Green Real Estate

GREENER BUILDINGS ARE NOW “THE NEW NORMAL”

Interest and market activity in greener new and existing buildings in Canada continues to grow to higher levels and is quite beyond the effect of any government climate change policy.

Mounting evidence is supporting the contention that greener buildings can command higher rents and asset value, enhance occupant health and well-being, improve employee productivity, attract tenants more quickly, reduce tenant turnover, and cost less to operate and maintain.

Green buildings provide many financial benefits that conventional buildings do not. These attributes include energy and water savings, reduced waste, improved indoor environmental quality, greater employee comfort and productivity, and lower operations and maintenance costs.

With the growing market acceptance of greening new and existing buildings across North America, the business case is getting stronger to justify these types of projects, developments, investments, and expenditures.

As corporations, governments and consumers increasingly adopt environmental policies, strategies and practices within their day-to-day mainstream activities, the desire to work, live and occupy higher quality buildings is becoming a related priority. Green has become mainstream in our corporate and personal lives.

The bottom line on green buildings may be as simple as this: a) if we have personal and anecdotal evidence that a thermally comfortable, well-lit, properly ventilated workplace, preferably with some daylight, is likely to have a positive effect on our well-being and our morale, and therefore would inspire greater work performance; b) that sustainable physical elements such as adequate air exchange, produces positive benefits in employee health and well-being, and c) that we can build office buildings to a higher standard with these features at little or no extra cost then - why shouldn’t we do so?

MAJOR TRENDS, ISSUES, STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES WILL BE ADDRESSED

The Green Real Estate conference will provide a high-level discussion and strategic update on the economics, benefits, and value of green buildings, along with some of the best practices that design, construction and development teams are using to create these types of properties.

Developers, investors, shareholders and lenders will learn how sustainable value is created by improving building performance, or potentially lose market share. Real estate brokers and valuators must also become more aware of this approaching major shift and trend.

The program will address the key trends from the perspective of investors, developers, owners, tenants, building users, design and construction professionals, and the market. The emphasis will be on practical strategic information that can be applied to real market and project conditions.


Stefan Ciotlos Executive Vice President & Executive Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis Limited	Trish Clarry Director, Real Estate Strategy TELUS Communications Corporation