In a survey by CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle, real estate executives say their corporate sustainability programs emphasize employee productivity and health, and they are willing to pay more for "green" space. Executives are seeking strategies that balance environmental, financial, and labor concerns.
"Corporations increasingly view sustainability strategies as a permanent aspect of their business, and real estate executives are key to implementing those strategies," said Michael Anderson, manager of research and the Knowledge Center at CoreNet Global. "The high percentage of corporate real estate executives worldwide who consider sustainability in making location decisions shows how deeply this issue is engrained in the business community."
Sixty-four percent of respondents said sustainability was a current critical business issue, and 92 percent said they consider sustainability when making location decisions. Half of respondents said they were willing to pay more for green space in 2010, an increase from 37 percent in 2009.
"The Sustainability Survey results reflect an evolution that we're seeing in the industry," said Dan Probst, chairman of Energy and Sustainability Services at Jones Lang LaSalle. "Five years ago, a corporate real estate executive might have thought sustainability was a costly way to make the company look good to employees. Two years ago, that same executive probably focused on energy management as a way to save money in the short run. Today, he or she may be pursuing green strategies that enhance employee productivity."
About a third of responding executives said employee productivity and health were their top sustainability concerns. Another 11 percent said employee satisfaction was the most important factor.
CoreNet Global and JLL: Fourth Annual Sustainability Survey
Employee productivity and health are leading factors in corporate real estate sustainability considerations.
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