Make Your CRE Office Building More Energy-Efficient With 5 Tips
Energy efficiency is a hot topic within the commercial real estate biz. It seems like the entire industry is looking for effective, affordable, and successful ways to cultivate assets with greater eco-consciousness.
This is especially true within CRE’s office sector. Offices all around the globe are concerned with creating greener buildings that cut back on waste and limit negative carbon footprints.
In effect, the race towards energy-efficiency is creating a big competition amongst office buildings. High LEED certification makes a huge difference in esteem, repertoire, and modernity – it’s becoming a way that offices are ranked against each other.
Commercial office properties with Class B and C ratings are struggling to keep up with Class A offices that hold LEED Gold certifications on their belt. However, that doesn’t mean that lower-ranking office buildings don’t stand a chance.
Contrarily, Class B and C office properties can benefit by making some eco-conscious moves – and many of them are cost-effective and easy to achieve. Make a strong move to gain an upper hand on the eco-efficient competition: here are 5 tips to create an office building that’s more energy-efficient.
Collect and Analyze Your Data
It’s true when they say that ’knowledge is power’. According to industry experts, the most valuable asset to today’s commercial real estate business is information.
Start analyzing your data with energy efficiency in mind. Review a property’s performance data to see where eco-friendly adjustments would make the biggest impact. Remember, it’s all about working smart, not hard. If your office building is wasting resources, pinpoint where the issue is occurring and come up with reasonable solutions.
Invest in LED Lighting
Replacing your property’s out-dated fluorescent or incandescent lighting with newer LED lights will mark a big move toward a greener asset.
LED lighting wastes 75% less energy and lasts 25% longer than other light bulbs. Making a building-wide switch to LED lights will put a noticeable dent in the property’s overall energy efficiency.
Add Eco-Friendly Measures in Leases
The new trend of ‘green leasing’ is quickly gaining momentum within the industry. It’s all about including energy-efficient clauses within the official lease documents. This can include standards for materials being used to furnish the building, requiring regular reports, or eco-friendly recommendations.
Consider Performing an Energy Audit
In addition to a deeper analysis of data, consider boosting the process with a professional energy audit. After studying the property, the auditor will provide specially-designed action steps that will produce positive results.
Educate Tenants about Green Habits
At the end of the day, office tenants make a big impact on the building’s energy efficiency ratings. A wonderful way to help create a greener property is by educating tenants about cultivating eco-friendly habits.
Whether it’s shutting the lights off when a room is not in use, cracking down on recycling efforts, or unplugging tools and appliances at the end of the workday; don’t underestimate the power of a building’s tenants. People yield great power to make a positive difference. Use these tips to strategize a greener future for your commercial office property.