Expert Columns

Loews Hotels & Co, operator of 26 hotels and resorts, strives to be an industry leader in environmental sustainability. This column from Better Buildings details the company's pursuit of DOE's 50001 Ready Program for energy management at 11 properties, including the creation of energy management teams at each facility.

Across the country, jurisdictions are passing Building Performance Standards (BPS), also referred to as Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS). This column from IMT (Institute for Market Transformation) explains why these relatively new policy tools will become critical to helping building owners achieve greater efficiency, reduce GHG, and meet regulatory compliance requirements, and how the creation of Building Hubs can provide resources central to building energy codes and BPS.

The Life Time Chanhassen, MN Athletic Club reduced energy use intensity by 35% and water use intensity by nearly 60%. This column highlights how this Better Buildings Showcase project implemented a range of electric, natural gas, and water efficiency improvements from 2011 to 2021 to achieve these and other goals.

Despite differences in portfolio size, location, and target market, multifamily housing providers Foundation Communities and Veris Residential have chosen similar paths in pursuit of their sustainability goals. In this column from the Better Climate Challenge (BCC), learn how both companies have committed to cutting their carbon emissions in half and their shared belief in the growing importance of electric vehicles (EVs) to reducing emissions – from residents as well as their own operations.  

In just the past two months, record-shattering torrential rains have wreaked havoc on homes and businesses in Texas, the west coast and the Midwest, along with Pakistan, Australia, China and other parts of the globe. Mindy Lubber, President and CEO of Ceres, explains why these and other financial impacts from the systemic climate trends are hugely relevant as the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission considers its next move in its push to significantly strengthen corporate climate disclosure rules.

In 2013, Whole Foods Market became the first grocery partner to join the Better Buildings Challenge, committing to a 20% improvement in energy use intensity by 2023 across its building portfolio of more than 12 million square feet. In this column, learn how Whole Foods Market surpassed that goal two years ahead of schedule, achieving a 21% energy reduction.