As building owners, operators, and developers adapt to a hybrid work model, creating a welcoming office space is more important than ever. In an article for Propmodo’s Perspectives series, ESD now Stantec Senior Acoustics Project Manager Scott Hamilton shares his views on the evolution of the open office and why acoustics play such a critical role to the health, comfort, and productivity of returning workers. (Learn more about open office design.)
Beginning Oct. 13, 2020, leased office spaces that have been designed with energy efficiency in mind will be able to apply for ENERGY STAR Tenant Space certification.
Eligible tenants for this new certification include general administrative, financial and non-diagnostic medical office companies located in the United States that meter the energy for their occupied space.
To receive recognition, tenants must meet a lighting efficiency target, use efficient equipment and share data with the owner or landlord, if requested, for whole-building benchmarking. Similarly to the whole-building ENERGY STAR certification, tenants must engage a licensed professional (LP) to verify their submission.
Benchmarking and recognition are achieved through ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager’s new Tenant Tool – a module added to gather specific information on the floors and suites comprising the tenant space. The Tenant Tool is populated by the following information:
- Metered energy loads controlled by the tenant
- Number of equipment/appliances in the space (including number of those that are ENERGY STAR certified)
- Lighting fixture counts and specifications
Portfolio Manager will calculate estimated energy use and a target lighting energy use intensity that must be met to achieve ENERGY STAR recognition. After metrics are calculated and eligibility is confirmed in Portfolio Manager, tenants may complete the online application. Additionally, an LP must conduct a site visit to verify application information (options for adapting the site visit to meet tenant visitor restrictions are available). Once the application is approved by the EPA, tenants will receive ENERGY STAR Tenant Space certification, recognition on the ENERGY STAR website and a decal to proudly display in their space.
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager remains a free tool for buildings, and now tenant spaces, to monitor and track their energy consumption and compare with similar spaces. ESD is proficient in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and has assisted with ENERGY STAR certification for multiple buildings across the Chicagoland area. To learn more about the ENERGY STAR Tenant Space program, contact us.
