Green Building Expert Panel
CoStar Convenes Experts to Discuss Opportunities, Challenges of Green Building
Source: CoStar.com
CoStar Group sponsored and hosted a roundtable discussion on green buildings on June 17, 2009. The panel included Marc Heisterkamp, director of commercial real estate at the U.S. Green Building Council; Laurie McMahon, managing director and principal of Washington-based Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers; Thomas Olson, a consulting attorney for the Environmental Defense Fund's National Climate Campaign; and Steve Teitelbaum, principal of the law firm Jones Day.
They discussed sustainability issues facing tenants, real estate brokers, and landlords, as well as the benefits of the Energy Star and LEED programs.
According to Teitelbaum, "We focus a lot, because we're real estate people, on the operating expenses. It's an easy one," he said. "But the benefits go beyond just operating expenses. There are studies that in many cases, you get productivity benefits out of green buildings that far outweigh any expenses."