Site Selection
Beyond the usual selection criteria of location, office grade and cost per sq metre, best practice leasing includes considerations of ongoing operational expenditure, any upgrades to be delivered over the life of the lease, brand advantages from aligning with buildings demontrating strong environmental performance, and opportunities to provide innovative working environments that optimise square meterage and reflect modern flexible working styles. A tenant representative is often appointed at this stage to summarise these technical requirements.
More often than not, these requirements are simplified against industry benchmarking grades and ratings relating to building attributes: PCA Grade, Green Star ratings, NABERS performance, and newly mandated Commercial Building Disclosure. It is essential tenants choose a tenant representative that will ensure the best operational outcome for their tenancy and has a holistic knowledge of the cost benefits of greener buildings. Leasing agents, as the representatives for a building owner, likewise need to realise the impacts of inefficient buildings and actively interrogate the brief to match against their building portfolio.