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Commercial buildings are responsible for 16% of carbon dioxide emissions and 35% of electricity use in the U.S.¹ Therefore, any strategy to significantly reduce corporate emissions must include the real estate sector. With sustainability leaders in the industry emerging, investors calling for action, and tenants seeking green solutions, the commercial real estate sector  is  poised  for  significant  investment in renewable energy. 

The Future of Real Estate Power (FoREP) is CEBA’s newest program focused on developing solutions for landlords and tenants to accelerate renewable energy procurement in commercial real estate. 

REBA members will inform FoREP through the creation of resources and engagement opportunities that will address the toughest challenges of procurement in the industry, including:

• Data sharing and transparency for effective sustainability reporting  
• Treatment of environmental attributes to make renewable energy use claims 
• Development of contracts that accelerate renewable procurement in real estate 

“As a company that is uniquely positioned as both a landlord and tenant, WeWork is acutely aware of the challenges and importance of energy management in the real estate sector. Powering commercial real estate with renewable energy is crucial for our company, as well as many others, to meaningfully meet its sustainability goals. It is exciting to see organizations like CEBA stepping up and creating programs like Future of Real Estate Power to address this immense challenge.” 

Illina Frankiv, Head of Energy & Sustainability, Americas, WeWork 

The Commercial Real Estate Principles are FoREP’s first resource aimed at powering commercial real estate with renewables. The Principles were created to galvanize landlords and tenants to accelerate renewable energy procurement, guide landlord-tenant collaboration, and demonstrate growing industry demand for sustainable solutions. Any company may sign the Principles; there is no fee or CEBA membership requirement to sign on. Tenants may use the Principles to help inform their energy management requests to landlords. Landlords may use the Principles to develop sustainable energy solutions for tenants.    

“At Autodesk, we are constantly seeking ways to  improve  the environmental impact of our operations. To drive change and decrease building emissions on the broad scale that is required, landlords and tenants need to collaborate on solutions.  CEBA’s Commercial Real Estate Principles provide crucial guidance and demonstrate industry demand for landlord-tenant collaboration.”

Claire FitzGerald, Sustainability Manager, Autodesk 

Tackling large issues often begins with taking small steps. We hear time and again from energy buyers that without smaller wins, larger achievements become much more difficult. For instance, many tenants and landlords struggle to simply determine whom to contact regarding sustainability or energy issues.  Collaboration between tenants and landlords is critical to address both major and minor obstacles in renewable energy procurement for commercial real estate and drive meaningful industry decarbonization. Therefore, landlord-tenant collaboration will be a focal point of FoREP’s strategy and resource development as it drives its objectives forward.  

Get Involved

To learn more about the Future of Real Estate Power program and how to get involved, or the Commercial Real Estate Principles and how to become a signatory, contact supplychain@cebuyers.org.  

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