Spire Property Management has rolled out a unique new green audit service which is good news for property owners as well as property investors who wish to evaluate the potential sustainability of their building, or of a building that they are considering purchasing.
Simon Penso, National Facilities Manager for Spire and Accredited Green Star SA Professional, explains that Spire's green audit service involves their qualified team going into a building and assessing what green measures are currently in place (if any) as well as those that can be implemented and then advising the client on these measures and their costs.
"We start by looking at the 'low hanging fruit' as it may be. These are those sustainability measures that can be easily and cost effectively rolled out with quick pay-offs. From there we will advise on more complex and costly measures that can be implemented. The opportunities to improve the efficiency of a building are almost endless and can incorporate a wide variety of initiatives."
"Along with the costings, we also advise the landlord on the viability of the various initiatives. From our experience in greening buildings Spire are able to provide detailed analysis on the pros and cons of each green initiative," says Penso.
For building owners this green audit service allows them to assess what measures they can implement in order to future-proof the building and to fetch lease premiums and retain tenants for longer.
For the investor who is considering purchasing a particular building, a green audit conducted by Spire as part of the due-diligence process allows them to assess how green a building may already be or how effectively, and at what cost, green measures can be implemented within a building. These results can be used by the investor in their decision making process.
For the astute investor and or building owner/landlord – ongoing, long-term attractive investment returns through a low risk, future-proofed building that offers low vacancy rates and attractive rental returns with increased marketability has become the expected norm.
"Greening a building is a journey and property owners shouldn't hold back on starting that journey," says Penso. "If capital expense is an issue there are solutions around this too - there is no reason not to stay ahead of the curve and take the initiative to be a market leader."
