The Leader - January/February 2008 - (Page 48) m e e t i NG th e ca r B oN ch a lleN Ge: the ro le o F co mme rci al re al e s tate o W Ne rs , Us e rs & maNaG e rs Change, an organization comprising members of the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, concluded for the first time that global warming is “unequivocal” and that human activity is the main driver, “very likely” causing most of the rise in temperatures since 1950. While this remains a topic of debate, the argument has led to increased attention on what individuals, businesses and governments can do to stop or reverse the trend. UNderstaNd YoUr carBoN FootpriNt A “carbon footprint” is a measure of the amount of CO2 emitted through the combustion of fossil fuels. In the case of a business organization, it is the amount of CO2 emitted either directly or indirectly as a result of its everyday operations. It also might reflect the fossil energy represented in a product or commodity reaching market. Because heavy industry is one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions, most business-focused programs responding to the problem to date have emphasized participation by “emitters,” manufacturers and utilities. However, other sectors of the economy, including service-sector companies such as banks, law firms and retailers, which occupy the vast majority of investorowned real estate in the United States, are recognizing their contributions to this problem and have expressed interest in taking steps to reduce or eliminate their emissions. The largest global sources of emissions are generation of electricity and heat, followed by transportation. The activities of service-sector companies contribute to these sources through their electricity use, building heating and business travel. They may also contribute to other large global CO2 emission sources such as land use change, manufacturing and construction. Owners and occupiers of significant amounts of real estate have an opportunity to curb the effects of global climate change by influencing operations, supply chains, customers and employees. This situation challenges real estate managers to be proactive in helping mitigate the increase of greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides an opportunity to establish more efficient building operations and systems that can create long-term cost savings for the owner and occupant alike. Critics often cite strict regulations, fee structures associated with building design and engineering, electricity pric- 2 0 0 8 the le ade r 48 J aN Ua rY / F e B rUa r Y
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