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Of all the trendy terminology used in these times of environmental consciousness, sustainability is pretty much at the top of the list. There are many ways to define sustainability, but one general definition that makes good sense to us goes like this:

Sustainability is most often defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs. It has three main pillars: economic, environmental, and social. These three pillars are informally referred to as people, planet and profits.

In this post, we focus on the environmental (planet) and economic (profits) aspects of sustainability as they relate to your ownership of commercial office property and how you can encourage your tenants to engage in behaviors that support a sustainable workspace.

Few would argue the underlying value of getting more by using less. It runs along the same line as the old saying; waste not, want not. But, is it really something for you as an owner to definitive action on? We think the answer is yes.

The Outside Perspective

Let’s first look at what you as the owner can do conserve and save money by making improvements to the exterior of your property. The good news is that what you do that helps the planet will probably be good for your profits, as well.

If your building is older, as most buildings are in Southern California, there’s a good chance that you are using too much water and sending too big a check to your power company each month. Do you still sod lawns and flower beds to water every day? Are your irrigation system timers and sprinkler heads adjusted to optimize water use? If the answer is yes to the first question and no to the second, then you may want to consider re-landscaping to emphasize drought-tolerant plants and trees, and upgrading your irrigation system to minimize water use while you are at it. You’ll have to spend some money upfront, but maintenance costs and water bills could fall enough to pay for the project in fairly short order.

The same is true for exterior building and landscape lighting. LED’s use just a fraction of the power that old-style incandescent or even compact fluorescent bulbs use. While LEDs are more expensive, prices have fallen dramatically in recent years, and they will most likely still be shining bright long after you’ve sold the property.

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A Closer Look Inside

So, you and the environment could both be winners before you even open the front door. Now, let’s take a look inside to save you more money and make you an even ‘greener’ owner.

Inside it’s still all about water and power and there are many things you and your tenants can do to conserve energy and lower overall operating cost.

When it comes to wasting water, your restrooms are at the top of the list. If you haven’t installed automatic, low-flow water faucets and on-demand water heaters, start there. Add the latest in low flow toilets and urinals to the equation and you’re almost set. You may also choose to add hand dryers to eliminate paper towel use. They use very little power making them a win for both planet and profit. Also, make sure that water in tenant suites is being dispensed through flow-restricted faucets and heated with the latest in on-demand water heaters. Yes, all this will cost money, but the long term payoff will make you glad you made the investment. The best brokers and property managers agree that well-maintained modern restrooms are high on the list of prospective tenants.

The LED’s to the Rescue

Changing to a more efficient way to deliver light to the common areas is another good idea. Since common area lighting is on at least twelve hours a day during the week and another six hours on Saturday, it makes sense to upgrade. It could just be to the latest in fluorescent tubes, the cost of which is nominal, or a full upgrade to LED’s that require new fixtures. If you’ve found yourself trapped making upgrades to Title 24 standards, then you know how expensive it can upgrade your common areas and tenant spaces. The law, which has been around for the past five years, requires upgrading lighting systems to today’s technological standards if more than 10% of the electrical system in a given space is being disturbed when being remodeled.

We will get to full HVAC and electrical system upgrades in another post. There are tremendous savings to be had in these areas, but the up-front cost and tax consequences should be carefully considered before taking action.

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Partnering With Your Tenants

But, before we go, we address the question of engaging your tenants in terms of making your building run at peak efficiency while still delivering a quality workplace experience. Tenants consume the lion’s share of the power and use most of the water you pay for every month. So, it only makes sense to engage them in your efforts to lower operating costs. A well-operated property means lower expenses to you and fewer dollars to pass through to your tenants as operating expenses rise over time. Plus, together you can work toward lower energy use, which is better for the planet.

We recommend that you communicate regularly with your tenants either directly or through your professional representatives regarding ways to operate the property at a lower cost using less energy and other resources. A few simple things you can recommend include:

Encourage open space workplace designs that increase the use of natural light rather than artificial light
Promote the formation of “green committees” to engage employees in promoting lower energy use
Communicate regularly with your tenants to share new ideas on how to create a more sustainable workplace

An Ongoing Process

The foregoing is by no means a complete synopsis of all the ways you can make your building more efficient, be more mindful of our environment and make your property a place for people to thrive in the workplace. It is an attempt to get you thinking about the concept of sustainability and what you can do to support people, planet and profit. We are constantly searching for new ways to make every building we manage more sustainable, and we welcome the opportunity to do the same for you. Just give us a call at (949)668-1110 to start the process.