Starting Dec. 19, 2010, all future space leased by any federal agency will need to be green. That's because new leasing requirements mandate that federal agencies must reside within buildings that have earned the Energy Star label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This new mandate will no doubt encourage landlords and developers to go green. The federal government is the nation's largest tenant, according to Energy Priorities Magazine, which says it leases about 370 million square feet of space.
Buildings that qualify for an Energy Star label have earned a rating of 75 points or higher, out of 100, based on a set of guidelines established by the EPA.