The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the nation’s leading trade association for developers, owners, investors and other professionals in industrial, office and mixed-use commercial real estate, announced an official association policy on sustainable development, which has ratified by its national Board of Directors. They called on members to use “every usable, cost-effective, sustainable strategy available.”
The NAIOP Sustainable Development Policy reads as follows:
The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) values the earth’s resources and recognizes the positive impact that sustainable development has on the environment and the properties its members create.
NAIOP believes that the intelligent use of energy, materials and other resources yield environmental benefits, and that the lifecycle of a building – from site development through design, construction, renovation, operations and demolition – should strive to employ every usable, cost-effective, sustainable strategy available.
NAIOP applauds states, municipalities and communities that offer incentives for sustainable building that enable responsible developers to build better buildings and meet the needs of environmentally-conscious owners and occupants, both today and in the future.
NAIOP encourages its members to seek education and certification resources made available by NAIOP or various organizations that provide an understanding of developing and maintaining high-performance properties.
“NAIOP’s endorsement of this policy confirms that the association and its members are committed to development practices that result in the creation of sustainable real estate projects designed to preserve and protect our environment,” said Alan J. Beaudette, senior vice president of Lowe Enterprises and 2008 NAIOP chairman. “NAIOP and its members understand that developing ‘green’ or sustainable properties is a not only a responsibility we have to our industry, communities and our tenants, but a practice that makes good business sense.”
The policy statement is the outcome of a Green Task Force established in March 2007 to examine sustainable development and recommend how NAIOP should address this important issue within the industry and among its members.
The Task Force comprised 13 NAIOP members from across the nation and varying professions that contribute to the development industry. The group researched and made recommendations in five categories: policy; education; research; strategic alliances; and legislative initiatives.
In March 2008, NAIOP will host its first “green” conference – DevelopGREEN: Sustainable Solutions for Commercial Real Estate – that will take high-performance development practices to the forefront and specifically address how and why the industry must continue to develop green. Commercial real estate leaders on the cutting edge of green will anchor the event.
NAIOP will award its third annual Green Development Award during development ’07: the annual meeting for commercial real estate, held October 16-19 in Atlanta. Past winners of the award include Corporate Office Properties Trust and Hines.
Founded in 1967, NAIOP comprises more than 15,000 members in 54 North American chapters and provides networking opportunities, educational programs, research on trends and innovations and strong legislative representation. For more information, visit:
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