Further to last week’s blog on green real estate it appears that now we are introducing green leases. An interesting sounding idea, indeed.
It seems that in April a new scheme will be introduced wherein the tenant and the landlord sign a contract agreeing to take measures to reduce the a given building’s carbon emissions, make the property more energy efficient and reduce waste. To begin with these green leases will only be seen in the largest commercial properties but the government has pledged that if they are successful we will soon see them rolled out across the rental sector including residential properties.
They also pledge that the scheme will be revenue neutral. Landlords that go over a certain carbon emission will have to buy vouchers to cover it and that money will then be re distributed to those that are doing the most to try to improve their efficiency.
On the face of it this sounds great but I am puzzled as to where the tenants come into it. Surely if they are not the ones faced with having to get vouchers to pay for the emissions then they have no incentive to keep them low? There is some indication that landlords will draw up contracts with in built penalties for tenants that do make an effort to remain energy efficient. Thats sounds fair enough but somehow I see that line of making an effort becoming very ‘blurred’.
