Houston Green Office Challenge

View a presentation on Engagement from 2011, given by HGOC Sponsor Hollinden.

Click logo below to download the presentation.

Tenant Engagement

Because the tenants in your building are largely responsible for the energy, water, and materials consumed in your building, one of the easiest things you can do as a property manager is to encourage your tenants to join you in the Challenge. Through the Green Office Challenge, you will recruit 25% (base goal) or 50% (stretch goal) of your office tenants to participate in the Challenge. You may measure this in terms of leased office tenant square footage OR total number of office tenants - whichever is more appropriate given your mix of tenants.

Recruiting your tenants to participate in the challenge

An easy way to help your tenants go green is by recruiting them to participate in the Green Office Challenge. The first step is to let your office tenants know that your building is participating in the Challenge via email, e-newsletter or in building-wide meetings. Since this is the Green Office Challenge, we discourage the use of printed materials! We've made it easy for those registered to take the Challenge by providing an electronic letter from Mayor Annise Parker encouraging your tenants to join you in taking the Challenge.

Monitor your recruitment efforts by following up with interested tenants to make sure they have officially registered to take the Challenge here. Your tenants must be registered in order for you to receive credit for tenant engagement in the Green Office Challenge. Tenants that register through outreach conducted by Property Managers will be accepted into the current round of the Challenge at any time.

Setting your tenants up for success

Once your tenants make the decision to go green with you, you can help them succeed by helping them understand how your building works. From your building's lighting systems to what types of plastics your recycling provider accepts, your own knowledge of your building can be of great service to your tenants in helping them protect the environment.

The Green Office Scorecard is a tool designed specifically for tenants participating in the Green Office Challenge. The Scorecard includes different strategies tenants can adopt to improve their ranking in the Challenge.

Supporting the education of your tenants.

In your role as a property manager, you are uniquely positioned to educate your tenants about how to green their operations. As a participant in the Green Office Challenge, we highly encourage you to host training events, workshops, and brown bag lunch sessions to help your tenants through the Green Office Challenge. This is a great way for you to gain additional participation in the Green Office Challenge, and to allow your tenants to share their successes, troubleshoot barriers to going green, and exchange ideas about opportunities for collaboration throughout your building. If you eventually apply for LEED or other types of certification, getting tenants on-board early and involving them in sustainability programs will make it easier to reach out to them in the certification process.

Contact the Green Office Challenge Team if you would like assistance in planning a training event in your building.

Property Manager Engagement

Team up with your property manager to go even greener!

• Install low-flow devices on toilets.

  Encourage property manager to install dual-flush value toilets or those with a 1.6 GPM flush rate or less in the office.

• Install faucet aerators.

  Work with property manager to install faucet aerators with a flow rate of 1.0 GPM or less.

• Remove one fluorescent bulb from certain fixtures.

  If fluorescent light fixtures (electronic ballast only) in the office have three bulbs, remove the middle bulb from each.

• Request energy efficient light bulbs.

  When lights burn out in the office, request that they are replaced with energy efficient ones.

• Install timers or occupancy sensors for lights.

  Utilize timed lighting or occupancy sensors in all common areas (supply closets, kitchens, etc.) and personal offices.

• Install energy-efficient exit signs.

  Work with property manager to install LED bulbs in exit signs within the office.

• Request thermostats be set on a pre-determined temperature.

  Ask to have the temperature increased by 3+ degrees in the summer months and decreased 3+ degrees in the winter months.

• Accommodate bicycle commuters.

  Have indoor and/or outdoor bike racks, showers and lockers available in-office, or subsidize local gym membership for bike commuters.

• Enter into a green lease.

  When renewing or moving locations, enter into a green lease.

• Create a policy that low or no VOC products should be used when remodeling.

  Select low or no VOC paint, carpet, furniture, etc.

• Use Green Seal certified (or equivalent) cleaning products.

  Encourage property manager to mandate janitorial staff use less hazardous cleaning supplies.

• Work in a building that is ENERGY STAR or LEED certified.

  Better for the environment, energy bills, and health!

• Join the building-wide Green Team.

  Have someone from the office be an active member of the building-wide Green Team and attend regular meetings.