BOMA International starts 7-Point Challenge Energy Plan

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has recently begun their Market Transformation Energy Plan for its members and the commercial real estate industry. The plan includes a 7-Point Challenge for members to reduce use of natural resources, non-renewable energy sources, and waste production and work in coordination with building management, ownership, and tenants to achieve the following goals: 7-Point Challenge 1. Continue to work towards a goal to decrease energy consumption by 30% across portfolios by 2012. 2. Benchmark energy performance and water usage through EPA's Energy Star benchmarking tool. 3. Provide education to building managers, building owners and operators, engineers, and others involved in building operations, to ensure that equipment is properly maintained and utilized. 4. Perform an energy audit and/or retro-commissioning of buildings and implement low-risk, low-cost strategies to improve energy efficiency with high returns. 5. Extend equipment life by improving the operations and maintenance of building systems and ensure equipment is operating as designed. 6. Through leadership, positively impact your community and your planet by helping to reduce your industry's role in global warming. 7. Position yourself and the industry as leaders and solution providers to owners and tenants seeking environmental and operational excellence. "The challenge before us is ambitious but achievable," said BOMA International chairman and chief elected officer Kurt Padavano, RPA, CPM, FMA, SMA, and chief operating officer of Advance Realty Group of Bedminster, N.J. "Current research estimates that energy consumption in commercial buildings accounts for 18% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Responsible building operating and management practices can significantly reduce energy consumption, lower GHG emissions, and thus diminish a building's carbon footprint." BOMA International chairman-elect Brenna Walraven, RPA, CPM, executive managing director, National Property Management, USAA Real Estate Company said, "Commercial real estate owners and operators understand the triple bottom line value to reducing energy consumption and implementing "high performance and sustainable management practices; these efforts not only have dramatic environmental benefits, but also have tremendous financial benefits." BOMA International's Market Transformation Energy Plan said that through implementation of no and low-cost operation and management practices alone, buildings may see areduction in energy consumption of up to 30%. In addition to lowering operating costs and enhancing asset value, these measures will improve tenant comfort and satisfaction with better building temperature control and lower absenteeism and increase tenants' productivity, resulting in real cost savings for tenants. BOMA believes that increasingly the market will demand energy efficient sustainable buildings and that the 7-Point Challenge supports our industry in making the business case for implementing sustainable practices, thereby bringing value to owners and operators. By working with real estate professionals through the BOMA network of 91 local associations, with all levels of government, and the myriad of public and private groups with similar goals, BOMA International believes market transformation will be realized.