BOMA INTERNATIONAL’S TOP SEVEN STRATEGIES FOR TAKING THE LEAD ON EARTH DAY

BOMA Shares Tips for Commercial Real Estate Professionals to Demonstrate Leadership in Sustainability

WASHINGTON, D.C. – April 21, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — In keeping with the Earth Day 2015 theme of “It’s Our Turn to Lead,” the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has issued its “Top Seven Strategies” commercial real estate professionals can implement in their buildings to become sustainability leaders in their communities. With energy use in commercial buildings accounting for nearly 20 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, BOMA has committed to helping its members and the industry as a whole improve energy management and sustainability practices.

“BOMA International is dedicated to providing property professionals with the resources they need to be ‘green’ leaders in their communities, in their companies and in their industry,” said BOMA International Chair John G. Oliver, BOMA Fellow, managing principal for Oliver & Company. “These strategies are concrete steps that commercial building owners and managers can take to maximize energy efficiency and make their operations more sustainable.”

Here are seven practical ways commercial real estate professionals can demonstrate leadership in sustainability this Earth Day, April 22, and every day throughout the year:

1. Benchmark. Measuring current performance is the first step towards improving future performance. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager benchmarking tool is a secure, easy way to benchmark your building’s energy and water consumption.
2. Get a Tune-Up. Make sure your building is operating at maximum efficiency by performing regular checks of building systems and equipment. Leaky windows and ducts, uninsulated hot water tanks and pipes, badly calibrated thermostats and old or dirty air filters can cause significant energy waste.
3. Audit Your Waste Stream. A waste audit of your building can help you determine what is being discarded that could be recycled and allow you to adjust your equipment, procedures and training accordingly. Of course, reducing the amount of material that enters your building in the first place is the simplest way to cut waste.
4. Clean Green. Make sure your cleaning service is using green products and practices throughout the building. Green cleaning also can significantly improve indoor air quality.
5. Lighten Up. Interior lighting is one of the single largest controllable energy costs in a commercial building. Replace incandescent bulbs with more efficient LED bulbs, dim lights in naturally lit areas and use automatic controls to turn lights off when spaces are not in use.
6. “Green” Your Lease. A well-crafted green lease can empower tenants to take a larger role in energy management. Creating clear guidelines and expectations allow property owners, managers and tenants to work together to save money, conserve resources and ensure efficient building operations.
7. Go Further. Already have the previous six practices in place? Take some time to research next-level green measures that can enhance your building, such as using a grey water irrigation system, providing secure bicycle storage for cycling commuters, installing solar panels or planting a rooftop garden.

BOMA International is proud to offer these strategies as part of its own continued leadership in the area of sustainability in the commercial real estate industry. The EPA recently recognized BOMA International with the 2015 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year Award for Sustained Excellence. This is the eighth time BOMA has been recognized by the EPA with an ENERGY STAR award and it remains the only commercial real estate association to have received this honor. In 2009, BOMA International also received the Climate Protection Award, the EPA’s highest honor.

For more information on BOMA International’s green initiatives, as well as more tips and strategies for greening commercial buildings, visit www.boma.org/sustainability.

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About BOMA International
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International is a federation of 91 BOMA U.S. associations and 17 international affiliates. Founded in 1907, BOMA represents the owners and managers of all commercial property types including 10.4 billion square feet of U.S. office space that supports 1.8 million jobs and contributes $227.6 billion to the U.S. GDP. Its mission is to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge. Learn more at www.boma.org?.

Contact
Jessica Bates
Manager of Communications & Marketing
BOMA International
(202) 326-6348
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