The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that will create a voluntary energy-efficiency program modeled after Energy Star for commercial and government buildings.
President Obama is expected to sign the so-called Tenant Star law, which authorizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to set up a branding, recognition, and certification program. Tenant Star is targeted for property owners and tenants who design, build, and operate leased spaces in office buildings.
Tenant Star encourages tenants, who, in some buildings, consume more than half of the power used by the building, to take measures to save energy. If the program is widely adopted, it could save landlords and tenants an estimated $2 billion by 2030 and reduce carbon emissions by nearly 12 million metric tons.
"Tenant Star will also go a long way to help ensure that U.S. buildings—and the separate spaces leased within them—are at the vanguard of technology and energy conservation,” says Anthony E. Malkin, Chair of The Real Estate Roundtable's Sustainability Policy Advisory Committee and Chairman and CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. “The program will allow building owners to attract financiers, investors, and tenants in the increasingly competitive national and global markets for real estate.”
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Oct 2, 2017
Delicate balance: Needs vs. capital for government agencies
John Caulfield, Senior Editor
Giants 400 | Sep 28, 2017
Top 85 government construction firms
Turner Construction Co., PCL Construction Enterprises, and Clark Group top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest government sector contractors and construction management firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Sep 28, 2017
Top 55 government engineering firms
WSP, AECOM, and Arup top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest government sector engineering and EA firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Sep 27, 2017
Top 95 government architecture firms
Stantec, HOK, and Gensler top BD+C’s ranking of the nation’s largest government sector architecture and AE firms, as reported in the 2017 Giants 300 Report.
Government Buildings | Jul 26, 2017
Spector Group unveils new law enforcement center for Nassau County
The center will serve as a regional training center for all Nassau County Police personnel.
Building Team Awards | Jun 13, 2017
Government campus reimagined: Intelligence Community Campus
Building Team converts 1940s campus into a sleek, modern home for U.S. intelligence agencies.
Building Team Awards | Jun 7, 2017
Justice league: United States courthouse
Gold Award: The Building Team for L.A.’s newest courthouse went way beyond what was expected.
Cultural Facilities | Dec 14, 2016
Institutions aggressively targeting private donors to fund construction projects
Capital campaigns abound, even though government financing still plays a vital role.
Government Buildings | Dec 1, 2016
Unlocking innovation in the government workplace
Government work settings ranked the lowest in their effectiveness across the four work modes: focus (individual) work, collaboration, socializing (informal gathering that fosters trust and teamwork) and learning.
| Sep 1, 2016
COURTHOUSE GIANTS: A ranking of the nation's top courthouse design and construction firms
DLR Group, NBBJ, Hensel Phelps, Sundt Construction, AECOM, and Dewberry top Building Design+Construction’s annual ranking of the nation’s largest courthouse sector AEC firms, as reported in the 2016 Giants 300 Report.
