Business Facilities - October 2008 - (Page 16)

Find out about highway access. Access and amounts of highway congestion impact not only distribution centers, but all companies and employees—directly and indirectly. Be sure to factor in how many lanes will be available for your transport routes, plus the drive time from major locations. Are there tolls in place on local bridges and roads? If your products are shipped across borders, are there NAFTA tie-ups at the border crossings? Utilizing Foreign Trade Zones or property in port areas requires extensive study on access and congestion, as well as the time it takes to get from the company or port dock to highways. Some ports even have pur- chased smaller ports in their area to help divert ocean and highway traffic, as a result of severe road congestion entering or leaving the port facility. This is becoming more than a “peak traffic time” phenomenon nationally, and is particularly problematic on Interstate highways. Some states allow triple-trailers, which travel into and out of states that do not permit them. You must determine the time needed and the areas available on the Interstates to break down and/or add trailers. Lastly, consider the current escalation in fuel prices, which will add to the importance of these considerations and, in some cases, discourage alternate routes. Brooks Rainwater Director of Local Relations American Institute of Architects Washington, DC Green building is environmentally responsible and can save money. As the cost of green building has decreased toward parity with traditional building practices in recent years, the benefits continually increase. Architects are designing healthy, energy-efficient buildings that increase natural light, incorporate high performance systems, improve airflow for occupants, and increase worker productivity. The outsized energy and water savings alone that can be achieved by sustainable designing far outweigh any additional cost. Within short-term payback periods, businesses are regaining their initial outlays and achieving significant returns for their investment in clean, green technology. Communities across the country also have instituted green building policies that include lucrative green building incentives, from permit streamlining to direct tax incentives to bonus density, in return for designing to specified green standards. Corporations should increasingly take these green incentives into account, as well as the traditional economic development incentives offered by communities, when contemplating where to relocate their businesses. The future of the Class A property market is green, and corporate site selection officers need to react now by making investments in high performance, green buildings. #1610 at www.BusinessFacilities.com 16 OCTOBER 2008 http://www.businessfacilities.com http://www.fayettega.org http://www.fayettega.org http://www.BusinessFacilities.com

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Business Facilities - October 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Metro Spotlight: Phoenix, AZ Essential Relocation Tips Metro Spotlight: Fayette County, GA Corporate Moves: Kentucky Austria: Hungry for International Trade Foreign Trade Zones: Global Expansion at Reduced Cost New York is Banking on High-Tech Growth Metro Spotlight: Cuba, MO The Garden State is Growing it's City Centers Information Technology: No Signs of a Slowdown Advertiser Index Inside LiveExchange

Business Facilities - October 2008

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