Green Building a High Priority for Office Tenants, Says Study

Percentage of respondents who value green building practices by country

GE Capital Real Estate Survey, conducted during 2010, included more than 2,220 participants—office tenants from the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Sweden, the U.K., Spain, and Japan. Fifty percent of all participants ranked green building initiatives as a high priority, with higher numbers found in Japan, Canada, and Sweden. The U.S. had the lowest percentage, with 43%. Among the green building priorities included in the survey, the top priority for tenants in most countries was energy efficiency, with waste reduction programs and indoor air quality coming next. In Sweden, the UK, and Spain, green rating certifications are considered a valuable factor, with scores averaging 48%—while only 40% of U.S. tenants ranked certifications as valuable. The survey concludes that commercial office tenants increasingly prefer spaces with sustainability initiatives. See also “Non-Green Office Buildings Sacrifice 8% in Rent Revenues,”

EBN, Nov. 2010. For more information, visit www.gecapitalrealestate.com.