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This case study details the very successful Walgreens proactive RTU replacement program that has resulted in 50% efficiency improvements. The streamlined process allows Walgreens to reduce installed cooling capacity, increase RTU efficiency, provide improved service, and reduce overall costs compared to emergency replacements.

The commercial real estate mortgage market is enormous, with almost half a trillion dollars in deals originated in 2015. Relative to other energy efficiency financing mechanisms, very little attention has been paid to the potential of commercial mortgages as a channel for promoting energy efficiency investments. The valuation and underwriting elements of the business are largely driven by the “net operating income” (NOI) metric – essentially, rents minus expenses. While NOI ostensibly includes all expenses, energy factors are in several ways given short shrift in the underwriting process. This is particularly interesting when juxtaposed upon a not insignificant body of research revealing that there are in fact tangible benefits (such as higher valuations and lower vacancy and default rates) for energy-efficient and “green” commercial buildings.
This scoping report characterizes the current status and potential interventions to promote greater inclusion of energy factors in the commercial mortgage process. It includes the results of
a literature review and extensive stakeholder discussions with 40 lenders, owners, service providers, advocacy organizations and others.

The text below includes sample language and potential resources that may be used to complete appraisals of a green or high performance building. It is not intended to serve as a complete or comprehensive list, and should be utilized as a guide aid in the development of the appraisal report. Highlighted sections represent those that require specific attention from appraisers, and should be customized as necessary to reflect the actual resources and information used during the appraisal process.

This report contains the findings from interviews with senior finance executives at retail companies regarding financial planning and capital budgeting strategies. The report and the supplementary key takeaways deliverable are meant to help energy and sustainability managers improve their relationships with the finance team and ultimately improve access to project financing. The interviews were conducted by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) and Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Input basic project information to determine which external financing mechanisms might be well-suited as well as calculate common finance metrics. This calculator is a Microsoft Excel workbook. Find more detail on each external financing mechanism in the External Financing Guide from the Retail Industry Leader's Association (RILA) at: https://www.rila.org/sustainability/RetailEnergyManagementProgram/Pages/...

This tip sheet contains nine practices for how sophisticated
Finance teams interact with other departments.

This is a summary of findings from interviews with senior retail finance professionals on how to improve retailer access to financing for energy & sustainability projects. This research was conducted by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).

This guide is intended to help energy managers and finance professionals at retail companies understand how to use external financing for energy projects. An external financing mechanism exists for nearly any company’s project and risk preferences. There is external financing for big and small projects, individual or portfolio-wide. There are financing mechanisms that are very safe but limit reward, and there are some that require more risk but offer greater potential value. Facilities, operations, or sustainability managers who haven’t ever utilized external financing should explore the viability of the mechanisms described in this guide to fund future energy projects.

Other related resources available on the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) website at: https://www.rila.org/sustainability/RetailEnergyManagementProgram/Pages/...

This guide is intended to help energy managers and finance professionals at retail companies understand internal financing approaches that can be used for energy projects. The guide details strategies for embedding environmentally conscious thinking into investment decision-making, establishing funds specifically for energy projects, and collaborating across departments to execute projects of all sizes. The guide was informed by existing research, case studies, and interviews with retail energy managers.

Other related financing resources from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) available at: https://www.rila.org/sustainability/RetailEnergyManagementProgram/Pages/...