How Associations Can Save By Going Green

In the Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Stoller, president of Building Group, a property-management company, suggests ways condo associations can incorporate eco-friendly "green" into their operations. Among the suggestions made by Stoller (and, we bet, are A-okay with Diane Lane):

* Replace incandescent bulbs in exit signs with LED (Light Emitting Diodes), which can save up to $24 a year per fixture.

* Replace incandescent hallway lighting, especially heat-generating halogen bulbs, with fluorescents, saving up to 70 percent a year.

* Install movement-detection sensors to turn on lights.

* Clean or replace HVAC filters monthly during peak seasons.

* Reduce water usage up to 70 percent by replacing faucets and shower heads with models with aerators and flow restrictors. (Repairing a leaky faucet can save 2,200 gallons a year. Fixing a leaky toilet can save 7,200 gallons a year.)

* Turn off computers and other electrical devices at night and on weekends or unplug when not in use for extended periods.

* Seal and weather-strip windows, or upgrade to low E or a double- or triple-paned windows.

* Install variable-speed pumps.