IREM, USGBC Sign MOI to Promote Sustainable Building

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorChicago–The Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) recently signed a Memorandum of Intent outlining collaborative efforts to promote green building development, energy efficiency and environmentally responsible building operations across all property types.The memorandum establishes a cooperative working relationship between IREM and the USGBC that will include educational webinars and conferences available to IREM’s members for a discounted price, as well as a research publication. Also, through this memorandum, IREM will be able to offer Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification to its members.IREM has 18,000 members worldwide (1,800 international) of which 50 percent are multifamily developers.The memorandum also acknowledges voluntary measures such as water conservation, recycling, etc. to meet desired goals. “Sustainability to most people just means energy efficiency,” IREM President Regina T. Mullins, CPM, tells MHN. “But we recognize that there are other ways of being sustainable, too.”The memorandum also calls for open dialogue on legislative and regulatory initiatives that embrace best practices in green construction and high-performance operations.“IREM members are committed to adopting sustainable building operating practices to help ensure that the properties they manage are environmentally sound, healthy places to live, work and shop,” says Mullins. “Collaborating with the USGBC to promote sustainable practices reinforces that commitment. It also generates considerable potential for energy savings and other positive outcomes that ultimately will enhance bottom-line results.”Mullins says that sustainable buildings are increasingly about social consciousness as much as they are about the dollar savings. “And the level of social consciousness will only keep going up,” she adds.