CoreNet has a long history of identifying and analyzing trends as they are beginning to unfold. To take one example: Back in the early ‘90s, the International Development Research Council (one of the predecessors to CoreNet) heralded the development of alternative office strategies and sponsored a series of reports that provided solid information about what leading companies were doing.

Well, the folks at CoreNet are at it again. This time the focus is on energy efficiency. CoreNet worked with a respected environmental think-tank, the Rocky Mountain Institute to develop a new report, “The Energy Challenge: A New Agenda for Corporate Real Estate.” Available as a PDF on the CoreNet home page, the report cites numbers from BOMA to show that there’s a one dollar per square foot difference between the top and bottom quartiles of buildings in terms of energy costs. CoreNet’s recommendation is to work with top management to freeze current emissions and then work toward a 50 percent reduction. A key step in doing that in new buildings is to include energy and sustainability in RFPs.

It was only a couple of years ago that, if anyone had asked, I would have called corporate and commercial real estate the two markets least interested in energy efficiency. With BOMA devoting a Web page to green issues and now CoreNet speaking out in support of green design in general and energy efficiency in particular, it’s clear that the thought leaders have changed their views. The question now is whether actions will match words.