Condominium buildings nowadays tout their energy efficiency as a way to attract buyers.

"In response to rising energy costs, green marketing has become a popular way to distinguish one property from another," said Jim Stoller, president of Building Group Inc., a Chicago-based property management company. "Green is the new buzzword."

He also noted that ignoring sustainable ideas and practices either in new buildings or through adaptation in existing ones will make such properties less desirable in the future. "If you don't build green technology into your building, it will become obsolete tomorrow," he said.

"Until recently, few worried about wasting anything," Stoller said. "Buildings were built with that attitude. Cities were designed that way."

When Building Group takes over the management of a condominium property, one of the first things his staff does is evaluate how the building operates. It then makes recommendations involving sustainable ideas in the areas of maintenance and the use of environmentally friendly products. This focus on greening operations has the added advantage of reducing costs. "Research has shown that there are ways to use sustainable concepts in buildings and at the same time save money," he said.

With buildings that have been around for many years, going green will be more difficult that it is in new construction. But Stoller still has a lot of recommendations to offer to associations that may want to become greener in their operations while at the same time cutting expenses and minimizing assessment increases.

"There are a lot of common sense things that associations are not doing," he said. In developing a green attitude, one of the first steps to take is scheduling proper maintenance. He identified where the focus should be and how frequently.

••Roofs. Yearly inspections and maintenance with a new roof every 15 to 20 years.

••Lintels, exterior wood, exterior metal. Yearly inspections, paint when needed.

••Brick. Inspections every 2 to 4 years, tuckpoint when needed.

••Concrete. Inspections every 2 to 4 years, repair and caulk when needed, recoat every 8 to 10 years.

••Elevators. Monthly inspections and maintenance.

••Asphalt. Yearly inspections, top-coat every 2 to 3 years.

••Systems and equipment. Follow manufacturer's recommendations.

In general terms, other ways that associations can green their buildings is by using recycled products. They can use products that are free from toxic substances (such as formaldehyde) as well as those available locally (so they don't have to be trucked long distances).

And in terms of reducing utility costs, "most buildings can be made more energy-efficient, starting from the exterior and working inward," Stoller said.

Next week, we'll look at some of the specific steps boards can take to green their properties.

Write to David Mack at speed14@urbancom.net.