LessEn is more: ULI global initiative targets building energy efficiency

The Urban Land Institute (ULI), the global not-for-profit research and education organisation for the real estate industry, is today launching the UK roll-out of LessEn: a global initiative to reduce energy consumption in existing commercial buildings.

Based around a web portal, LessEn aims to become the world’s largest free resource of information, products and services for energy efficiency. It also aims to create the largest global community of individuals focused on reducing energy within the built environment.

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The real estate sector is estimated to account for 40% of the world’s energy consumption. With 97% of commercial property made up of existing stock, redesigning and retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient is paramount, especially as new development has slowed during the recession. LessEn will provide access to a global community of expertise for individuals, companies, investors, designers and users.

The UK rollout is focused around an innovative Smartphone app, which uses the phone’s GPRS, camera and compass to show the efficiency of buildings around you based on the database of UK public buildings with Display Energy Certificates.

“The goal of the app is to make an invisible issue visible in a simple, interactive way that can help everyone to understand this complex issue,” said Alexandra Notay, VP Strategic Programmes for ULI and director of the LessEn project.

The LessEn global launch will take place at the ULI Fall Meeting in Washington DC, October 12th-15th 2010. For the global launch LessEn will have evolved to include the following key features:

- The Knowledge Hub, a detailed and ever-growing Library comprising independently reviewed case studies, policy updates and business case reports on energy efficiency from across the ULI footprint of 95 countries.

- The Active Community, an interactive blogging forum for real estate professionals to exchange information and ideas.

- The Market Place, an exciting partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to provide a vetted energy efficiency supply chain of products and services.

- New versions of the Smartphone app for the US and prototypes for other European countries.

Core Facts

“LessEn represents a transformational opportunity for ULI,” said Patrick Phillips, Global CEO of ULI. “In every respect what we are doing here is a classic ULI initiative – providing neutral, detailed information and resources about a critical subject matter to the real estate industry”.
Bill Kistler, President of ULI EMEA explained: “The name LessEn emphasises our focus on lessening the confusion that surrounds the issue of energy efficiency, lessening energy consumption and lessening energy costs. We are helping to make energy reduction a top priority for building landlords, investors, architects and engineers, and crucially those that occupy them.”
Alexandra Notay added: “We see LessEn as a force to mobilise action. We want people to see how even small changes can have a huge impact in getting the buildings that they work in every day to operate more efficiently. That means providing them with the tools and resources so they can in turn engage their colleagues, clients and landlords to see the whole range of benefits, from lower energy costs through to a happier, healthier workforce.”
As LessEn evolves it will not only be celebrating the people, skills and products that make buildings run well, but also addressing what can be done for those that are not energy efficient to help them improve.
“Energy is the single most important aspect of property at the moment. It’s the challenge we all face, it’s the responsibility we all have,” said ULI life trustee, Sir Stuart Lipton, who inspired LessEn and endowed it with seed funding in 2008.
Notay concluded: “We keep coming back to the phrase ‘red in a green world’ to describe LessEn, because red is about heat and light, and urgency. We need to deal with energy efficiency and we need to do deal with it now.”
To become involved, sign up on the LessEn website www.less-en.org. The LessEn team can be contacted with any ideas or for advice at info@less-en.org.