Energy-Efficient Buildings: Spending Money Saves Money

BOSTON-Two co-joined buildings here, located at 222 Berkeley Street and 500 Boylston Street, owned and operated by Texas-based Hines, have been designed and retrofitted to reduce energy use resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings annually. Both buildings received the energy star designation from the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy.

According to James Green, regional manager of engineering services for Hines, the energy star rating is achieved by reporting the facts of the building and its energy use to the EPA which then compares that information with similar buildings using the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey as a guide. If a building’s rate of energy efficiency falls within the top 25%, it qualifies for the energy star.

Green contends that the program has not only saved the company money but has also made the leasing process easier by making the building more appealing to potential tenants. “Energy is available for the tenant should they need it,” he tells GlobeSt.com. “The building can maintain its energy consumption. Tenants don’t have to limit their growth and we don’t have to increase the cost of our electrical system. It also helped tenants reduce their operating costs.” Green notes that the process also increases the value of the building itself. He estimates that the company spent $1.3 million on hardware to improve energy efficiency.