California-based Simon & Associates said Oct. 27 at a presentation sponsored by the Southern Nevada chapter of National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Features such as systems to reclaim "blackwater," wastewater from kitchen sinks and toilets, and photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight to electricity, are upfront costs that will pay for themselves over and over, she said. Some builders are paying $400 to $500 to recycle demolition and construction material waste instead of taking it to the landfill and paying $800 to dump it.

These and other practices related to design and construction are how buildings receive bronze, silver, gold or platinum certification from the LEED program, established by the U.S. Green Building Council.

"This is all about education," Simon said. "(Project) CityCenter (by MGM-Mirage) is the largest LEED project in the country, 17 million square feet. People who live here should be proud of that."

Las Vegas is making progress in green building, panelists said. The 180-acre Springs Preserve between Alta Drive and U.S. Highway 95 is using straw bales in the walls of its Desert Living Center, a showcase for urban sustainability in the West, marketing manager Jesse Davis said.

"When you think about straw-bale construction, it may conjure up images of the Three Little Pigs," he said. "But when you look at the finished product, it's sustainable and energy efficient. They may not be prevalent right now, but things like this are becoming more prevalent in the building industry."

The Desert Living Center, a technical-assistance, education and research center, is part of the $250 million Springs Preserve museum project that will open in May. It will provide community education and outreach programs, encouraging homeowners, commercial builders and educators to embrace environmental practices, Davis said.

"We're not just putting up green buildings for the sake of green building. There (are) going to be educational programs within the building," he said. "You'll have 'truth windows' so you can see what's inside the building, the straw bales. That's part of the education."

Molasky Group of Cos. is following green building practices with the $107 million Molasky Corporate Center downtown that will be 80 percent occupied by the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Suzanne Sanders, vice president of design and development for Molasky Group, said costs of green building are offset by tenant improvements and quicker turnaround on leases.

Raised floors in the 285,000-square-foot office building have special tiles with computer and electrical outlets that can be easily moved around the office. Instead of losing six months in rent while office space is being remodeled, changes can be made in just days and without building permits, Sanders said.

"Anybody coming in can plug in and go," she said.

Corporate America is warming up to green building, recognizing that economic benefits go beyond energy and operating cost savings to higher employee retention, better health and increased production, said Jerry Yudelson of Greenway Consulting Group.

"This is a major movement," he said. "Every big company is responding to environmental demands of the time. Corporate America is the most flexible business animal on the planet."

Yudelson, an engineer with 25 years of experience in renewable energy systems, environmental remediation and waste management, said companies spend about $200 to $600 a square foot for their people, $15 to $40 a square foot on rent and $2 to $4 a square foot on energy. From the human resources side of business, green building helps companies recruit and keep key people, he said.

Buildings in the United States account for 36 percent of total energy use and 65 percent of electricity consumption; 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions; 30 percent of raw materials use; 30 percent of waste output, or 136 million tons annually; and 12 percent of potable water consumption; the U.S. Green Building Council reports.

Real estate owners and developers need a push from tenants who can and should demand green buildings when they are in the market for space, broker Judi Woodyard of ITRA Realty Group said.

Not only do green buildings consume less energy and reduce air and waste-related pollutants, but the designs can be more attractive work environments that are becoming cost-competitive with nongreen buildings as prices for imported energy soar, Woodyard said.

Sanders of Molasky said there's a "fear factor" associated with green building from not knowing how much something will cost.

"Fear initially causes people to add money to their bid. I've talked to others around the country that add no cost because they know the competition is there and we'll eventually get there," Sanders said. "We were out front (on Molasky Corporate Center) and quite frankly it was hard to get anybody to bid it. Why should they when there's all this other work out there? I believe the cost will come down if we all work together and if there's more competition in the valley."

The Las Vegas City Council has adopted the Green Building Program, a new initiative that will support and recognize green building practices within the city and work to provide home builders and homeowners an easily identifiable certification that a house meets green building criteria.

"So many of our builders are already using energy-efficient elements and this new program will help consumers know who those outstanding builders are," Mayor Oscar Goodman said.