Longer Life
Materials with a longer life relative to other materials designed
for the same purpose need to be replaced less often. This
reduces the natural resources required for manufacturing and
the amount of money spent on installation and the associated
labor. Durable materials that require less frequent replacement
will require fewer raw materials and will produce less
landfill waste over the building’s lifetime.
Durability: The durability of materials is an important factor
in analyzing a building’s life-cycle costs. Materials that last
longer will, over a building’s useful life, be more cost-effective
than materials that need to be replaced more often. By looking at
durability issues, the selection of initially expensive materials
like slate or tile can often be justified by their longer lifespans.
Low Maintenance: Maintenance consumes a significant portion
of a building’s operating budget: over the building’s lifetime,
maintenance can easily exceed the original construction costs.
This includes the cost of labor, cleaning/polishing materials,
equipment, and the replacement of items valued at less than
$5,000.4
Less frequent cleaning of materials reduces the
exposure of the building occupants and janitorial staff to
cleaning chemicals—this is especially important for surfaces or
systems that must be cleaned with petroleum-based solvents.