LEED Leads Market

According to a study released by the CoStar Group, the sale prices and rental rates of buildings with either LEED® certification or the Energy Star® label are higher than that of traditional buildings.

The study reveals:

LEED building pricing:
$171 per square foot higher than non-LEED buildings
LEED rental rates:
$11.24 per square foot higher than non-LEED buildings
LEED occupancy rates:
3.8% higher than non-LEED buildings

Energy Star building pricing:
$61 per square foot higher than non-Energy Star buildings
Energy Star rental rates:
$2.38 per square foot higher than non-Energy Star buildings
Energy Star rental rates:
3.6% higher than non-Energy Star buildings

Andrew Florance of CoStar has remarked that this study purports a "strong economic case for developing green buildings." The large margins on pricing noted, particularly that of LEED building pricing being $171 per square foot higher than its counterpart, should encourage future investments in green residential and commercial development.

For information on how the CoStar study was conducted, visit USGBC.org

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