Green spaces are more than just a passing trend. It is the core of the commercial property industry. Today’s business owners are showing increasing interest in sustainable business practices and rightfully so. Tenants are also looking for greener spaces because of three reasons: one, their market is demanding greener landscapes; two, they need eco-friendly and sustainable features to save on business expenses; and three, they want their employees to be more productive.
But how can the commercial leasing property market meet these demands? What does sustainability mean in the context of commercial properties? What features should these buildings and complexes have?
Parks and Gardens
Finally, commercial properties are into incorporating parks and gardens into their space. Not too long ago, many of these property businesses are focused on filling up every square foot of their land with buildings. Now, they are creating walking paths, gardens, greenhouses, and parks on their properties. These allow employees and tenants to “breathe.” Most of them feel cramped inside their offices. A nice little garden will relax and calm their minds. It will give them a space to improve their mental conditions.
Greenhouses
If you do not have enough space for a garden or you do not want to have to hire someone who can maintain the landscaping, you can also build a little greenhouse on your property. You can even put this on the rooftop. The good thing about a greenhouse is that it is a controlled environment. You just need to install some greenhouse window shades to make it more energy-efficient and to keep the temperature inside at the level the plants need.
Windows and Lights
Not so long ago, buildings have concrete walls from the bottom floor to the top. Engineers and architects are changing this now by incorporating more windows into their designs. Filling the walls with windows will increase the natural light that enters the building. This will allow tenants to save on energy bills, which they are more focused on than environmental sustainability.
Improving the presence of natural light inside the building also has a positive impact on the employees. It is morale-boosting. Employees are more productive when there’s natural light streaming from the windows. They are also generally healthier since sunlight brings with it a lot of nutrients and minerals such as vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
Recycling Facilities
Waste management is another pandemic felt by the world over. Industries and residential properties are filling up landfills in record time. That’s why commercial properties should offer waste management services. Partnering with recycling facilities in the local area will allow the tenants to better manage their waste and reduce their carbon footprint. They can even turn their waste into gold as many of their materials can be turned into new products.
Renewable Energy
Do you know that you can power a whole commercial complex with renewable energy? Using solar panels on your roof will reduce your building’s dependency on the grid. You will pass these savings to your tenants. That’s always the best way to attract tenants because everyone is looking for ways to save on their business expenses, the majority of which is brought about by rent and energy consumption.
Green spaces alleviate stress and improve one’s mental health. In such a dog-eat-dog world and with the pandemic looming on industries and threatening to disrupt economies, businesses are looking for ways to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. More than that, society is also more aware of the impact of its activities on the environment. The quest is to ensure environmental sustainability and protection in going about these business activities.
