Sorry Kermit, the next generation doesn't care if it isn't easy being green. Cushman & Wakefield research released says 68 DFW office buildings totaling 26.2M SF are LEED certified (that’s 12.8% of the office market). Also, Texas cities are adopting codes that say new buildings must comply with green elements. Plus, owners that want their buildings to better compete for Fortune 500 tenants should consider LEED, says Cushman's Randy Thompson (here with his son, Lukas).

It will soon be considered socially unacceptable, perhaps even socially irresponsible, for employees to go to work in a ‘brown’ building, Randy says. Given the limited stock of LEED properties, those ahead of the curve stand to gain the most. Some of the key research:

•LEED certified buildings provide tenants a 28% reduction in energy costs on operating costs

•On average, employees working in LEED certified buildings have 2.88 fewer sick days

•15.6% of direct vacancy for LEED buildings compared to 17.4% vacancy all classes citywide

•LEED buildings outperform non-LEED buildings in occupancy, sales price, rental rates, and operation costs nationally. They have a 3.5% higher occupancy, sell for 35% more, and achieve rent premiums of 13% , according to the USGBC.

(That's Randy and his family experiencing the green of the outdoors.)