Insights

July 12, 2012

Engaging Employees and Tenants in Sustainability Leads to 9-10% Operational Savings

Following the first national executive meeting for 2012, SBER Member-Clients and other companies continued discussions about how to best engage employees and tenants in sustainability initiatives. These discussions have confirmed that SBER Member-Clients recognize occupant engagement for sustainability is an important means to bridge the gap between predicted and actual building performance, leading to energy and other savings averaging 9-10%.

Among corporate users, employee engagement programs have traditionally been the responsibility of the HR and CSR departments, with a focus on volunteerism and philanthropy. The increasing importance of more sustainable real estate to corporate sustainability is driving change that affects Directors of Real Estate and Workplace Services executives. They are joining their CSR and HR colleagues in the development and implementation of new, far-reaching engagement programs that explicitly address sustainability.

Among owners, greater sustainability in real estate is increasingly a competitive necessity, and so they can leave no stone unturned in the quest to position their assets as more sustainable to a growing segment of corporate users seeking such facilities. Portfolio and asset managers are looking for opportunities to work with building management and operations staff to partner with their tenants in a host of initiatives to accelerate progress to more sustainable real estate performance.

Key takeaways from this research include:

• Companies develop comprehensive occupant engagement programs that go beyond the more familiar energy, water and waste reduction initiatives to encompass health, transportation, and community partnerships.
• Corporate users aim at sustained behavior change, focusing employee engagement programs on four areas – awareness and education, social networking, data sharing, and incentives.
• Owners are increasingly engaging tenant executives through amended leases and service contracts, incorporating sustainability clauses.
• Owners engage tenant employees directly through communications, sponsored events, and joint owner-tenant committees.
• Companies utilize advanced technology platforms to increase participation.

SR Inc’s original management best practices research features case studies of Bentall Kennedy, Duke Energy, GPT, Intel, Intuit and Walmart. The slide presentation and research presented at the 1st Quarter Executive Meeting are available in SR Inc’s Member-only Digital Library. Member-Clients who do not have a username and password may request an account. You can also download an executive summary of Occupant Engagement for Sustainability.

SR Inc’s Research & Consulting Team (researh@sustainround.com)