A standard for energy savings measurement is a must, but tenants need a say. Not long ago, green renovations were eschewed by a large percentage of landlords. Contrary to popular opinion but right in line with the business approach of most landlords, the resistance was financially motivated more so than some sort of political stance. When enough case studies were in place to demonstrate the energy cost savings that resulted from things like tankless water heaters, energy-efficient windows, computerized thermostat systems, LED lighting, and smart power meters, adoption grew quickly. Today, the list of methodology and technologies is ever expanding. That adoption was helped along by a wave of federal, state and municipal regulations, as well a growing acceptance by builders and architects. However, as with any growing trend in business, standards needed to be put in place. Deep Energy Savings (DES) is a term used throughout the industry that addresses the overall benefit of multiple energy-saving protocols. Still, it doesnt translate to any real world performance benchmarks. So, if its not California leading the charge in business standard bearing, its New York. In this case, the New York State Energy Resource and Development Agency is hoping to lead the way. The organizations efforts are rooted in a goal to push landlords beyond just saving on their monthly bills. The group wants to cement a standard of at least Zero Net Energy, meaning that a property produce as much energy as it expends. On a national scale, ways to measure energy savings remains a building-by-building practice. Thirty-percent savings means one thing to one landlord and something much different to another. This means that office tenants have to consider each buildings DES effort independently, which can complicate the decision process. Naturally, tenants stand to benefit tremendously by seeking lease options that are dedicated to achieving DES and all it is striving to represent. Most importantly though, landlords and groups like NYSERDA need to actively involve office users if this collective endeavor is to achieve all it can for the commercial real estate industry. Everyone is for saving money on energy costs. But unless tenants are integrated into standards creation and best practices, skepticism will remain every time annual expenses are calculated.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 16:08:48 +0000
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