By Kelly Mardis
Commercial building owners recognize the need to be eco-conscious when it comes to making building repairs. The same goes for when building owners decide to add a fresh coat of paint to liven up their facilities. There are a few environmentally-friendly strategies building owners can use when applying a new coat of paint using eco-friendly materials and techniques:
1. Utilize Recycled Paints
Recycled paints are made through a collection of leftover paint from a variety of sources; they are gathered, reprocessed, and remanufactured into new paint. By using recycled paints, building owners will reduce waste and help conserve natural resources.
Recycled paints often come at a lower cost than new paint, meaning building owners can save some money when painting large spaces like the outside of their building. The color selection of recycled paints is more limited, but the environmental benefits make them a smart choice for those building owners looking to cut down on their environmental footprint.
2. Embrace Sustainable Painting Practices
Building owners can enhance their eco impact by hiring professional painters that embrace sustainable practices when doing the job. This means painting companies that use proper waste management techniques and disposal processes that diminish the impact on the environment. Hire a painting contractor that will ensure all allowable materials are properly cleaned after the job and recycled. Building owners can also speak with painting contractors to make sure the tools being used are up to environmental standards, such as bamboo or recycled plastics.
Having a contractor with the same environmental standards is key to keeping up with any green imitative you may have set for your property.
3. Choose Low-VOC Or Zero-VOC Paints
One of the more impactful ways commercial building owners can be eco-friendly is by using low-VOC or zero-VOC paints. VOC stands for volatile organic compounds. These compounds are chemicals that easily evaporate into the air when paint is drying, polluting the air and leading to health risks. Using low or zero-VOC paints can significantly reduce these issues, making them safer for the environment and the people who work around them and are using them to paint the building.
Many low or zero-VOC paints exist on the market in a wide variety of colors and finishes. Speak with your professional painting contractor to find out if low or zero-VOC paint options are available for your property before starting your project.
4. Invest In The Long-Term Durability Of Your Paint
Many paints on the market offer long-term durability and are eco-friendly. Investing in these paints provides commercial building owners the satisfaction that they won’t need to keep repainting. Choose high-quality eco-friendly paints that reduce fading, wear and tear and chipping to keep your building looking great. Doing so will save money in the long term and keep unwanted construction style jobs happening outside of office windows, which can disrupt workers in the building.
Using eco-friendly painting techniques for your commercial building is a way to stay proactive when it comes to environmental responsibility. Choosing low or zero VOC paints, using sustainable painting techniques, using recycled paints, and by embracing sustainable practices, you can cut your environmental impact over the long term. With increasing environmentally friendly painting options hitting the market, there are many opportunities to use different materials that will not only make your building look fresh and new but will reduce the overall environmental impact of your building over time.
Mardis is the owner of Marcel Painting in Phoenix, AZ. Marcel Painting has been serving the Greater Phoenix area for almost two decades providing high quality residential and commercial painting services.Â
