CRE needs to prepare for a shifting landscape. By Tony Liou, Partner Energy President As President Biden signs sweeping climate change executive orders, the commercial real estate industry is also ramping up the conversation around Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). Just this month, at the virtual MBA CREF21: Lending, Investing, Servicing and Technology Convention & […]
04
Jan
Jan
As more investors focus on ESG policies, we try to demystify the E in ESG. By Tony Liou, Partner Energy President In the past year, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investing has gone from a niche strategy to a mainstream approach utilized by more institutional real estate investors. Companies like BlackRock and PGIM are scaling […]
30
Nov
Nov
After a year of record-breaking disasters, the need for real estate resiliency is clear. By Tony Liou, Partner Energy President There is no denying that the number of natural disasters and their severity have increased over the years. Wildfires have burned more than four million acres in California in 2020, which is double the previous […]
27
Dec
Dec
Green Advantage Shifts Focus to Incentivize Workforce Housingby Tony Liou, Partner Energy President Citing a refocus towards affordable housing, the FHFA eliminated the green lending cap exclusion last fall, leading to uncertainty in the green lending market. Last month, Freddie Mac announced their continued commitment to the success of the Green Advantage program by shifting […]
09
Oct
Oct
For both new construction and LIHTC-backed rehab projects, Partner Energy helps clients secure tax credit financing for affordable and low-income housing projects nationwide. Lenders see opportunity in these markets, as explained in this article from GlobeSt.com
06
Nov
Nov
The Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA) just released new requirements for the 2019 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Green Lending Programs. The new requirements may increase the implementation cost of these loans for some borrowers. However, with careful consideration of the type and quantity of energy-saving and water-saving measures implemented, this cost can be minimized. […]
27
Jun
Jun
Energy Audits and Retro-Commissioning for Building Owners and Managers As part of New York City’s Greener, Greater Buildings Plan (GGBP), Local Law 87 (LL87) mandates Energy Audits and Retro-Commissioning every ten years for all buildings over 50,000 square feet. LL87 provides building owners and managers insight into energy consumption and building performance with the goal […]
21
Dec
Dec
Partner Engineering and Science’s, Melissa Dahl recently wrote an blog post encouraging borrowers to take advantage of green lending and multifamily incentives in the greater NYC area. The multifamily green financing programs within both Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have been extremely successful, with Fannie Mae closing on 500 green multi-family transactions through October 2017. […]
02
May
May
Tony Liou weighs in on the new role energy efficiency plays in Commercial Real Estate: In the past, institutional investors would qualify managers by investments and returns, according to Tony Liou, president of Partner Energy. “Now it is, ‘What is your sustainability plan?’ ” Liou says. “They want to know what you are going to […]
22
Jul
Jul
Investor Confidence Project (ICP) Investor Ready Energy Efficiency certification is setting a new global standard when it comes to energy efficiency projects. John Rockwell shares his insights on how the ICP is finding practical solutions and generating trustworthiness in energy efficiency projects nationwide. Read the full article here.