Category Archives: Thought Leadership

The Hidden Risks Behind Today’s Property Deals

Apartment

For decades, commercial real estate investors have relied on a set of core due diligence reports before closing a transaction: property condition assessments, environmental site assessments, ALTA surveys and zoning compliance reports. While these reports remain critical risk assessment tools, another category of risk now deserves a place alongside these traditional investigations: climate- and sustainability-related risk.   The growing number of Building Performance Standards, energy disclosure requirements and climate-related regulations across the United […]

Energize Denver and Building Performance Colorado: What Owners Should Know

Building owners in Colorado are facing new energy performance requirements. Like building performance standards across the country, Energize Denver and Building Performance Colorado (BPC) are designed to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions—but for many owners, understanding what’s required (and when) can feel overwhelming. The good news: while these regulations are complex, compliance is […]

Sustainability & Capital Planning

Capital planning in commercial real estate has entered a new phase. In addition to traditional lifecycle replacements, managers now face a growing set of capital needs driven by energy ordinances, decarbonization goals, and climate risk. These drivers are no longer peripheral considerations; they are central to how capital plans are developed, prioritized, and executed. The […]

Turn Compliance into Value: What Washington Property Owners Should Know about the Clean Buildings Performance Standard

For owners of commercial buildings 20,000 square feet and larger in Washington State, the Clean Buildings Performance Standard (CBPS) represents more than a regulatory requirement—it is a strategic opportunity. By improving energy performance, owners can increase asset value, lower operating costs, and reduce long-term risk in a market that increasingly prioritizes sustainability and operational efficiency. […]

Elevate Asset Performance & ESG Ratings with Green Certifications & Data-Driven Practices

Published in GRESB on Aug. 14, 2025. Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve the efficiency and resilience of real assets through transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. As ESG performance becomes a defining factor in real estate […]

Optimizing the Green Building Process for Multifamily and Commercial Properties

Green Building Process

Best Practices for Achieving Green Certifications The world of sustainable design and green building certifications changes fast. New products and technologies come to the market on a regular basis. Codes, funding programs, and rating system requirements evolve every few years to keep pushing the bar higher. If you are a multifamily housing developer, how do […]

Safeguard Your Acquisition from Transition Risks

Originally published on GlobeSt In 2025 and beyond, not only must CRE owners and investors deal with physical climate risks like wildfires and hurricanes, but they also need to manage the transition risks that come with the shift toward a low-carbon economy. Transition Risks are business-related risks due to government regulations and disclosure rules around […]

Decarbonizing Commercial Real Estate Portfolios in the US: A Practical Guide

Published November 28, 2024 on GRESB.com Introduction In the face of growing climate challenges, the push for decarbonizing commercial real estate (CRE) portfolios has gained urgency. With “decarbonization waterfall” charts, like the one shown below laying out methods such as grid decarbonization, energy efficiency, on and off-site renewable energy, electrification, and carbon offsets, it is […]

EPA Approval of California’s WAIRE Program: A Wake-Up Call for Warehouse Operators and Owners

WAIRE Program

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently taken a significant step by approving California’s Warehouse Actions and Investments to Reduce Emissions (WAIRE) program. This approval not only makes the program federally enforceable within California but also opens the door for lawsuits to be filed in federal court. While the WAIRE program initially allowed lawsuits to […]

How to Avoid Stranded Assets: A Path to Decarbonization

Published November 2023 As concerns over climate change intensify and regulations evolve, commercial real estate investors and owners are under increasing pressure to reduce carbon footprints of their properties, or “decarbonize” them. Most recently, California passed the Climate Accountability Package, which will require a large number public and private companies conducting business in the state […]

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