What the New Energy Star Designation Means for CRE

Bluth: “For CRE, this program gives prospective customers an estimate of a building’s energy performance in advance of occupancy and the ability to compare potential energy performance of different properties.”

IRVINE, CA—The “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR” program allows new projects to establish energy-efficiency goals during the design process and to be recognized when their EPA energy model rating is in the top 25% of similar buildings nationwide, the Irvine Co. Office Properties’ VP energy management Rich Bluth tells GlobeSt.com. The firm recently added this energy-efficiency distinction, making it the only company in America with the US Environmental Protection Agency’s DEES rating for new office construction so far in 2017.

The company, which already owns and operates the largest number of energy-efficient, ENERGY STAR-certified office buildings in the nation, earned the accolades for the new 21-story 400 Spectrum Center high-rise here and five six-story buildings at Santa Clara Square in Silicon Valley. Together, the buildings offer more than 1.5 million square feet of new construction. The new buildings scored an average 92 out of 100 on the ENERGY STAR efficiency scale and are expected to perform among the top 10% of all buildings in the US after they open in fall, according to the EPA.