A successful real estate transaction involves many parties, and market uptake of green leasing is reliant on all parties understanding the benefits that green leases bring to buildings. This is a team-focused award to celebrate individual transactions where landlords, tenants, brokers, asset managers, lawyers, or other parties come together to develop innovative leasing solutions that improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. The award will focus on specific transactions where both parties bring sustainability goals to the table.
Guidelines for the team award are:
Submitted leases and other documentation must meet the minimum criteria of the Green Lease Standards, explained on our program requirements page.
All submissions must feature at least two parties collaborating to advance green leasing concepts and energy efficient buildings.
The award will have two categories: transactions under 50,000 square feet, and transactions over 50,000 square feet.
Highlighted activities will be judged by the Green Lease Leaders team according to advancing the mission of the Department of Energy's Better Buildings program.
Application Teams should apply on a single application. Recognized teams may consist of individuals, small teams (in the case of brokers or transaction management groups) or particular companies (such as the landlord or tenant involved).
To apply, teams must complete the narrative section within the application explaining their actions, documentation with evidence of included green clauses, and other supporting documentation. The application, as well as supporting documentation, can be uploaded for submission at greenleaselibrary.com/apply.
Example Submissions
The following Department of Energy case studies exemplify strong applicants for the Green Lease Leaders Team Transaction Award:
Case Study 1: International law firm Nixon Peabody collaborated with landlord Brookfield Properties to amend their lease terms to allow for a greater return on investment and smaller environmental footprint in their new Washington, DC office. Nixon Peabody hired a broker who was knowledgeable in green buildings, and used community solar laws to green their space and save money.
Case Study 2: Healthcare company WDT Indio teamed up with landlord Sharp Development Company to retrofit their 40-year-old building to achieve net-zero energy status. WDT and Sharp used an innovative lease structure to complete the deal to retrofit the building.
Download an application to be considered for the award here, or contact us for more information.
The Green Lease Leaders program is part of www.greenleaselibrary.com, the leading site for green lease guidance on the Internet.
Check out our Guidance page for resources and toolkits on how to develop, negotiate, and implement green leases.
Head to our Lease Forms & Case Studies page for green lease templates and successful examples of applying green leasing best practices.