The choice is green: IREM staff brings sustainability to headquarters.(fromthetop)(Institute of Real Estate Management)

It's spring: Are you green yet?

At this time of year when everyone is ready for spring and the world to become "green" again--no matter where you live--it's a great time to review goals set just a few months ago and keep the momentum going.

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One the Institute's goals for the year is to advance our work in understanding the issue of sustainability as it affects us as real estate managers. Truthfully, like many of you perhaps, I didn't realize until recently the full breadth and scope of what "being green" really means in relation to our profession. Sure, we all know the basic things we can do about lighting and maybe have considered installing green roofs or using "green" cleaning products for our properties, but as we are all quickly learning, sustainability goes way beyond those areas.

To provide a case study example, if you will, I am pleased to share that in order to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk" about sustainability, IREM headquarters in Chicago has begun an initiative to "green" its office in the coming year. The voluntary staff involvement has been tremendous and the green community at IREM is growing. The focus early on has been on the environmental impact of personal practices in everyday life and the workplace. IREM staff will also be reviewing how socially responsible the use of resources in the leased space of the NAR building is and can be. We can look forward to future announcements on the progress the headquarters staff make as they turn their journey toward a greener workplace into a learning experience for us all.

In relation to this sustainability topic, many in our industry are unaware of the rapid movement in legislation on the local, state and federal levels in all matters green. The article, "Sustainability Now In Session," on page 34 of this issue, illuminates this issue for all of us. Be sure to look for more information and updates within JPM and on the IREM Web site as the year progresses.

Finally, as we are fast approaching that time of year when IREM holds its spring business and governance meetings followed by our annual visit to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 16, I encourage all of you to review what your chapters may be doing to support IREM's efforts on the Hill. If you haven't ever lobbied on the Hill with fellow IREM Members, I can assure you it's an experience you will value, both personally and professionally, for many years to come.

Regina T. Mullins, CPM

2008 IREM President

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