New Commercial Office Building Markets: Strategies for Improving Building Energy Efficiency

Rick Kunkle, Washington State University Energy Program
Loren Lutzenhiser, Washington State University

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Abstract

What factors shape the form of commercial office buildings? The answer to this question is important for understanding how to encourage higher levels of energy efficiency in commercial buildings. In this paper we consider this question using results from a recently completed research project that aimed to improve our understanding of new commercial office building markets. The research included depth interviews with industry actors in four large markets in the Pacific Northwest and California and a series of case studies of particular building development projects. The results of our research offer important insights on the new commercial office building market, the key players involved in the market, the motivations behind building development, and the key elements for successful building projects. These market concepts expand our understanding of new commercial building markets and they provide the theory for developing strategic interventions in these markets to encourage energy efficiency. We apply our research results to develop market strategies that can be used by programs that aim to produce higher levels of energy efficiency in new commercial building markets. Our findings and proposed strategies, along with related research conducted by others, provide an important foundation for the development of the next generation of new commercial building energy efficiency programs.