April 4, 2011 www.thetitlereport.com
Fidelity National Financial announced the creation of its
Green Transactions, Strategies and Products (GTSP)
group in November 2009. The purpose of this group was
to implement energy-saving initiatives and other ecofriendly
business practices throughout the company to
support sustainability.
That effort has now led to a collaboration with the U.S.
Green Building Council (USGBC) and Fidelity’s launch
of the first-ever Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) certification data report.
LEED is an internationally recognized green building
certification system that provides third-party verification
that a building or community was designed and built
using strategies aimed at implementing energy savings,
water efficiency, carbon emissions reduction, improved
indoor environmental quality and stewardship of
resources and sensitivity to their impacts. The
certification was developed and promulgated by the
USGBC.
LEED provides building owners and operators a
framework for identifying and implementing practical and
measurable green building design, construction, operations
and maintenance solutions.Achieving LEED certification
today can bring about on-property energy and operation
savings or trigger tax benefits and much more.
Fidelity’s product, the LEED Project Certification Data
Report, provides confirmation of LEED Project
certification status to brokers, counsel, lenders,
investors, sellers, tenants and appraisers using
information supplied directly from the USGBC
database. The report is available for properties
domestically and internationally, is ordered online
through www.disclosuresource.com/LEED is priced at
$1,500.
“The report is not a title product; it’s a stand-alone
product backed by an E&O policy, and it’s specifically
geared toward providing the current certification status
of LEED-certified buildings,” said Michele Skupic,
vice president and national director of sustainable
strategies for Fidelity.
Skupic said operational efficiencies and certification
status are big issues on LEED projects, and Fidelity
believes it has created a valuable product for the LEED
marketplace.
Prior to this data report, interested parties could either
call or email USGBC customer service or independently
research and gather documentation from owners, general
contractors, engineers, architects, etc. This system
would often produce incomplete and indefensible
information.
“Our LEED Project Certification Data Report creates an
opportunity to have a written report as part of the due
diligence process for any stakeholder.” Skupic said.
“When you have a LEED-certified building, either
commercial or residential, it may be important to
confirm the details and status of the LEED certification,
such as the level and version of LEED, the point
Fidelity ramps up green division
By Chris Crowell
Reprinted with permission from theApril 4, 2011
edition of The Title Report.
Copyright 2002-2011 October Research.All Rights
Reserved.
An exclusive agreement with the U.S. Green Building Council allows Fidelity
National Financial to offer a new green data product and expand its
environmental programs division
April 4, 2011 www.thetitlereport.com
structure and whether or not there’s been a challenge to
the certification.”
Certification status may be called into question for a
variety of reasons:
Certification may be
temporary.
Certification may
have been challenged.
A project may have
been de-certified.
A project may only
be registered and not
certified.
Misrepresentation of
certification status.
Skupic said the LEED
Project Certification Data
Report is the first phase of product roll-outs for
Fidelity’s GTSP.
“We see this growing in a number of different directions
because of the trends that are happening in sustainable
real estate and development and alternative energy
projects,” she continued. “We consistently track market
trends with regard to alternative energy investments,
what’s happening with the brokerage and development
community with LEED, and all of the legislative
initiatives and incentives coming down the pike.We
want to continue to create products that will serve all of
these market niches as they evolve.”
As part of this rollout, the
company is training all of
its key commercial,
industrial sales staff,
national builder sales
representatives as well as
corporate escrow
administrators on LEED
certification and ecofriendly
practices that can
benefit the company and
its clients.
“We’re excited about our exclusivity with the USGBC;
that was a real key component of creating value for the
market and making this project a reality,” said Jeffrey
Howell, vice president, associate counsel and director
for sustainable products for Fidelity. “It’s an exciting
product to bring to the market.”
“When you have a LEED-certified building, either
commercial or residential, it may be important to
confirm the details and status of the LEED
certification, such as the level and version of
LEED, the point structure and whether or not
there’s been a challenge to the certification.”
— Michele Skupic,
VP, National Director, Sustainable Strategies,
Fidelity National Financial
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