ABOUT: KEY FEATURES OF THE
GREEN LEASE
IMT Green Leasing Guide
Green leases, also known as "energy-aligned leases" or "high-performance
leases," incorporate terms encouraging sustainable practices and energy
efficiency into buildings' leasing agreements. At their core, green leases are
designed to align the interests of landlords and tenants towards achieving
energy efficiency and sustainability goals within the construction, operation, and
usage of commercial spaces. Traditional lease agreements often discourage
investment in energy efficiency, as the benefits of such investments are not
equally shared between the tenant and landlord. Green leases address this divide
with specialized language that ensures both parties share the costs and benefits
of sustainability improvements leading to mutual benefits and incentives from
the property's improved performance.
Green lease requirements typically cover building design, construction, and
operations. Topic areas may include energy, water, waste, and indoor
environmental quality. While each lease is different and will depend on the
specific priorities of both landlord and tenant, there are common topics that all
green leases may address…
A standard green lease document will incorporate the following, at a
minimum:
Establish tenant fit-out standards
Meter or submeter all tenant space electricity use
Establish sustainability point of contact for building and tenant
