Most people in the real estate industry are now familiar with the US Green Building Council and its LEED standards for sustainable building construction. A newer organization is now on the scene with similar, yet broader, goals. A group of business leaders and academics has founded the Responsible Property Investment Center. The group attempts to help investors "find and create value through improving the economic, social, and environmental profile of their investments." Edward Lipkin, a member of RPIC's steering committee and chief executive officer of Philadelphia-based EBS&L Development, spoke about his organization's goals recently here at the International Council of Shopping Centers' Conference on Mixed-Use Development. He later spoke with GSR about his group and industry sustainability trends.

GlobeSt.com: Is there any one particular push in society right now driving the existence of groups like RPIC?

Lipkin: To a degree, we have to take our hats off to the US Green Building Council. They truly raised America's awareness of energy consumption. Man is the only animal on earth that creates a terrarium around him. Every other creature on earth lives on the earth. About 30% or 35% of all of the energy being consumed is in the buildings that man lives in. There is another large percentage that goes to cars. Between the buildings and the cars you have a huge amount of energy consumption.