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A Guide to Protecting the Environment & Saving Money in Your Leasing Practices

You don’t have to be a building owner to save money, improve employee comfort, and enhance your corporate image through improved energy performance. As a tenant, you can take action to help protect the environment and reap the financial benefits for your organization. Whether you pay for your energy directly or as part of your rent, ENERGY STAR can help you improve your corporate value. This guide shows you how.

What is your INCENTIVE?

If a tenant of a 20,000 square-foot office space can save $50,000, how much can you save?

Tenant Savings
Office Space 20,000 sq.ft.
Lease Term 5 years
Energy Savings 25%
Reduces Costs $0.50/sq.ft. Annual
Savings $10,000
Lease-Term Savings $50,000

If you pay your own energy bill…

Your savings go to your bottom line. Unlike most of your overhead, energy is a controllable cost. By taking steps to reduce energy use, you can turn these savings into a profit center for your organization. In addition, improving the performance of your building through lighting, HVAC, and other technology or maintenance measures can improve the comfort of your employees.

If your energy costs are included as part of your rent…

You can coordinate with your landlord to achieve savings. If your space is using energy inefficiently, you are paying for the excess energy costs. Take initiative with your landlord to create incentives for both parties and eliminate wasted expenses. The lower operating costs, as well as increased comfort and productivity, gives your business its competitive edge.

Demonstrate environmental leadership

EPA can help you promote your environmental efforts to employees, customers, and other stakeholders.

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What ACTION can you take?

Create an Energy Management Strategy

ENERGY STAR offers you Guidelines for Energy Management, with tools and resources to help each step of the way. After you have developed your energy management strategy, identify your top priorities and move forward. Implementation often involves working directly with the building owner, and requires action from different divisions within your company.

Energy Service and Product Providers

Utilize the Service and Product Provider Directory to find providers that work with ENERGY STAR.

Internal and external communications are important to build energy awareness.

From choosing a copy machine to turning off a light switch, your company is making decisions that affect up to 60% of your energy costs. All divisions of your organization can help improve energy performance, from individual employees to the CEO. For communications information on issues ranging from CEO support to tenant and employee handouts and posters, reference the 'Spread the Word' section of the ENERGY STAR Challenge Toolkit.

Inform your ENERGY STAR Account Manager of plans and accomplishments. Consider applying for an ENERGY STAR Award.

Show your building owner how to profit from improved energy performance.

ENERGY STAR tools can help with these efforts:

  • Share with your owner a list of participating organizations in ENERGY STAR.
  • Introduce your strategy to the building owner. Click to download a sample letter Word document.
  • Encourage your landlord to utilize ENERGY STAR tools for office buildings, including:

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