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Q: Has New Jersey done enough to promote green and sustainability?

A: New Jersey has been in the forefront of promoting green, with some of the best renewable (solar,

wind & geothermal) incentives in the country. New Jerseys solar renewal energy credit (SREC), coupled

with a federal program that provides a 30% rebate on capital investments, has generated a large number

of recently completed solar projects, with many others in development. In this respect, I believe New

Jersey has taken the lead in promoting renewable energy solutions in the country.

Q: Why are large-scale tenants demanding regarding green and sustainable buildings and retrofits?

What is NJ doing to help tenants meet their needs?

A: Today, most new buildings are designed as LEEDs gold or platinum certified, with many major

redevelopments projects also seeking LEEDs certification. For large corporations, developing more

sustainable buildings have become the norm, a standard operating procedure, because they provide

initial cost savings and long term benefits, which may include greater occupancy rates, higher resale

value, and social/PR benefits. New Jerseys Pay-for-Performance (P4P) program is an innovative three

step program that encourages companies to 1) study the potential saving; 2) implement improvements;

and 3) monitor energy savings to meet their pay-for-performance commitments. Each step is supported

by financial incentives.

Q: What has your company done to embrace green and sustainability?

A: Site selection criteria is comprised of a list of key variables. Along with the labor market, economic

development incentives, business tax climate and other important variables, energy supply is a key

consideration for new or expanding projects. While a company may want to reduce their carbon

footprint to be more socially-responsible, the going-green effort needs to make financial sense and

ultimately reduce operating costs. As part of our continued effort to provide services that meet our

clients current and future needs, BLS has launched a specially-designed energy services practice that

assists our clients with developing comprehensive energy strategies that mitigate risks and provide a

return on investment.

Q: How has going green impacted your clients?

A: The bottom line is this, every new or redevelopment project is going to build a more energy efficient

facility than in years past. The wise use of energy is just good business practice. Highly efficiency building

will retain a higher market value, thereby protecting a corporations investment. In addition, there are

positive financial benefits for building more sustainability. Energy incentives, like any other type of

incentives, can help to reduce operating costs, making the upfront costs associated with implementing

energy conservation and renewable energy solutions more affordable. In many cases, the upfront cost

can be paid for within a few years or less.

Tim Comerford, Senior Vice President, Strategic Consulting, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company

Interview in New Jersey and Company, 2011

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HOW GREEN ARE WE REALLY? (CONTD)

Q: Has taking green and sustainable measures increased your clients productivity?

A: While there are financial, economic and marketing benefits associated with a companys energy conservation efforts, the

discussion around improved productivity as a result of going green is still being debated. The definition of improved

productivity itself is one that is hotly contested. From an employee perspective, a sustainable building might provide better

ventilation, lighting and an overall healthier environment in which to work, potentially contributing to greater employee

satisfaction and higher productivity. From a company perspective, having a more sustainable building may encourage their

employees to work longer, healthier, and more collaboratively in open-spaced environments.

Q: Is your company green enough, when it comes down to it? How do you see things changing regarding green and

sustainability over the next year? And over the next three years?

A: Green and sustainability is here to stay. Most large corporations have adopted energy goals and strategies into their

business plans. And governments have developed incentives to promote the use of renewable energy and implement energy

efficient methodologies. As we advance in 2011 and beyond, we will see a greater push for accountability and net benefits

test from companies, public sectors and consumers. Companies will continue to seek lower costs and greater return on

investment for the added cost of building and going-green.

ABOUT BIGGINS LACY SHAPIRO & COMPANY

For more than 25 years, Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Company has provided professional expertise and creativity in the field of

Location Economics: the mix of specialized disciplines that enables companies and communities to plan and execute successful

location strategies. We create value on both the demand and supply side of the market for corporate location decisions.

ABOUT TIM COMERFORD | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC SERVICES, BIGGINS LACY SHAPIRO

Tim leads a specially-designed interdisciplinary division focused on assisting companies, developers, municipalities and real

estate advisors with issues that pertain to energy procurement, renewable installation, infrastructure assessments utility

relocation, with a special focus on mission critical facilities.

LEARN MORE | VISIT WWW.BLSSTRATEGIES.COM/ENERGY

NEW YORK215 Park Avenue South,10th Floor

New York, NY 10003

(646) 652-7555

PRINCETON47 Hulfish Street, Suite 400

Princeton, NJ 08542

(609) 924-9775

AY BIGGINS | Executive Managing DirectorOE LACY | Managing Director

ANDY SHAPIRO | Managing Director

TIM COMERFORD | Senior Vice President