SAN FRANCISCO-Shorenstein Realty Services has rolled out the first phase of a targeted energy conservation education program, aimed at its thousands of tenants across the country, by conducting an energy awareness roadshow at several of its buildings. Titled “Flip the Switch,” the roadshow event, which is expected to wrap up its nationwide tour next month, focuses primarily on energy conservation but also introduces tenants to the environmental importance of sustainability as well as its long-term financial benefits.
According to Lisa Mize, a senior vice president with Shorenstein and the chairman of the committee responsible for the program, the roadshow event has been enthusiastically embraced by tenants, many of whom already follow energy conservation practices at work and at home. “We have found our tenant audiences to be very receptive … Most of the strategies included in the tour are behavioral modifications that have the potential to contribute substantially to a reduction in energy efficiency.”
Mize continues that “After hearing about the impact of these small, very accessible actions, our tenants leave the tour enthused about sharing the information in their office and, we hope, at home.”
In order to ensure the sustainability of the concepts and strategies discussed in the tour, each roadshow event includes regular tenant follow-up by Shorenstein Realty Services, the property management arm of Shorenstein Properties. Flip the Switch will be followed by the launch later this month of a “green” site which highlights tour details as well as resources and materials for tenants to use to implement reduction strategies. The website will house information on the spectrum of sustainability from recycling to water conservation and sustainable purchasing.
According to Susan Spaner of RMR Construction in San Francisco, a tenant attending the tour, “Ours is a small office but I found several useful and previously unknown tips for saving electricity. Two that I used immediately: unplugging unused items as they use electricity even when powered off and turning off photocopiers at night,” she says.
Flip the Switch is the latest initiative taken by Shorenstein to cement its commitment to sustainability in its buildings. The company has long participated in programs to benchmark its buildings against industry best practices in energy management and sustainability, such as ENERGY STAR and BOMA’s 7-Point Plan, and it has successfully achieved certification under the US Green Building Council’s LEED program for almost a dozen of its buildings.
Shorenstein joins the many groups are launching some sort of energy conservation program. As GlobeSt.com previously reported, the commercial properties division of the Towbes Group, on behalf of multiple property owners, recently launched a significant energy conservation project with Southern California Edison to replace existing lighting with energy efficient fixtures throughout its commercial portfolio. According to Southern California Edison, energy action plans typically can save property owners up to 15% of annual energy costs, reduce operating expenses while providing quicker returns on investment.
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Natalie Dolce
Natalie Dolce, editor-in-chief of GlobeSt.com and GlobeSt. Real Estate Forum, is responsible for working with editorial staff, freelancers and senior management to help plan the overarching vision that encompasses GlobeSt.com, including short-term and long-term goals for the website, how content integrates through the company’s other product lines and the overall quality of content. Previously she served as national executive editor and editor of the West Coast region for GlobeSt.com and Real Estate Forum, and was responsible for coverage of news and information pertaining to that vital real estate region. Prior to moving out to the Southern California office, she was Northeast bureau chief, covering New York City for GlobeSt.com. Her background includes a stint at InStyle Magazine, and as managing editor with New York Press, an alternative weekly New York City paper. In her career, she has also covered a variety of beats for M magazine, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, FashionLedge.com, and Co-Ed magazine. Dolce has also freelanced for a number of publications, including MSNBC.com and Museums New York magazine.
