How can associations incorporate sustainable or green principles and products into their operations?

Let's consider suggestions for older buildings from Jim Stoller, president of Building Group, a Chicago-based condominium management company.

Incandescent bulbs in exit signs should be replaced with LED (Light Emitting Diodes), which can save up to $24 per year per fixture. (They are expensive to buy but have a very long life.)

Incandescent hallway lighting, especially the heat-generating halogen bulbs, should be replaced with fluorescents for a savings of up to 70 percent per year.

Fluorescents offer more illumination so it may also be possible to eliminate some of the fixtures.

Movement detection sensors to turn on the lights also can save money.

Any HVAC filters should be cleaned or replaced monthly during peak seasons.

In terms of plumbing, "water conservation should be a priority," Stoller said.

Faucets and showerheads can be replaced with models with aerators and flow restrictors and cut water usage by up to 70 percent.

Urge owners to report drippy faucets or have them repaired. One leaky faucet can waste up to 2,200 gallons a year. Leaky toilets will lose 600 gallons a month. Also encourage owners to turn off water when shaving or brushing their teeth, which can save as much as 4 gallons a minute.

Computers and other electrical devices should be turned off at night and on weekends or unplugged when not in use for extended periods.

Windows should be properly sealed and weather-stripped and kept clean (more artificial lighting is needed when dirty). If they are single-pane and have outlived their useful lives, upgrade to low E or a double- or triple-paned product.

Pumps should ideally be replaced with those that operate at variable speeds.

"They come on more smoothly and actually help your plumbing," said Stoller. There is a 2- to 5-year payback on the acquisition cost.

Buying environmentally friendly paints is a positive step. There are now new mixes available that are low or no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) or low or no odor. These products are more expensive, costing probably a few dollars more per gallon but, "the big expense in painting is labor, not materials," Stoller said.

Flooring should be maintained regularly and when necessary replaced with recycled and renewable materials. Insist that your cleaning contractor use environmentally safe products such as chemically balanced concentrates.

For planting new landscaping, use native plants requiring less water, fertilizer and maintenance. And watering should be done in the early morning before the sun and wind more quickly evaporate moisture or in the evening.

Using the Internet is "a great way to communicate paper-free," said Stoller.

He urges associations that have not yet adopted a green posture to change the way they approach running your buildings.

It's never too late to start and the commitment to green will pay off in the long run.

Freelance writer David Mack can be reached by e-mail at speed14@urbancom.net.