“Green” developments: Environmentally responsible buildings in the UK commercial property sector

Within the past ten years, the design, procurement and management of “green” buildings has evolved from something of a “fringe” activity into a new and increasingly popular approach to the provision of commercial property. Many UK Government agencies, and international corporations, now include green buildings as part of their property portfolios and green issues are already influencing many aspects of the property development process. This paper explains some of the background to this more environmentally responsible approach to property, identifies the potential benefits to owners and occupiers and discusses some of the building‐related environmental issues which could provide a basis for ongoing research. The paper concludes that the way commercial buildings are conceived, located, designed and managed is changing, often incorporating new technologies, to meet a new set of project‐specific and organisational environmental objectives.