Dakota Supply Group - Index

Dakota Supply Group - dakotasupplygroup - Index

Better Filtration
For Greener Buildings
One step in the right direction of ecologically
sound business is the relatively new concept of
the “green building.” In general, this means that
contractors are considering issues such as the
environment and employee health when building
– and then choosing materials that most positively
address these areas to make the building more
“green.” By embracing green building strategies,
businesses can maximize their performance by
reducing operational costs and promoting a
healthier working environment.
Leading the way for greener buildings is the
U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a national
coalition of experts from the building industry that
aims to positively influence the way new buildings
are designed, constructed and maintained. To
define how green a building is, the USGBC
developed the LEED ® (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) Green Building
Rating System TM to establish a common standard
of measurement. This system sets well-founded,
scientific standards so that decisions and changes
can be made to proactively control a building’s
environmental impact. These standards are also
being adapted by existing buildings, making their
individual environments greener through retrofits
and improvements.
An important, but sometimes overlooked,
strategy in the construction of any green building
is filter selection. It has a direct impact on many
environmental areas and can help a facility
manager influence these for the better. DSG is
helping businesses reduce their carbon footprint
by introducing them to Filtration Group’s ECO-
FGI Initiative. The ECO-FGI Initiative focuses
on the manufacture of filtration products using
low-impact materials that will reduce energy
consumption and improve working environments.
“The components in your HVAC system can
directly affect how green your building is,” says
Bob McAfee, regional sales manager at Filtration
Group. “The products developed and produced
under the ECO-FGI Initiative ensure that you
will receive the highest-quality filtration and
the maximum amount of points toward your
LEED certification.”
One of the ECO-FGI Initiative’s goals is to
help facility managers achieve significant savings
in operating costs by using less energy through
more efficient filters. Green filters from Filtration
Group boast a very low resistance to air flow. This
lowers the pressure drop and saves energy. “The
decreased use of energy also reduces greenhouse
gas emissions,” says McAfee. “Lowering the
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FILTRATION
Fall 2008 CONNECTIONS 35