Construction, whether for residential, commercial, or industrial property, has always had a link to energy efficiency. The more energy efficient a structure, the more savings for the owner. Builders are always looking for ways to keep costs down and make homes and buildings more energy efficient. Government agencies, from the local to the national level, have begun implementing policies to support and promote green policies. Today, governments around the globe are pushing for builders to follow energy efficient practices to make buildings more environmentally friendly and more affordable over the long term.

A new book out now examines how the push for energy efficiency is affecting real estate around the world. Energy Efficiency and the Future of Real Estate is edited by Dr. N. Edward Coulson, Dr. Yongsheng Wang, and Dr. Clifford A. Lipscomb.

“We hear so often about companies going green, but we wanted to look at how these policies affect the real estate industry,” said Dr. Lipscomb, Vice Chairman and Co-Managing Director of Greenfield Advisors. “So, we assembled experts in their respective fields and put this book together.  Energy efficiency affects not only builders, but also city planners, politicians, and international investors.”

The book covers a wide range of topics centered on green initiatives, including how energy efficiency is measured and certified in commercial buildings and how politics can influence what policies are implemented at different levels of government.

“The idea of a building being energy efficient can seem like such a simple thing,” said Dr. Lipscomb. “But the amount of planning that goes into designing an energy efficient building would amaze you.  It’s a long process with several steps, and the need for energy efficient buildings varies among different countries. We wanted to examine how energy efficiency is viewed in not only in terms of new buildings, but in previously constructed buildings and where green policies are headed years from now.”

Energy Efficiency and the Future of Real Estate can be purchased from Springer.