Strong Forecasts for Green Business and Building in 2010

Published January 13, 2010

What's in store for green buildings and green business in 2010? Here are my predictions for the year's emerging trends. Readers, join in by posting your prognostications, too.

Retrofits

The mainstreaming of LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED-EBOM) -- which requires compliance with EPA's Energy Star program -- gives property owners a roadmap to green retrofit certification.

The ongoing uncertainty and capital constraints in the commercial real estate market ensure that attention will continue to be fixed on existing portfolios, rather than on new development. These converging influences suggest that green building retrofits will be big business in 2010.

Two new books provide green retrofit guidance: my own "Retrofitting Office Buildings to be Green and Energy-Efficient" and my friend Jerry Yudelson's "Greening Existing Buildings."

As well, I'll look forward to meeting you at green building retrofit conferences throughout 2010. The first, which I've organized around an all-star lineup, is sponsored by the Urban Land Institute and takes place January 21 in San Francisco.

I'll be sharing additional insights on green building retrofits in my next column.

Energy Efficiency

As in 2009, operating cost efficiency remains an imperative for businesses and property owners. Fuel and water savings will continue to be watched as the most closely-watched metrics on sustainable operating performance.

This will be an excellent year for energy auditors, energy benchmarking software and commissioning. This trend should be reinforced if -- as I expect -- local governments begin to follow the lead of the District of Columbia in mandating building energy benchmarking (PDF), and New York City in enacting building energy efficiency standards.

Alternative Energy

The use of the 30 percent investment tax credit for alternative energy should pick up steam during 2010, as investors begin to emerge from their foxholes.

I'm hearing that capital providers are looking for proven technologies and teams with established track records as best bets. I see the first wave of investment in alternative energy plants.

In the real estate arena, this trend is first likely to affect campuswide retrofits that incorporate combined heat and power or district energy solutions.

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Strong Forecasts for Green Business and Building in 2010

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Strong Forecasts for Green Business and Building in 2010

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