CAS Financial Advisory Services Launches Product to Meet Green Planning Needs of Residential Buildings

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorBoston–CAS Financial Advisory Services (CAS FAS) has launched its Green Capital Needs Assessment (CNA), the first product on the market to meet the green planning needs of residential building owners and managers. Each Green CNA is based on a detailed building inspection and a building cost database, and provides quantitative cost-benefit analysis of green improvements, with numbers and recommendations.  “In the United States, buildings consume 65 percent of the electricity and create 30 percent of the greenhouse gasses,” says Jed Lowry, director of capital planning for CAS Financial Advisor Services. “Owners want to do the right thing, but they still have to meet their budgets. Our Green CNA gives them the ability to see clearly the costs and benefits of every replacement, upgrade and operating policy change they could make. They’ve never had a tool like this before.” One of the strengths of the new product is its side-by-side comparison of green and in-kind replacement systems, with costs calculated out for 20 years. Building systems and upgrades occur constantly and the Green CNA allows each replacement to be made with full understanding of costs and alternatives, and the impact on current and future budgets. “We’re experienced bricks guys who know what building owners and managers need to make their best financial decisions,” says Lowry. “To us, ‘green’ just means making sensible economic decisions for the long term, for the building and for the people who live or work in it. And we know how nervous our clients are about unproven systems that end up costing too much in the long run. They’ve been through that before. We recommend only proven materials and systems.” The Green CNA also provides annual electric, gas, water, and sewer costs savings for green alternatives, and annotated photographs of important systems and potential trouble spots throughout the client’s buildings. “The Green CNA helps communication too,” says Lowry. “With numbers, clear narrative, and side-by-side comparisons of the alternatives, the report allows all stakeholders, including tenants, regulators and owners, to have discussions based on a solid understanding of the real costs and real benefits.”