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Green Leases: An opportunity to develop a sustainable approach for tenanted commercial buildings in the UK

Langley, Angela, Hopkinson, Lara and Stevenson, Elizabeth Victoria ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8531-2091 2010. Green Leases: An opportunity to develop a sustainable approach for tenanted commercial buildings in the UK. Presented at: 5th International Conference on Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings (IEECB'08), Frankfurt, Germany, 10-11 April 2008. Published in: Bertoldi, P. and Atanasiu, B. eds. Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Improving Energy Efficiency in Commercial Buildings: IEECB Focus 2008. , vol.1 Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, pp. 247-256.

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Abstract

Approximately 98% of the building stock in Europe comprises existing buildings. Landlords of commercial existing buildings are facing increased legislation, notably the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. This is driving them to reduce their energy consumption whilst striving to remain in a competitive market. In its widest sense energy also applies to other resources. Office tenants and landlords are finding their energy performance is increasingly being scrutinised by customers. Both parties see benefits in reducing their energy consumption. However, the relative benefits of improved practice for tenants and landlords do not always match the responsibilities apportioned in the current commercial lease agreement. An investigation incorporating thirty five commercial tenants operating from five buildings in two South Wales cities identified that the commercial lease was a major systemic barrier to energy efficiency in commercial buildings. This may be due to behavioural practice within a building, lack of defined obligations and responsibilities, ineffective communication and payment structures that inhibit tenants from carrying out actions to reduce their impact. Landlords also have difficulty in justifying investments in equipment or operational changes that would lead to environmental improvements. The potential of altering the commercial lease agreement to become a tool to aid environmental improvements (rather than a barrier) was investigated. To this end clauses which could be incorporated in the commercial lease agreement were developed. These clauses provide nontechnical solutions to tackle the identified barrier and lead all parties to reduce energy consumption. As a result of this investigation, the thirty five participating tenants implemented thirty three energy minimisation initiatives, plus twenty eight relating to general waste and three relating to water. This indicates the progress which can be achieved when the barriers are addressed.

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Date Type: Publication
Status: Published
Schools: Architecture
Business (Including Economics)
Subjects: N Fine Arts > NA Architecture
T Technology > TD Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
Publisher: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
ISBN: 9789279159954
Related URLs:
Last Modified: 21 Oct 2022 09:57
URI: https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/38468

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