Let’s face it – with commercial buildings, the primary concern has been to keep the buildings rented with solid tenants, keep maintenance costs low and limit liability. In the past, tenants have rarely asked about any toxic residue that exists or may arise.

But what if you could offer something that competitors can’t? Something like a “healthier” office building, which would result in better-feeling people, fewer headaches, and more productive workers taking fewer sick days. By building or maintaining according to the SaferBuilding.com materials and methods, commercial building owners can gain a significant competitive edge, have fewer vacancies and higher-paying tenants, resulting in an increased property values.

In the residential market, SaferBuilding.com-certified properties have seen a 7 percent to 10 percent increase in property value and a similar trend in the commercial properties is on the rise. An increasing number of people are concerned about the air they breathe and exposure to toxins in the workplace, and are taking charge of their lives.

SaferBuilding is different than green building because the focus is on human health. Where there is a choice to be made between protecting humans and protecting the environment, SaferBuilding chooses human health. For example, SaferBuilding would not allow recycled wood that previously had been laced with insecticides.

Some practical things that commercial building owners can focus on to make a difference include:

• Furniture, formaldehyde and cancer prevention: Metal furniture may seem like something from our parents’ days, but it can be stylish and inexpensive. SaferBuilding.com conducted a study on furniture. Two rooms were remodeled using identical SaferBuilding materials and methods for demolition, painting and flooring. One had solid wood furniture and the other had veneer furniture. The difference was huge.

As many people know, furniture containing veneer instead of solid wood contains particle board. Particle board frequently contains formaldehyde, a suspected carcinogen. Further, the particle board can continue to off-gas (release undissolved ozonated air that must be vented to the outside) long after construction. Imagine how much larger the effect would be if the windows didn’t open so off-gassing took even longer and there were desks with particle board everywhere?

• Bathrooms and odor control systems: In office buildings, it is essential to have an odor control system in place. However, many bathrooms unnecessarily use products containing toxic ingredients. Those products may contain formaldehyde (a suspected carcinogen), petroleum distillates (irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory tracts) and other harmful chemicals. Some interfere with your ability to smell rather than “freshen” the air, while others mask the odor instead of eliminating it.

The tried and true historical method for bathroom ventilation is to open the window or turn on an extraction fan. If that is not practical, then consider non-chemical odor systems such as Hygenaire, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide sprayers or coffee.

It may seem minor, but the chemical exposure in the bathroom doesn’t just have harmful effects while you’re in the bathroom but, like cigarette smoke, the chemicals are absorbed by hair and clothing so that you continue to be exposed to the toxic chemicals long after you’ve completed your bathroom visit.

• Products that leave toxic residues: Simply put, don’t allow tenants to use them. Remember that the toxic residue lasts well after the application. If a product used today subsequently becomes illegal for use, then you’ll still have the toxic residue on your property. If you have to do a cleanup down the road, it could be very expensive and time-consuming. Although the tenant may be liable for the cleanup, there is no guarantee that the tenant will still be in business.

We’re all familiar with the huge costs of remediation to remove residue from a previously legal product. It is less expensive to not use the product in the first place.

• Pesticides, landscaping, ants and cockroaches: Many tenants aren’t aware that they have choices in pest control and that by making easy choices, they can keep toxics out of their space. Nobody wants ants, roaches, termites or other bugs, but not using toxic pesticides doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have them. There are many methods to get rid of pests, some of which don’t involve using toxic chemicals.

For landscaping, you may be able to choose native or naturalized plants, so that no one will be tempted to use pesticides on your grounds. There are other benefits as well.

It is worthwhile to double-check your pest control operator. Ask precisely what they plan to use, why and what the alternatives are. Look up the active ingredient. Make sure that it really is as safe as the applicator claims, that it won’t leave a toxic residue and that it won’t get any of the occupants or visitors sick.

• Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s safe: It also doesn’t remove you from liability down the road. If you’re a landlord, it may be worthwhile to add a clause requiring your approval prior to a tenant using a toxic chemical. Even if it is legal, it may leave a residue on your building and make it difficult to rent to subsequent tenants or interfere with your SaferBuilding.com certification.

• Carpeting or non-absorbent flooring: If market conditions permit, think about not using carpeting. While some national tenants have standardized flooring and you may not have a choice, remember that pesticides and toxic products get tracked in and stay on carpets. It is extremely difficult to get these out, unlike ceramic, stone or wood floors, which can easily be cleaned.

You can clean carpets but they don’t come as clean as smooth-surface floorings, and frequently the chemicals used in cleaning leave a toxic residue. New carpeting can off-gas toxic chemicals both from the product and from the installation.

There are other durable floors that don’t have these problems. Plus, because many flooring materials last a long time, they may be more cost-effective over the long term.

If a tenant has control over the flooring it may be worth it to require that the tenant remove glue residues left by carpet installation (if requested). A subsequent tenant may want to install wood and won’t want the adhesive residues from a previous tenant to off-gas.

• Building materials and methods: A landlord may appear to be hard pressed to go through the extra cost of a SaferBuilding commercial project in new construction if they won’t make it up in rent or tax credits. However, when doing maintenance, using SaferBuilding materials and methods may mean less downtime, a faster paint job, fewer complaints from neighboring tenants and fewer headaches – literally and figuratively.

Additionally, more tenants are growing concerned with toxins in their environments, their general health, and the health of their employees and customers. A landlord may be able to make up the cost in increased rent or lower vacancy rates. For some construction projects, the cost differential is minimal. It is prudent to check with SaferBuilding.com so that you can make an informed decision.