News
Green Building Technology Saves Clients Money
Posted: 05/14/2007
GOSHEN, Ind. – Ancon Construction is offering new ways to make the pinch from building maintenance and energy costs a little less painful.
A prime example is the Goodwill store in Niles, Mich. The 11,000-square-foot facility, built by Ancon in February 2004, was the first in the area to feature a new, money-saving concept in flooring.
“Goodwill stores typically used the old reliable 12-inch vinyl tile, which cost $1.60 per square foot to install. Then it cost another $1 per square foot every year for chemicals and labor to maintain the floor,” explained Gary Wetzel, business development manager at Ancon. “The solution we provided for them was a hardened, polished concrete floor. It requires only a damp mop and no chemicals for cleaning.” After 18 months, he said, the money saved paid for the floor, and now saves the store a significant sum of $9,000 a year.
“After nearly 24 months, the surface of the floor looks as good as the day it was installed,” said Wetzel. “The hardened surface has resisted scratching, even when steel shelving was assembled on it and placed throughout the building.” Because of these features and its money-saving capability, he said, this flooring has been used in two stores built since then, with plans to use it in an upcoming third store.
Another noteworthy project is the Goodwill in Warsaw, who hired Ancon to renovate its 8,800-square-foot building. Ancon recommended a new lighting system which, including fixtures and labor, cost $1.50 per square foot to install, with a payback period of just over two years. “Now the owner saves $500 each month in electricity, for a total savings of $6,000 a year,” Wetzel said.
This kind of push for innovation is just normal procedure at Ancon, according to Wetzel. “We’re always actively looking for new methods and materials that will allow us to offer customers ways to save money,” he said. “Everybody’s been struggling with rising energy costs, and how to keep their places of business in top condition over time without having to keep on spending money to do it. It’s our job to make sure that the buildings we produce use the highest-quality and most cost-effective components available, so the businesses that use them can get the most out of their building investments.”
