Green Building is a commitment and process to create innovative buildings, minimizing the use of resources and reducing harmful effects on the environment. Green buildings are healthy for both our homes and workplaces and can be developed efficiently and effectively.

The US Green Building Council provides the nationally accepted benchmarks for design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™.

Five Star Bank supports green building and green businesses manufacturing or selling earth-friendly products with funding from the Capital Green Account.

• Rearrange workspace to take advantage of natural sunlight.
• Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights.
• Look for energy efficient (T-8 or T-5) lamps with electronic ballasts.

• Set your thermostat for 78 degrees F max for cooling, and 68 degrees F max for heating.
• Schedule HVAC maintenance, clean filters every three months and check the entire system annually.
• Install and use ceiling fans instead of air conditioning.

• Offer incentives for riding bikes, using carpools or taking public transit to work.
• Offer telecommuting or flex schedules.
• Plan and consolidate errands. Patronize local businesses and buy online.

• Develop routing lists for bulletins, memos and trade journals.
• Keep used paper to reuse for fax cover sheets, scratch paper, drafts and internal memos.
• Ask vendors to deliver supplies in returnable containers.
• Participate in a local Recycle Market Development Zone to find a market to recycle to waste your company produces.

• Check out the Sacramento Sustainable Business Program (www.sacberc.org).
• Have SMUD do a free energy use assessment of your facility.
• Join a local Transportation Management Association (TMA) to help find alternatives to commuting alone to work.
• Enroll in the California Waste Exchange Program.