Sustainability is now central to commercial real estate, no longer just a value-add. With tight credit markets, the cost-saving benefits of energy-efficient, green buildings have made them an economic necessity — offering strong environmental, financial, and social returns in today’s post-pandemic market.
So, to identify the best primary and secondary U.S. markets for green workspaces, we developed a ranking system to evaluate both the sustainability of existing office stocks (by certifications, energy efficiency and building policies), as well as the surrounding environment (mobility options outside single car usage, as well as CO2 emission levels).
Atlanta ranked #8 among the nation’s top markets for green office spaces, driven by the following key performance metrics:
- Atlanta earned the 2nd-highest score for its Energy Star performance, with 88 square feet of certified office space per capita – surpassed only by Washington, D.C. Energy Star certifications are awarded to properties with superior energy efficiency, allowing owners to cut energy costs and carbon dioxide emissions by up to 35% compared to standard buildings.
- Atlanta boasts a green office inventory of roughly 59 million square feet, of which LEED Gold certified properties total roughly 27.8 million. Buildings with the highest certification (LEED Platinum) contribute another 6.7 million.
- At the national level, Washington, D.C. claimed the top spot in our top 15 rankings, driven by the highest share of Energy Star square footage per capita (103) and a strong third-place finish in the LEED building composite score.
If you’d like to explore the full study and dive deeper into our methodology, you can check it out here: https://www.commercialcafe.com/blog/top-green-office-markets/
Feature Image Courtesy of: CommercialCafe
