Yes, building sustainable environments does cost moreupfront--as much as 10% more, depending on how green you go. Butthe phrase used repeatedly in conference sessions is "CostNeutral," meaning simply that upfront costs are mitigated bydownstream savings.
"Our goal is zero cost or a net reduction in operating costs,"said Brenna Walraven, an executive managing director at USAA RealEstate Co. in Irvine, CA. Walraven spoke at a session entitled"Greening Existing Buildings: Getting the Biggest Bang for theBuck." At the end of the day, said Walraven, who is also BOMAInternational's chair-elect, building green is about highperformance. USAA is "not a charitable organization, and this is animportant way to execute our fiduciary responsibility."
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John Salustri
John Salustri has covered the commercial real estate industry for nearly 25 years. He was the founding editor of GlobeSt.com, and is a four-time recipient of the Excellence in Journalism award from the National Association of Real Estate Editors.
