Browning’s sustainability commitment reflects a holistic and integrated approach to sustainable building practices focusing on communication, partnership, and site-appropriate design to address aspects of sustainability beyond just the use of environmentally friendly products.

Browning is committed to the sustainable design, development, and operation of our real estate portfolio. As a leader in our industry, we strive to create work environments that limit resource consumption, improve building performance, and promote human health and productivity.

We believe that high-performance buildings and environmentally responsible business operations are not only good for the environment but also reduce risks, create broader market appeal, and enhance greater social acceptance while providing long-term value for our tenants, shareholders, and employees.

Browning is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and works with a real estate sustainability consultant to ensure that as sustainable practices evolve, we stay at the forefront of our industry.

Our LEED Stats

  • 4.7M
    Square feet of LEED Certified office, higher education, and industrial buildings
  • 3.3M
    Square feet of development and construction currently pursuing certification.
  • 20
    Buildings across Silver, Gold, and Platinum LEED Certification levels.

Our Commitment.

Starting in 2023 all new industrial facilities built in Browning’s portfolio will be certified under the LEED v4/v4.1 Building Design and Construction (BD+C): Core and Shell (CS) Rating System.  Browning is working to phase our LEED initiatives into our other platforms of office, mixed-use, and multi-family communities.  When you select Browning, we will work with your company to ensure your new facility also meets your sustainability goals and expectations.

Sustainability is built into every step of our projects:

Site Selection

Every site and potential use creates a unique set of circumstances that require thoughtful planning to ensure we enhance the overall functionality and value of the site.

  • We work with municipalities to determine if a potential location is a sensitive land or a high-priority site.
  • LEED values surrounding density and diverse uses, as do our tenants. Focus is given to:
    • Proximity to labor and amenities for those workers
    • Access to logistics hubs, highways, and freight rails
    • Walking distance to bus or rapid transit
Site-Appropriate Design

Acknowledging the importance of designing buildings that are appropriate for the selected site considers factors such as topography, vegetation, and natural resources to optimize the building’s performance.  We collaborate with the project’s engineers, architects, and our construction team to achieve efficiencies across energy-related and water-related systems during the design phases.

We also understand that constructing with quality also means our structures will stand the test of time which means innovating and building for the future. Planning for incorporating into mass transit routes, installing charging stations, and creating opportunities to integrate other emerging technologies down the road.

Material Selection

Sourcing materials sustainably, with a focus on regional sourcing, reflects a commitment to environmentally responsible construction practices. This approach considers the entire supply chain and aims to minimize the environmental impact associated with the extraction, production, and transportation of materials.

Browning looks to innovative materials like embodied carbon optimization products to keep our buildings on the cutting edge of construction – check our use of Carbon Cure Concrete as featured in Gates Notes.

Construction Practices

In addition to Browning’s stringent safety and quality control measures, we handle our materials responsibly, specifically by diverting construction debris from landfills and incineration facilities through recovery, reuse, and recycling.

The implementation of an Indoor Air Quality Plan and the use of low-emitting or inherently non-emitting materials promotes a safer and healthier working environment for contractors during construction and enhances the overall well-being of tenants in the long term.

Long-Term Planning and Management

The incorporation of smart building technologies for proactive adjustments and optimization of performance and water/energy-efficient systems can have higher upfront costs associated, but the long-term savings and environmental impact outweigh the initial investment.

Utilization of a professional management company, like Browning, that performs routine maintenance and optimizes the performance of those systems and the building ensures the facility will continue to perform at peak efficiency and extend the lifespan of those features and the building itself.