Business, Profit and Zero Net Energy Buildings

In terms of marketing impacts, imagine two competing commercial spaces both offering similarly priced triple net leases. But one building is ZNE where the annual consumption of energy is equal to the annual onsite generation of renewable energy. The ZNE building will have a cost advantage in marketing its leases. Beyond this cost advantage, ZNE buildings will have marketing advantages in:

1. 1. Attracting tenants. ZNE buildings have a marketing advantage in their ability to not only be more sustainable, but also in creating the documentation needed by property managers to validate sustainable performance and increasing regulatory compliance. A second advantage will be in the lessee’s ability to market themselves to their clients that visit them onsite. Market research has found that solar panels and recycling bins are the two strongest visual images of a sustainability commitment for potential customers. ZNE buildings will accelerate a tenant’s ability to align with customers seeking to buy from a company that accounts for environmental responsibility.
   2. Aligning with the millennial generation. The millennial generation will associate a ZNE building and its smart technologies with smart phones and tablet technologies. Because a ZNE building will align with their strong concerns for environmental sustainability, they will think working in such buildings as being “cool with a purpose.”
   3. Offering a healthier, lower-risk environment. ZNE buildings will be healthier buildings for occupants. It’s only a question of time before there’s a smart phone app that measures indoor air quality. This app will expose building owners and lessees to potential litigation. It will also have a human-resources impact for companies seeking to attract and retain work associates. A ZNE building will mitigate potential litigation and increase working condition satisfaction.

ZNE’s Bottom Line Is Higher Property Values A ZNE building has the potential of generating more cash than a comparable non-ZNE building based on lower operating costs and the ability to attract longer-term, higher-quality tenants. It should represent lower investor risk because it can enable a healthier work environment that has the potential of achieving lower liability insurance costs. Finally, a ZNE building should have fewer electricity outages, which will enable building operations during grid outages. For businesses that have suffered revenue losses during what now appears to be an increasing number of volatile climate events, an NZE building could be the difference between continued operations and lost business. Other articles by Bill: Small Business, Smart Buildings Four Keys To Building Latina Brand Loyalty Five Steps To Reducing Your Pump Price Pain Five Steps To Winning A Green Supply Chain