Published on Friday, December 5, 2025
Access our latest property investment summary by completing the form below.
Specifically, green certifications and adaptive reuse projects are increasingly influencing property values and tenant preferences.
Commercial real estate decisions are increasingly driven by building performance, as clients place growing emphasis on operating costs, indoor air quality and energy efficiency, according to a sustainability report from the National Association of REALTORS.
The firm's Deputy Chief Economist, Jessica Lautz, noted that properties with green building certifications tend to have higher property values and superior energy efficiency versus uncertified buildings.
When deciding where to buy or lease, agents said their clients consider a variety of sustainable building features very important, including utility and operations costs (32%), indoor air quality (26%), energy-efficient windows and doors (25%), resilience to extreme weather events (21%) and the efficient use of lighting (16%). Building tenants most frequently inquire about energy efficiency features (58%) and the availability of vehicle charging stations (52%).
Promoting energy efficiency in listings is increasingly valued, with 55% of agents and brokers reporting it as very or somewhat valuable. While 30% noted that green certifications increase commercial building property values, only 9% said such certifications shorten the time a property stays on the market. To meet growing demand, 37% of agents and brokers have completed some form of professional training focused on sustainable elements, including energy-efficient appliances, renewable energy systems and eco-friendly building materials.
Agents and brokers identified key sustainability market issues, including improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings (38%, down from 43% in 2024), valuing solar panels on properties (35%, up from 22% in 2024) and understanding how solar panels affect transactions (34%, up from 27% in 2024).
Brokerage firms reported experience with adaptive reuse projects such as converting office space to non-residential uses (11%), office to residential (10%), retail or malls to non-residential (10%) and retail or malls to residential (4%).
“More commercial practitioners are exploring adaptive reuse to transform vacant or underused properties into new spaces, often for residential use,” Lautz said.
“Repurposing buildings can be an innovative way to sustainably increase both housing supply and new community spaces.”