5 Things to Know About Tenant Star

PALO ALTO, CA—On April 30, 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2015 into law. In part, the Act empowers the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy to establish and implement a voluntary “Tenant Star” program aimed at promoting energy efficiency in separate spaces leased by tenants or otherwise occupied within commercial buildings. The Tenant Star program is to be modeled after the well-established “Energy Star” program that continues to provide tools for measuring and benchmarking energy efficiency and for certifying those properties that meet or surpass minimum standards. 

The question that many industry experts are now asking is: what impact, if any, will a new voluntary program have on the design, construction and operation of commercial buildings? The answer to this question remains to be seen; however, five factors about the Act to keep in mind are set forth below and may serve as a roadmap on what can be expected.