Negotiable Lease

REAlpac in Canada has recently released their National Standard Green Office Lease for Single-Building Projects 1.01 20081.  Based on their established lease, this incorporates an Environmental Management Plan as an additional schedule.  The lease deals with issues such as indoor air quality, targets for water and power usage, carbon offsetting and carbon taxes.  It also addresses the apportionment of costs for equipment upgrades to meet targets and related issues.  REALpac suggest that the lease can be adapted to other scenarios, and give permission for such adaptations. 

The New Zealand Ministry for the Environment2 has indicated the following to be the main requirements within a green lease:

• ESD outcomes - measurable targets relating to environmental performance (including any assumptions made).  These should be reviewed annually
• requirements to ensure that the fit-out is consistent with the principles of the building
• ESD outcome calculations allowing for factors (e.g. climate effects) which are beyond the control of the lessor and lessee
• Obligations of the lessor and lessee relating to the ESD outcomes
• A dispute resolution mechanism

This leaves tenants and landlords free to develop a lease along these guidelines which matches their needs.

1. National Standard Green Office Lease  for Single-Building Projects - 1.01 - 2008. 2008, Ontario: Real Property Association of Canada.
2. Sustainable Government Buildings: Beyond Design.   [cited 2008; Available from.