Beyond the Checkbox: Sustainability as a Property Marketing Mainstay

The future has arrived, and sustainability has become a critical decision factor in tenant acquisition and retention. CBRE’s 2024 Americas Office Occupier Sentiment Survey shows that for the majority of tenants (55%) green certification status impacts their decision to occupy a building and what they are willing to pay. In fact, while some respondents will pay a premium for sustainability features, many of these features are so critical for respondents that they would pay less, or reject the building entirely, without attributes such as green certifications (35%) and EV charging (39%).

This movement is substantial and here to stay, driven by a growing number of companies making public net-zero pledges that are transforming how tenants choose space. For property owners, the conversation has shifted from sustainability being a “nice to have” to table stakes for staying competitive and driving value.

Commercial real estate marketers no longer consider “if” to include sustainability narratives, but “how”, a topic that CBRE Calibre Creative Group has explored previously. With 85% of large companies now committed to net-zero emissions goals, properties that can’t effectively communicate their environmental narratives will increasingly struggle to compete. Conversely, properties that nail their sustainability narratives are pulling ahead in the race for leases—but there’s more to it than putting a LEED logo in a brochure.

Here are some examples of how CBRE Calibre Creative Group markets sustainability, from timely activations to weaving green features into the heart of a brand:

The Eight in Bellevue, Washington

To showcase The Eight’s deep commitment to sustainability and wellness, CBRE Calibre Creative Group told an experience-forward sustainability story, enhanced by timely and memorable activations. In the property’s website and brochure, we made sure to give voice to not only The Eight’s impressive specs and certifications, but also how those details connected to and improved the everyday tenant experience, through locally-sourced landscaping materials, plentiful indoor/outdoor spaces, and improved air quality.

Going further, we created custom physical and digital deliverables at times of highest relevance for sustainability messaging and building milestones. These emails, digital ads, and gifts continued to emphasize both the carbon savings and wellness features of The Eight, and the tangible benefits those features bring to the everyday employee experience. This approach ensured The Eight was put in front of relevant audiences at the times it would be best received, and that the property’s key differentiators got through to decision makers.

Sycamore in Bishop Ranch in San Ramon, California

For Sycamore in Bishop Ranch, CBRE Calibre Creative Group focused on consistent, well-designed and subtle references to sustainability throughout the property’s award-winning digital collateral. Effective sustainability marketing doesn’t always have to involve carefully timed ad pushes.

Sycamore in Bishop Ranch’s website uses imagery and headlines about its tree-lined campus and center-core design to transition into more detailed sustainability information, and a change in color scheme telegraphs the sustainability content to readers who might be skimming the materials. High-quality, straightforward execution has its place—as mentioned, it wins awards—and you can keep a dedicated flyer on hand for all parties interested in diving into the details.

Timber225 in Denver, Colorado

For Timber225, sustainability is foundational to its brand and messaging.

Mass timber is a great example of when carbon-reduction commitments and employee wellbeing overlap, and this project puts it at the forefront—it’s even in the name. Timber225 weaves the mass timber narrative into every facet of the brand, from headline copy to visually highlighting its unique architecture, but without letting that narrative overpower the other value propositions of the project. This approach shows that marketing sustainability can be more than showing certifications, or reflexively including earthtones and woodgrain patterns in a brand. Timber225’s marketing is unquestionably sustainability forward, and it is LEED Gold certified, but you won’t see a logo anywhere.

The Big Picture

The Eight, Sycamore in Bishop Ranch, and Timber225 show us what works: authentic sustainability marketing that connects directly to tenant priorities. The leaders in this space are telling compelling stories about values (and value ) that resonate with decision-makers and employees alike. With a tailored strategy, a thoughtful brand, and well-executed deliverables, sustainability marketing can transform from a small callout or bullet in a brochure into a powerful narrative that wins deals.