This article from National Real Estate Investor makes an excellent point about looking at energy efficiency and LEED certification not as one big expensive step but many smaller changes implemented over time.
Just a few years ago, few commercial property owners and managers had any perspective on operating properties using sustainable principles, and few people in commercial real estate really had any passion about how these assets could become more environmentally friendly. We just didn't know how it affected us.
Today, the landscape is much different and while many of us in commercial real estate feel inundated with messages about how to operate our properties according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards or Energy Star, we shouldn’t minimize the impact of even the smallest changes that commercial properties can make with little or no financial investment. I really think that “green” will become a way of life rather than just the next exciting initiative.
I often hear from colleagues in property management that investor clients still think that transitioning facilities towards a sustainable operation will include much more financial investment and a long timeline. That really isn’t the case anymore. Buildings don’t have to become LEED certified for existing buildings operations and maintenance or even Energy Star labeled to become more energy efficient and to incorporate sustainable practices. Each little step towards efficiency helps to reduce operating expenses, which is always top-of-mind during a difficult economic period, and leads to more sustainable practices. To understand the results of these small changes, the team should monitor month-over-month energy bills and in a few short months, they will see a difference.
Among our list of simple ideas is to start with a list of simple changes to be made in routine maintenance whenever possible, incorporating automatic occupancy controls for lights and HVAC, reviewing your HVAC frequently to make sure it matches your occupancy, light screens on windows to maintain internal temperatures and adding recycling containers in main hallways.
http://nreionline.com/brokernews/greenbuildingnews/news/leed_excellence_simple_ideas_0614/
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