GPX Realty Partners LP, Philadelphia, has launched a new green initiative to ensure that its commercial and multi-family property portfolio in the Delaware Valley is becoming more eco-friendly. The initiative includes five green components that GPX Realty Partners is striving to implement through its portfolio, including occupancy sensors for lighting; thermoplastic olefin (TPO) roofing; energy-efficient HVAC units; environmentally friendly, certified carpet; and low-VOC interior paints.
"We feel very strongly about taking the initiative to perform a green approach to development and investment," says Joe Conwell, managing director, GPX Realty Partners. "When performed successfully, these investment-friendly buildings can only benefit lessees and investors." The initiative helps GPX do its part to positively impact the environment while helping its investors earn higher returns. In fact, green-certified buildings generate 8.5-percent higher rents for an average-sized building, according to a recent study by the University of California, Berkeley.
"The real estate industry is at a critical stage where we're trying to balance profitability with ecological sustainability," says Christopher Canale, vice president of operations at GPX. "We're approaching a tipping point where best practices for green development will become standard protocols."
