Episode 6: Unlocking Value from Sustainability in the Built Environment

Viviana talks to Stuart Brodsky about sustainability in the built environment and how it helps to unlock value for CRE investors. 

Historically the real estate industry has affected the natural world. The real estate sector affects, and is affected by climate change. Buildings account for around one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions and consume 40% of the world's energy.

The real estate industry’s commitment to more sustainable practices is an area of opportunity. Therefore we must identify solutions to reduce emissions and mitigate climate impacts. This approach can reap financial as well as moral dividends.

Guest’s Bio:

Stuart Brodsky is a leading figure in the commercial real estate industry’s transition to environmental sustainability, with a focus on carbon emissions reductions.  

Currently, Stuart is a clinical assistant professor at NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate, leading the integration of sustainability curriculum into the country’s largest academic program in real estate asset management, development, and finance.  Stuart launched and led the US EPA’s ENERGY STAR® initiative in commercial property from 1999 until 2008. There, he oversaw the voluntary adoption of the federal partnership program’s tools and resources by stakeholders presenting over 75% of US office inventory and approximately 12% of all US commercial space. During his tenure, private sector property operators avoided 24 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions through ENERGY STAR at a cost and energy consumption savings of approximately $7.5 billion and 114 billion kilowatt hours.

From 2008 until 2012, Stuart was Senior Sustainability Leader at GE Capital Real Estate. Tasked with integrating sustainable practices across the investment cycle of the $60B real estate portfolio, a trophy example of Stuart’s focus on tangible value creation through energy efficiency was the CEO’s request for Stuart’s “vacant suites” energy management initiative to leapfrog from pilot phase to global implementation.  

For his contributions to the field, Stuart has been honored by New York City and State (a publication) with a Corporate Social Responsibility Award; and BOMA International, where he was the first non-BOMA member and first US federal employee to receive the prestigious Chairman’s Award.

Stuart has held committee and membership positions with the Urban Land Institute--New York’s Sustainability Council, the Real Estate Roundtable’s Sustainability Policy Advisory Council, BOMA International’s Energy and Environment Committee, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Alliance conference