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Real Estate Companies Focus On the Greenest Side of Green

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By Joe Salimando
Salimando is a Fairfax, Virginia-based writer and contributor to energysolutions.necanet.orgeleblog.com, and tedmag.com.
Reach him at
ecdotcom@gmail.com

An article posted to the website of National Real Estate Investor noted that 5 real estate companies were included in Newsweek magazine’s Green Rankings (total: 500 companies) for 2012 – including Vornado Realty Trust at #87 and CBRE Group at #96.

In 2011, Vornado was #177; CBRE was #128. See the NREI article here.

Of course, companies that own a lot of buildings (as does Vornado) or operate/manage them for clients (which is CBRE’s business) would seem to be prime candidates for attention from electrical contractors.

But consider this spin on what’s really important, from the article:

“As a property owner, our focus on sustainability and energy efficiency is centered around lowering our operating expenses while improving our operating practices,” says Sukanya Paciorek, Vornado’s New York-based vice president, corporate sustainability.

“Since 2007, the company has successfully LEED-certified over 30 million sq. ft. of its portfolio and has implemented some of the most innovative energy and data management programs in the U.S.”

Paciorek cites examples including a 6.2-MW co-generation plant in New York and a 980-kW solar system in New Jersey as “highlights of our forward-looking approach to technology and efficiency.”

LEED involves many criteria but, from what’s above, the ELECTRICAL aspects of projects seem to get a relatively stronger weighting. This can’t be bad for contractors hoping to help customers on a range of energy-efficient measures that help lower customer operating expenses.

Additionally, the article quoted David Pogue, sustainability director of CBRE Group. He was the keynote speaker at NECA’s 2012 Energy Forum.

Addendum: An article in the May issue of TED presented the perspective of Chris Studney, now VP for energy & sustainability for yet another real estate firm, Jones Lang LaSalle. The kicker: Studney spent the first 13 years of his career, up to April 2011, working for electrical distributors. He is, then, an electrical industry veteran – who’s now sitting on the other side of the table.

To see the article, go here, find the May issue, and go to pages 24 & 25.


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