NEW YORK – November 4, 2024 – Clarion Partners, LLC, a leading real estate investment manager and one of the largest owners and developers of logistics properties in the U.S., has achieved LEED certification for more than 100 industrial projects totaling over 35 million square feet under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED v4 for Warehouse and Distribution Centers Volume Program (“LEED Volume Program").* LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence in green building.
In 2021, Clarion developed a LEED Volume prototype in partnership with sustainability consultants Argento/Graham for the certification of new development projects. Through the program, which focuses on the use of low-emitting building materials, energy and water efficiency, solar readiness, risk and resiliency evaluations and other elements, Clarion achieves LEED certification for development projects in a more efficient and cost-effective manner as compared to pursuing certification of individual buildings under the standard LEED program.
Obtaining LEED certification is just one of the many ways the Firm works to deliver Class A, modern, logistics facilities for tenants.
“In a competitive business environment, logistics tenants are increasingly focused on reducing the cost of their operations while also minimizing their impact on the environment," said Managing Director Bohdy Hedgcock. “Occupying a LEED certified building helps provide assurances that their property is designed to do both."
Phase 1 of the Manassas Logistics Center is an example of a new development which recently received LEED-Silver certification. The two-building, Class A warehouse development located within the greater Baltimore/Washington, DC market, consists of two rear-load buildings totaling 337,046 square feet. Both buildings incorporate features that help to reduce operating costs, including a high-albedo roof which aids interior temperature control, low-flow interior water fixtures, LED lighting and other energy efficiency enhancements. As part of this development, Clarion also preserved over 41 acres of ecologically sensitive land on the site. The land preservation will support protection of the buildings from flooding.
“Clarion's objective is to safeguard and future-proof our properties by adopting strategic ESG policies and pursuing certifications that will bolster asset valuations," says Clarion Partners Head of ESG Karen Mahrous. “In addition to these LEED volume certifications, we strategically pursue a range of health, well-being, and efficiency-focused certifications for properties across our portfolio."