Consumers fork out for energy efficient buildings
Buildings with certified energy ratings are not just more energy efficient than their counterparts, but are also earning more on rental and retail markets. Those are the findings of two US studies which looked at new buildings certified under the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED scheme and the Environment Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR programme. Researchers found that LEED buildings had average energy savings of up to almost 50%, and ENERGY STAR of almost 40%. But this also made the buildings more attractive to buyers and renters.