The Green Lease Leaders program sets the standard for what constitutes a green lease, also known as “high-performance” or “energy-aligned” lease.

To create these standards, the Institute for Market Transformation and the U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Alliance collaborated with an industry advisory group of leading-edge landlords, tenants, brokers and other green leasing experts. The program requirements are summarized below and fully defined within the applications and reference guides.

Who can apply

Tenants, landlords, and teams who collaborated on a leasing transaction

Application period

October — February

Recognition length

3 years before re-application required


Green Lease Leaders recognizes three levels of achievement.

Platinum (Innovation)

  • For landlords, show compliance with 2 prerequisites, Credits 10 through 13, and 3 additional credits of your choosing 
  • For tenants, show compliance with 2 prerequisites, Credits 9 through 11, and 4 additional credits of your choosing 
  • Show policies and best practices are in place in your organization’s standard lease form for at least 3 credits
  • Show implementation of both prerequisites and credits pursued in one executed lease for at least 3 credits 
  • Ensure data transparency and collaboration between landlord and tenant
  • Demonstrate commitment to whole building performance reduction
  • Show implementation of social goals in policies and practices
  • Documentation may include:
    • Standard lease form
    • Executed lease
    • Completed checklists
    • Corporate policies
    • Standard operating procedures 
    • Communications between landlord and tenant
    • Tracking documents
  • Platinum leaders may be showcased in a case study completed with Green Lease Leaders program staff

Gold (Implementation)

  • Show compliance with 2 prerequisites and 5 credits of your choosing
  • Show policies and best practices are in place in your organization’s standard lease form for at least 3 credits
  • Show implementation of both prerequisites and credits pursued in one executed lease for at least 3 credits 
  • Documentation may include:
    • Standard lease form
    • Executed lease
    • Executed work letter
    • Completed checklists
    • Corporate policies
    • Standard operating procedures 
    • Communications between landlord and tenant
    • Tracking documents
  • Gold leaders may be showcased in a case study completed with Green Lease Leaders program staff

Silver

  • Show compliance with 2 prerequisites and 5 credits of your choosing 
  • Show policies and best practices are in place in your organization’s standard lease form for at least 3 credits  
  • Documentation may include:
    • Standard lease form
    • Corporate policies
    • Standard operating procedures 
    • Communications between landlord and tenant

Read the full program requirements

Landlord Reference Guide

Tenant Reference Guide

Team Application webpage

Green Lease Leaders