4 Reasons Why Sustainable Buildings Are The Perfect Investment Opportunity

Julie Starr • October 30, 2020



If you are looking for investment opportunities, it’s likely that you have already considered real estate. But have you thought about the benefits of building a sustainable building instead of buying an existing property? Whether you’re a seasoned investor or new to the market, embracing green construction is one of the most effective ways to invest in real estate, yet it’s a strategy that is often overlooked because the initial cost can be higher. However, the returns will be much greater. These are just some of the reasons why a sustainable building is a brilliant investment opportunity. For more insights on property maintenance and investment, visit Springfield Striping and Sealing.  

Tax Incentives 

When you are building an investment property, it’s important that you consider the tax implications. You can use cost segregation to write off the cost of the building much faster (visit https://www.tri-merit.com/services/cost-segregation/ for more information) but building sustainable buildings gives you even more tax benefits. There is a big push for more sustainable buildings and the government offers a lot of tax write-offs for green buildings, whether they are residential properties or commercial properties. For example, you can get $2,000 in tax deductions per unit for a green residential property. So, if you are building an apartment block, you can make some huge savings. 

Increased Demand 

If you are building a commercial building and trying to find businesses to rent units, you will find it so much easier if you build a sustainable property. There is a huge trend in green office space at the minute and businesses are increasingly looking for a sustainable base of operations. It benefits them because it helps them to reduce their impact on the environment and the running costs are lower as well. If you invest in an existing property that is not very energy efficient, you will have a hard time trying to find businesses that want to rent a space. 

Compliance With Future Regulations 

Regulations about energy efficiency are always changing and as time goes by, they will become stricter. As we look to the future, it’s important that we change the way that we use energy and more comprehensive laws about energy efficiency are one of the best ways to do that. It’s likely that a lot of old buildings will fall on the wrong side of regulations in the future and the owners of those buildings will be forced to retrofit their properties to bring them up to standard at their own expense. However, if you invest in buildings that are built with sustainability in mind, you will already be compliant with future regulations and you won’t have to cover this cost. You can find the current green building regulations at https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/

It’s Better For The Environment 

Even though there are plenty of financial benefits to investing in sustainable buildings, you also need to consider the moral aspect. We all have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment and if you are an investor or a business owner that is funding new buildings, you have an even bigger responsibility to make sure that they are sustainable. Although making small personal changes will help to improve the situation, it’s more important that those with the resources to drive large-scale changes do so. 

If you are looking for a real estate opportunity, sustainable buildings are always the best choice, both financially and morally.

By Julie Starr July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.
By Julie Starr July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.