Sustainability at NCREIF
Sustainability refers to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It involves using resources responsibly, supporting long-term environmental health, fostering social well-being, and ensuring economic viability so that communities, ecosystems, and industries—including real estate—can thrive over time. This page is a repository for best practices and topical information related to sustainable principles such as energy and water efficiency, healthy indoor environments, natural disaster resiliency, and stakeholder health & well-being that assist investors in their efforts to mitigate risk and achieve higher long-term financial performance.
NCREIF Sustainability Committee Environmental Interest Group
A subset of NCREIF's ESG Committee has been formed for those who are working with, or interested in, all things “Environmental," such as property resiliency, energy, water or emissions reductions, among others. The group’s periodic newsletters can be downloaded below.
NCREIF DEI
NCREIF Is an Inclusive Community
At NCREIF, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and collaborative environment for all our members. We firmly believe that embracing diversity in backgrounds, experiences and perspectives enriches our association and contributes to the collective success of our members. With this guiding principle, we provide valuable resources that support growth and innovation within the institutional real estate industry.
Below you will find information on some of these resources:
- NCREIF Academy Course - Sustainability: Risk Management, Regulations and Outcomes
- NCREIF's Partnership Offering
NCREIF Academy Course - Sustainability: Risk Management, Regulations and Outcomes
In an ever-evolving market of changing federal, state and local regulations, various influences and all-important insurance pricing, this course offers real estate investors a straight path forward to identify long-term factors that are likely to impact investment performance. Co-instructed by Isela Rosales, Managing Director and Head of Sustainability & Responsibility for Bridge Investment Group, the course focuses on tools to act in a proactive and strategic manner to protect and grow investments.
Participants will:
- Listen in and ask questions as CELI Fellow Bridget Robertson, part of the Responsible Investment and Sustainability team at Stockbridge, holds a virtual fireside chat with Michael McGowan, Portfolio Manager at CalSTRS and Aaron Quach, Vice President in Callan’s Real Assets Consulting group, about how the changing market is shaping LP decision-making and impacting sustainability initiatives, requirements and priorities.
- Understand how to identify, assess and communicate material factors that may impact your investment performance to enable you to mitigate risks and create new investment opportunities.
- Prepare for an increasingly complex regulatory environment driven by varying state regulations and the influence of European regulations and investors.
- Learn how to collect and assess energy efficiency and other data needed to meet an increasing array of building performance standards and avoid regulatory fines.
- Discuss how to move to a value creation model, identify areas of overspending and create a sustainability program that drives results.
- Improve performance through new methodologies in portfolio planning, due diligence and risk management.
- Understand the roles of various industry standards (GRESB, PRI, IFRS, etc.) and how to effectively use them.
Participants will:
- Listen in and ask questions as CELI Fellow Bridget Robertson, part of the Responsible Investment and Sustainability team at Stockbridge, holds a virtual fireside chat with Michael McGowan, Portfolio Manager at CalSTRS and Aaron Quach, Vice President in Callan’s Real Assets Consulting group, about how the changing market is shaping LP decision-making and impacting sustainability initiatives, requirements and priorities.
- Understand how to identify, assess and communicate material factors that may impact your investment performance to enable you to mitigate risks and create new investment opportunities.
- Prepare for an increasingly complex regulatory environment driven by varying state regulations and the influence of European regulations and investors.
- Learn how to collect and assess energy efficiency and other data needed to meet an increasing array of building performance standards and avoid regulatory fines.
- Discuss how to move to a value creation model, identify areas of overspending and create a sustainability program that drives results.
- Improve performance through new methodologies in portfolio planning, due diligence and risk management.
- Understand the roles of various industry standards (GRESB, PRI, IFRS, etc.) and how to effectively use them.
NCREIF Partnership Offering for Qualified Organizations*
- *Not-for-Profit Organzizations whose goals, missions and programs support commercial real estate in at least one of the following ways:
- 1. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts
- 2. Support to Underrepresented Groups in Commercial Real Estate.
- 3. Young Professionals Benefits Include
- Complimentary attendance for two program participants at each of NCREIF’s two Conferences per year, for a total of four passes per annum.
- - Conferences include most meals and attendees are welcome to all networking events.
- - Attendees must be at least 21 years of age.
- - Any individual may attend a total of two conferences with a complimentary pass.
- Complimentary attendance for one organization employee at each conference.
- Complimentary enrollment for up to ten spots per year in NCREIF’s Academy program.
- - In-person classes include some meals and may include networking events.
- - Individuals must be at least 21 years of age for in-person attendance. (Note - there is no age
- requirement for virtual courses.)
- - Maximum of two classes per individual.
- - Maximum of two individuals per course.
- Annual Dollar Value to Partner, approximately $22,000.
- - Six Conference Passes, food/ beverage/ networking events, approximately: $14,000
- - Ten Courses, food/ beverage/ networking events, approximately: $8,000
Global Inclusion Survey
ABOUT THE SURVEY First created in 2017 and launched as a dedicated survey in 2020, it is an annual report tracking corporate practices, human capital policies and employee demographics for commercial real estate. The Survey provides input from companies across Asia, Europe and North America.
In 2025, 19 leading CRE associations participated in the Global Real Estate DEI Survey: AFIRE; AIA (American Institute of Architects); APREA (Asia Pacific Real Assets Association); AREF (Association of Real Estate Funds); BOMA; BPF (British Property Federation); CFMA (Construction Financial Management Association); CoreNet Global; CREFC; EPRA (European Public Real Estate Association); NAIOP; NAREIM; NCREIF; OSCRE; PFA (Property Funds Association of Australia); PREA; REALPAC; RICS and ULI.