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In keeping with the Earth Day 2017 theme of “Environmental & Climate Literacy,” the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has issued five suggestions for how property professionals can help educate their tenants on and engage them in sustainable best practices.
"BOMA International has long been committed to supporting sustainability in commercial real estate through educational offerings and innovative programs, such as the BOMA Energy Contracting Performance Model,” said BOMA International Chair Brian M. Harnetiaux, senior vice president of Asset Management at McCarthy Cook. “Not only do property professionals greatly impact how efficiently buildings are run, but they also are ideally positioned to keep their tenants and communities informed of current green best practices on Earth Day—and every day.”
Here are five ways commercial real estate professionals can help spread environmental and climate literacy this Earth Day, April 22, and throughout the rest of the year:
1. Add a “Green” Section to Your Newsletter. Don’t wait for Earth Day to share sustainability tips with your tenants—make it a regular part of your communications strategy. Add suggestions on how they can reduce waste, lower energy use or optimize workplace recycling programs to your regular newsletter, tenant website or building announcements.
2. Discuss Sustainability Goals. Meet with your tenants one-on-one regularly to ensure you’re supporting them in their own sustainability goals. Offer guidance on how they can reduce their utility bills and discover how you can work together to create a more sustainable building.
3. Share Sustainability Successes. Did you complete a successful LED retrofit in your parking garage? Install new automatic faucets in communal bathrooms to reduce water use? Win a sustainability accolade like the ENERGY STAR award? Share these victories with your tenants! Letting them know that you’re focused on sustainability is a great way to keep tenants engaged and demonstrate your dedication to maintaining an efficient building and protecting the environment.
4. Improve Your Signage. Make sure tenants aren’t overlooking the green features of your building by refreshing your signage. Your bike racks should be easy to locate, for example. Or, make sure there’s a clear, up-to-date list of what is and isn’t recyclable next to recycling bins to encourage greater participation.
5. Host a Recycling Event. Host a building-wide recycling day where tenants and community members can drop off hard-to-recycle items such as batteries, LED light bulbs and old computers and printers. Afterwards, let your tenants know how successful this event was and how many items were diverted from landfills.
