The Yudelson Associates Blog: What's New

Thursday, December 20, 2007

New Energy Bill Promotes Green Buildings and Energy Efficiency in Federal Buildings

In addition to the federal building standards, the bill sets new national efficiency standards for light bulbs that will effectively phase out most incandescent light bulbs by 2014. Beginning in 2010, NEW federal buildings and those undergoing major renovations will have to cut their fossil fuel use, compared with a 2003 baseline, by 55 percent in 2010, 65 percent in 2015, 80 percent in 2020, 90 percent in 2025 and 100 percent in 2030. The 55 percent cut by 2010 will be the most daunting measure to achieve, since that will affect projects going into design in 2008 and 2009. By 2010, federal agencies generally will be prohibited from signing leases for new space exceeding 10,000 square feet in any building without an ENERGY STAR label. Existing federal buildings will have to decrease energy consumption by 30 percent overall by 2015, compared with their 2003 baseline energy use.

Posted by Jerry on 12/20/2007 at 09:10 AM

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Development Industry Continues to Push for Green Buildings

The real estate ownership and development community has totally bought into the green building message. In the NREI survey, 52% of corporate respondents and 39% of developer respondents currently own, manage or lease at least some “green” properties, while 84% of corporate users and 77% of developers expecting to own, manage or lease at least some green properties five years from now. However, green is still very much of an “early adopter” market for commercial real estate. Corporate users anticipate that the amount of green facilities they own or lease will more than double from 9% to 21% in the next five years, while developers also expect the volume of green properties in their portfolios to take a similar jump from 9% to 20% by 2012. These are not earth-shattering numbers, but the beginnings of a healthy trend that indicates the percentage of NEW green building projects will be quite high. Good news also that nearly 40 percent of corporate users would be willing to pay up to 2 percent more for a green building, while another 27 percent would pay up to 4 percent more. In 3 to 5 years, only certified green buildings will fit the definition of Class A office space, so look also for developers to be sprucing up their current Class A building portfolios with certifications under the LEED for Existing Buildings standard.

Posted by Jerry on 12/19/2007 at 11:28 AM

This entry has been viewed 338 times.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Local Incentives Push Green Building Development Ahead

Our new research study, “Green Building Incentives That Work: A Look at How Local Governments Are Incentivizing Green Development,” found that nearly a hundred local and state governments are offering green building incentives to private developers. This study brings together all of those incentives in one place and helps local governments who want to offer green building incentive programs to follow the example of leaders.

We are in momentous times when everyone wants to enact programs that will help their cities and states to reduce their ‘carbon footprint.’ Many studies have shown that green buildings offer the most cost-effective way to carry out these public policy goals. How should these programs be structured? Our study points the way to government actions that work effectively with the private sector to achieve mutually beneficial goals.

Prepared for the NAIOP Research Foundation, this study presents the scope of green building incentives offered across state and local governments in the U.S. as of August 2007 and assesses what optimal mix of financial and procedural incentives may further green building goals, by assisting developers who want to “build green.” The report also contains an extensive appendix of local government programs, policies and incentives, organized by state and city, as well as by type of program. “Green Building Incentives that Work: A Look at How Local Governments are Incentivizing Green Development,” is available by free download from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties Research Foundation.

Posted by Jerry on 12/18/2007 at 12:46 PM

This entry has been viewed 220 times.

Monday, December 17, 2007

New LEED Project Registrations Reach 3,600 in 2007, now top 8,500 total, grow 74% this year!

The green building revolution is accelerating. Contrast these 11-month numbers with 2006 year-over-year (vs. 2005) growth of only 50% in registered projects and 67% growth in certified projects. Registered project area grew by more than 265%, indicating that a lot of the growth is in much larger projects, represented by the LEED for Core and Shell and LEED for Existing Buildings rating systems. Any way you analyze it, green building is mainstreaming far more quickly than anyone imagined even two years ago.

Posted by Jerry on 12/17/2007 at 03:29 PM

This entry has been viewed 314 times.