With a green, high-performance lease, landlords and tenants can better work together to save billions of dollars and lock in smarter, more efficient operation of buildings. Since its inception in 2014, IMT and the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Alliance’ Green Lease Leaders recognition program has grown to include firms that represent more than 2 billion square feet of building space—a clear indication that green leasing is no longer considered an exception, rather it is becoming best practice across real estate markets.
As building efficiency efforts have progressed to more advanced holistic approaches to meet ambitious climate and sustainability goals, green leases have evolved as well. In the newest edition of IMT and the DOE’s Better Buildings Alliance’s case study series, we shine a spotlight on 2019’s Green Lease Leaders that are using the lease to not only overcome split incentives but also create lasting public-private partnerships to advance city-wide energy action plans and business sustainability goals.
Read Green Lease Leaders: Green Leasing Spurs
Efficiency Improvements in Cleveland Businesses and City Buildings
- The City of Cleveland leads by example as the first city government to be recognized as a Green Lease Leader, both on the municipal level and through strong partnerships with local chambers of commerce and businesses.
- MAN Holdings LLC, through its local subsidiary Yosemite Properties, exemplifies how the private sector is becoming an engaged proponent of green leasing in the Cleveland area, working with the local chamber of commerce to incorporate green lease language across its growing portfolio of Class B and C buildings.
- Visit greenleaseleaders.com/resources for more on how Green Lease Leaders are using the lease to catalyze high performance in buildings.
Become a Green Lease Leader
If you are a tenant encouraging your landlord to collaborate on sustainability goals, or if you’re a landlord working closely with tenants to make their space more efficient and healthy, you might be a candidate for IMT and DOE’s Green Lease Leaders recognition.
A first step is to assess your lease and corporate documentation in comparison to the standards specified by the Green Lease Leaders recognition program. Even if you are not currently including energy efficiency and sustainability in your lease, but practice sustainability in building operations and management, the Green Lease Leaders criteria can serve as a guide for enhancing a lease to account for sustainability.
For more information on Green Lease Leaders, or for help in building your own green lease, visit the Green Lease Leaders website to learn more about the program and how to apply for recognition at greenleaseleaders.com/apply or contact IMT at imtweb@imt.org.
