The lead players include Chicago-based Equity Office Properties Trust, TrizecHahn Corp. of Toronto, Los Angeles-based Arden Realty and the Irvine Co. of Newport Beach. Also involved are the Shorenstein Co. and Catellus Development Corp., both of San Francisco, Lowe Enterprises and Kilroy Realty Corp., both of Los Angeles, and New York-based Tishman Speyer Properties.

The consortium, many of whose members have spent million of dollars on energy conservation over the past two years, has established a four-phased agenda that will direct upcoming meetings: how the industry can improve its overall operational energy efficiency, how owners should advise their tenants on lowering energy consumption in the workplace and at home, what major energy solutions the commercial real estate industry can provide to California and how the consortium can leverage its significant ownership position to positively impact long-term energy solutions.

The consortium says it is currently working with BOMA and state officials to craft an implementation plan that will provide concrete energy enhancement recommendations in real estate throughout California, including the state's own buildings. Among the new technology options the consortium will look at during upcoming meetings is on-site power generation via fuel cells, microturbines and photovoltaic panels.