Commercial :: GBIG Insight

Your Handy Guide to Building Energy Disclosure Mandates

By Maija Krizmane on 09 Oct 2013 • 2 minute read

The past decade has seen energy rating and disclosure mandates become increasingly common as legislators and policymakers realize the large energy imprint of commercial buildings - in U.S. commercial buildings account for 19% of energy related carbon emissions. However, …

LL84 requires many NYC to disclose yearly energy performance data

Property Portfolio Greenness and the Financial Performance of REITs

By Ulyana Hrudzko on 12 Sep 2013 • 2 minute read

The real estate sector has a significant affect on the environment. In the US, buildings account for almost 38% of global carbon dioxide emissions, 72% of electricity consumption, and 40% of raw materials use. More efficient use of energy, water, and materials can reduc …

Building Resiliency for New York

By Sean McMahon on 31 Jul 2013 • 2 minute read

Earlier this month the NYC Building Resilience Task Force, led by Urban Green (USGBC's local chapter in New York), released its full report detailing more than 30 practical proposals to increase the resiliency of the city's buildings to extreme weather events. The task …

Flooded streets in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

Enforcing Building Code Compliance Means Big Savings

By Afroz Algiers on 24 Jun 2013 • 2 minute read

Recently, Sarah Stellberg of the Institute for Market transformation, came across evidence that suggested almost a 100% non-compliance with building codes in certain U.S jurisdictions. To respond to this shocking figure, she developed a measure of the potential savings …

Building inspector examining wiring in California

EPA’s National Building Competition 2012: Battle of the Buildings

By Dan Kandy on 18 Jun 2013 • 1 minute read

The third year of the EPA's National Building Competition saw 3,000 buildings battle it out to see which could generate the greatest energy savings. Teams tracked energy savings using ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, and the winner was the building that demonstrated the …

Demarest Elementary School in Bloomfield, New Jersey took top honors

Study Explores the Relationship Between Sustainability and Corporate Financial Performance

By GBIG Staff on 18 Jun 2013 • 1 minute read

Many studies have addressed the tangible benefits of green building design – decreased energy costs or increased property values, for example. Now, researchers from the University of Notre Dame have completed “the first study… linking what have traditionally been …

New Commercial Buildings May Suffer From Rebound Effect

By Dan Kandy on 18 Jun 2013 • 1 minute read

Common wisdom may be that new commercial buildings consume less energy than their older counterparts, but that may not be the case, according to a new study, Commercial Building Electricity Consumption Dynamics: The Role of Structure Quality, Human Capital, and Contrac …

Tell Us How you Really Feel

By GBIG Staff on 18 Apr 2013 • 2 minute read

A survey was conducted by McGraw-Hill Construction and CB Richard Ellis to see how occupants felt about the high performance buildings they use. Would those buildings reflect high levels of occupant satisfaction? Results of the survey, made public as part of Greenbui …