San Luis Obispo County is an area dedicated to being environmentally friendly and the people who live here are starting to expect the same from businesses in the area. Some businesses have been green from the start because of the personal morals of the owner(s), but others are starting to realize that being green is necessary for growth in San Luis Obispo. Concrete polishing offers an opportunity to step forward, not only in becoming a green business, but also for the bottom line as it offers a return on the investment.
Concrete usually already exists as the foundational floor of a business, it then gets covered with ‘flooring’ material, such as wood, carpeting, or laminate, which starts off as a burden to the environment in materials, production, and shipping (think about how much oil your floor must have cost!), then wears down over time and ends up in the landfill, further going against any efforts at being green, and the process to cover it begins again. Polishing the concrete that is already there can be cheaper, more decorative, more energy-efficient, and cleaner than other flooring types (have you ever thought about what is in the carpet in a retail store? Don’t – we’ve seen it!).
And for new business construction here as SLO County is growing, concrete is a sustainable resource, coming from the most abundant mineral on Earth. Additionally, sticking with a polished concrete floor contributes toward achieving certification for most types of construction projects under the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Local green businesses already use concrete as part of their green strategy, including New Frontiers, noted for their polished concrete floors by The Tribune in A look at 5 green businesses in SLO County, and iFixit, recent winners of the 2014 Green Awards, by the USGBC California Central Coast Chapter award for their new office within walking distance of the green-friendly Farmer’s Market in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Click here if you would like more information on going green with concrete and the decorative concrete polishing services we offer.