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CoreNet NYC Sustainability Community: Are Environmental Certifications Worth It?

Anthony Guerrero, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)

The CoreNet Global New York City Chapter (CoreNet NYC) Sustainability Community is pleased to announce that the organization hosted the presentation “Are Environmental Certifications Worth It?” at Delos’s New York City Headquarters. The conversation was moderated by David Briefel, Sustainability Director and Senior Associate at Gensler. Additional presenters included Janna Wandzilak, Director at Delos; Anthony Guerrero, Director of Facilities and Sustainability for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC); and Josh Wise, Director of Workplace Experience with Criteo.

The Value of Certifications According to Experts

The speakers opened a dialogue on the value, synergies, and challenges associated with sustainability validation methods that have recently emerged in the marketplace. It was noted during the conversation that navigating the various third-party sustainability certifications can be difficult, especially when establishing a budget or aligning to an internal vision or goal. Wandzliak commented, “One of the things to consider when you’re thinking about certifications is what are your goals as an organization because not all of these certifications are exactly the same. Each certification is measuring different things.” Briefel said, “Some clients find the rigor offered by certifications to be helpful guard rails in how you provide and operate a space.” Jennifer Taranto, Director of Sustainability at Structure Tone added, “People bring their best selves to work, the space is the driver.”

As LEED v4, WELL, Fitwel, Living Building Challenge, and other certifications saturate the industry, new synergies and challenges emerge. Wise added, “A key component is mobilizing internally and then making a decision about which things really are aligning with your organization’s internal values and mission.” Attendees were invited to share their own experience with colleagues and industry experts to decide for themselves if environmental certifications are the right fit.

Unpacking a Trendy Topic

“Sustainability is a very trendy topic in real estate today, but it’s a conversation that is difficult to fully appreciate without the proper understanding of what goes into energy efficiency initiatives and the sustainability efforts one reads about in the news,” commented Thomas O’Halloran, Chair of the CoreNet NYC Sustainability Community and Vice President of Business Development with Structure Tone. “That’s what our sustainability event aimed to address, what are we talking about when it comes to environmental certifications? What do they mean and what goes into achieving them? From there, attendees can make well-informed decisions for themselves and their companies.”

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