Page 308 - The Green Building Bottom Line The Real Cost of Sustainable Building

286 CHAPTER 9

Examples of Green Cleaning Specifications (continued)

■ Utilize biodegradable or compostable garbage bags.
■ All vacuum cleaners will be of a type that can remove 99.97% of harm-
ful particles, including dust, mold spores, and most microscopic respi-
ratory irritants and allergens. If disposable vacuum bags are used, they
must be replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions once
filled and cannot be re-used.
■ Tenant will provide Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to the Land-
lord for all janitorial supplies provided by the Lessee.
■ Tenant will follow good housekeeping practices, including proper dis-
posal of open food and drink, toner cartridges, and any other items that
may attract pests, damage Landlord’s property, or threaten health.
■ Where recycling programs are in effect, Tenant will properly separate
recycling material from trash and use the appropriate receptacles for
disposal.
■ When the Tenant provides light bulbs/tubes under the terms of the
lease, the Tenant will establish a lighting recycling program for spent
lighting.

REPAIRS AND ALTERATIONS

One of the most important areas to be addressed in the green lease is the ability of
the tenant to make repairs, alterations, or improvements to its leased premises. Like
the initial construction, the landlord has a vested interest in the materials and proce-
dures utilized by the tenant to make any changes in its space over the term of the
lease. Most leases make the tenant’s ability to perform any repairs, alterations, or
improvements to the leased premises subject to the landlord’s prior approval; how-
ever, leases often contain provisions that allow tenants to make certain alterations or
improvements to the premises without the landlord’s consent if they are of a specific
nature or are estimated to cost less than a certain amount to perform.
The landlord of a green building must be particularly wary of such exceptions. For
example, the cost to repaint, replace carpet, or install wall covering in a tenant’s prem-
ises may well cost less than the threshold established in the lease to trigger the land-
lord’s consent rights, but the landlord may have significant concerns about the type of
paints, carpets, sealants, or adhesives used, as they may have a significant impact on
the indoor air quality of the building or may not meet the landlord’s standards for recy-
cled content (in the case of products like carpet and wall covering). To address these
concerns, the green lease may simply prohibit any repairs or alterations by a tenant
without the landlord’s prior consent. Alternatively, the green lease could contain spe-
cific requirements, whether in the body of the lease or as separate exhibit or handbook,