Smart Leasing Program

Conference room

The Smart Leasing Program provides tools, training, and resources to better align the interests of tenants and landlords. This will help Denver achieve healthier and more energy-efficient buildings.

Take the Smart Leasing Pledge

Denver is interested in developing case studies to recognize how program participants have integrated smart leasing principles into business practices. Pledge to try to recognize, implement, and encourage smart leasing principles in your industry and get expert knowledge support from the Smart Leasing team.

If interested, please email smartleasing@denvergov.org.

Take the Smart Leasing Pledge

Program Details

Tenants

Leasing an energy-efficient space improves employee productivity, retention, and sales due to improved thermal comfort, daylighting, and the overall health of the building. Smart leasing can reduce utility costs, drive employee satisfaction, and benefit your bottom line. According to a study done by Stok, commercial tenants who invest in high-performance buildings can gain an additional annual value of $3,395 per employee and $18.56 per square foot due to the enhanced productivity, retention, health, and utility and maintenance savings. 

Determining the Value of High Performance Buildings

Smart leasing practices for tenants:

  1. Work with your broker to create site selection criteria that prioritize efficiency and meet your needs
  2. Ask prospective landlords what the ENERGY STAR® score of the building is and what energy-efficient features are installed
  3. Submeter energy use in your leased space and ask that the landlord provide monthly updates on energy consumption
  4. Build out your space using energy-efficient strategies such as natural lighting, ENERGY STAR® appliances, occupancy sensors, and programmable thermostats

Download this Tenant Smart Leasing one-pager(PDF, 141KB) to encourage others in your industry to participate in the program.

Learn more:

Landlords/Property Managers

Landlords and Property Managers involved with leasing energy-efficient space can improve asset value through reduced operating costs and increased tenant retention. By integrating smart leasing into your business practices, you can unlock the value of leasing cost-efficient space that reduces utility costs, drives tenant satisfaction, and benefits your bottom line.

Smart leasing practices for landlords or property managers:

  1. Promote the energy-efficient features of your property to the market, including the ENERGY STAR® score
  2. Set efficiency standards for leased spaces and communicate your criteria and the benefits to prospective tenants
  3. Submeter your tenant spaces to increase transparency and provide data that can help target and pursue energy-efficiency improvements.
  4. Implement, evaluate, and continuously improve energy management practices throughout building operations to establish consistency in achieving efficiency goals

Download this Landlord/Property Manager Smart Leasing one-pager to encourage others in your industry to participate in the program. 

Learn more:

Brokers

Brokers with expertise in smart leasing practices are uniquely positioned to grow their client base and assist their clients in capitalizing on leasing cost-efficient space that meets the growing demand for healthy, high performing buildings and aligns with clients’ sustainability goals.

Smart leasing practices for brokers:

  1. Attend training or other educational events and review resources to be able to articulate the value of energy efficiency to clients
  2. Share information and resources with tenants showing that leasing energy-efficient space can improve employee productivity and retention while reducing utility costs
  3. Share information with landlords or property managers that explains how leasing energy-efficient space can improve market value through reduced operating expenses and increased tenant retention
  4. Align site selection processes with landlord and tenant sustainability goals and interests to overcome the split incentive

Download this Broker Smart Leasing one-pager to encourage others in your industry to participate in the program. 

Learn more:

Attorneys

Attorneys that can integrate clients’ sustainability goals into leases can stay current with the growing demand for healthy, high-performing buildings. Being proficient in green lease language such as cost recovery and information sharing clauses can assist in aligning tenant and landlord sustainability and financial goals.

Smart leasing practices for attorneys:

  1. Attend training or other educational events and review resources to be able to articulate the value of energy efficiency to clients
  2. Share information and resources with tenants that explains how integrating green lease language can improve employee productivity and retention while reducing utility costs
  3. Share information with landlords or property managers that explains how integrating green lease language can improve market value through reduced operating expenses and increase tenant retention
  4. Align lease language with landlord and tenant sustainability goals and interests to overcome the split incentive

Download this Attorney Smart Leasing one-pager to encourage others in your industry to participate in the program. 

Learn more:

Architects, Designers, and Space Planners

Architects, designers, and space planners proficient in smart leasing site selection and build-out processes are sought out as credible advocates. They can demonstrate additional value to their clients by presenting energy-efficient options that align with their sustainability goals and offer creative solutions to sustainability challenges. 

Smart leasing practices for architects, designers, and space planners:

  1. Share information and resources with tenants showcasing that selecting energy and cost-efficient options can increase employee retention and reduce utility costs
  2. Provide information and resources with landlords to explain how selecting energy and cost-efficient options can improve net operating income and increase tenant retention
  3. Align site selection and build-out processes with landlord and tenant sustainability goals and interests to overcome the split incentive

Download this Architects, Designers, and Space planners Smart Leasing one-pager to encourage others in your industry to participate in the program.

Learn more:

 

 

infographic about Smart Leasing Denver

 Text version of infographic