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Existing Commercial
In the United States, the existing commercial building stock is lagging behind new buildings in environmental performance.
As part of the Mayor's Greenprint Denver initiative, the Webb Municipal Office Building built in 2002 to Energy Star qualifications will undergo LEED-EB certification as a pilot to assess operational and maintenance changes, evaluate costs and benefits, and institute best practices at other City facilities. Photo Credit: Ryan Nisog

Every year, the number of square feet of existing commercial building renovations is similar to the number of square feet for new construction. Local governments can encourage improved environmental performance for existing commercial buildings as well as new construction. Learn about standards, tools and resources that target this segment of the commercial marketplace.

Standards and Programs

Many of the voluntary green building standards that apply to new commercial buildings can be applied to major renovations and tenant improvements of existing commercial buildings. 

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ programs that may apply depending upon the building type and extent of the renovation include:

  • New Commercial Construction and Major Renovation projects 
  • Core and Shell Development projects 
  • Commercial Interiors projects

LEED Application Guidelines include:

  • Multiple Buildings and On-Campus Building Projects 
  • LEED for Schools
  • LEED for Retail

LEED for Existing Building Operations and Maintenance  was developed as a performance-based benchmark for building owners and operators to maximize operational efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. It provides criteria for measuring operations and improvements on a consistent basis.

The standard addresses many local government priorities including: energy efficiency, water conservation, stormwater management, transportation management, urban heat island, waste reduction and recycling, green purchasing, green cleaning, and occupant health.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Challenge.  The challenge is a call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more. If the challenge is met, businesses would save an estimated $20 billion, and the savings in greenhouse gas emissions would equal the emissions from 30 million vehicles.

Challenge participants are encouraged to measure and track energy use, and develop and implement an energy improvements plan. The US EPA Energy Tracking Tool for commercial buildings has been updated to include greenhouse gas emission factors, enabling users to estimate the carbon footprint of their commercial buildings.

The 2030 Challenge  is a call-to-action for immediate and ongoing fossil fuel reduction standards for buildings, achieving carbon-neutral buildings by 2030. The Commercial Buildings Energy Consumption Survey database will serve as the baseline to benchmark 2030 Challenge compliance. The Energy Star Target Finder is one tool readily available to calculate the level of 2030 Challenge energy performance.