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In the NBI study, the results indicate that new buildings certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification system are, on average, performing 25 to 30 percent better than non-LEED certified buildings in terms of energy use. The study also demonstrates that there is a correlation between increasing levels of LEED certification and increased energy savings. Gold and Platinum LEED certified buildings have average energy savings approaching 50 percent.
The study also shows that buildings that have earned the EPA’s ENERGY STAR label use an average of almost 40 percent less energy than average buildings, and emit 35 percent less carbon.
But beyond reduced energy use and reduced carbon emissions, the results from both studies strengthen the “business case” for green buildings as financially sound investments.
According to the CoStar study, LEED buildings command rent premiums of $11.24 per square foot versus their non-LEED peers and have 3.8 percent higher occupancy. Rental rates in ENERGY STAR buildings represent a $2.38 per square foot premium versus comparable non- ENERGY STAR buildings and have 3.6 percent higher occupancy. And, ENERGY STAR buildings are selling for an average of $61 per square foot more than their peers, while LEED buildings are selling for an average of $171 more per square foot.
The group analyzed more than 1,300 LEED Certified and ENERGY STAR buildings representing about 351 million square feet in CoStar’s commercial property database of roughly 44 billion square feet, and assessed those buildings against non-green properties with similar size, location, class, tenancy and year-built characteristics to generate the results.
Visit www.usgbc.org for more information.
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