Episode 418: SPECIAL EPISODE: USGBC’s Journey to Support Decarbonization of the Built Environment

In this episode of the REIT Report special series “Building to Zero,” the U.S. Green Building Council’s Heather Payson and Wes Sullens share their perspectives on the building sector’s sustainability journey and the path forward for decarbonizing commercial real estate.

When USGBC was founded over 30 years ago and the first version of LEED was released, it established a clear and understandable framework to measure and define “green buildings.” Today, LEED has become a widely used rating system around the globe and, as a recognized indicator of leadership, has become an indispensable resource for the buildings community at large.

“There's just so much going on in this space, and the urgency is greater than ever. We have to balance the urgency of what the market needs with what's possible. While things like policy help establish a floor…. it's become even more challenging to [define] what leadership means in these times,” shares Wes Sullens, LEED Fellow and Director at USGBC. “We use our group of volunteers and experts… that help us write our rating system. It's not something we cook up in a vacuum, the idea is to make sure LEED is that consensus standard for leadership, which I think is a unique place in the market.”