Energy Consumption Trends & Their Impact on Commercial Real Estate

Energy Usage and the Impact on CRE Buildings + Landlord and Tenant Relationship

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  Jonathan Flaherty

  Mr. Flaherty is a Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainability at Tishman Speyer. Flaherty joined Tishman Speyer in 2007 and oversees global sustainability and health strategy as well as global energy management and procurement. In this role, he manages sustainability certifications, investor communications, worldwide performance tracking, procurement strategy and technological innovation implementation. Mr. Flaherty joined Tishman Speyer as part of the Leadership Development Program and has held various roles with the company, including in asset management and portfolio management for New York. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as a legislative aide for Senator Schumer in Washington, DC. Mr. Flaherty is the chair of the board of directors for the Building Energy Exchange and is a team leader for the ACE Mentor Program. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Kenyon College, and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Urban Planning from Columbia University.

  Tishman Speyer

  Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainability

  Jonathan Flaherty

  Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainability

  Tishman Speyer

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  Geoff Hurst

  SVP, Environmental Performance

  Related Companies

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  Alex Gulagaci

  VP, Head of Engineering

  RXR

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  Gregg Fischer

  Gregg Fischer is an accomplished operations and engineering executive providing energy management strategy project deployment advisory across all vertical markets and business sectors. He has a track record of implementing complex infrastructure improvements for buildings, securing record-setting incentives, and enabling efficient operations for building owners. He has helmed projects as diverse as turnkey thermal ice storage systems, heat recovery & electrification, central plant optimization, and advanced building automation. Mr. Fischer is a trusted advisor to the public and private sectors while supporting cleantech companies in strategic planning and business development. Throughout his career, Gregg has worked with many real estate owners and operators to support advancements in building technologies, optimization, infrastructure renewal, and resiliency. His extensive work experience spans years with TM Bier & Associates, the Trane Company, and most recently, as the Director of Energy Systems for Tishman Speyer. Gregg brings his diversity of experience and successful project deployment skills to every engagement, large or small. Gregg is an AEE Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Energy Auditor (CEA), and a New York State licensed Professional Engineer (PE). He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Boston University and a Master’s in Global Operations Management from SUNY Stony Brook.

  Fischer Energy

  Founder, CEO

  Gregg Fischer

  Founder, CEO

  Fischer Energy

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  Brad Molotsky

  Brad A. Molotsky practices in the area of real estate law. He serves as a lead for the Duane Morris Project Development/P3 group and as co-head of the firm's Opportunity Zones group. Mr. Molotsky’s primary practice is focused in the areas of opportunity zone fund creation and fund deployment, financing, public private partnership (PPP or P-3), real estate joint ventures (including mixed-use, life sciences and multi-family development), commercial leasing (including a focus in cannabis leasing), and acquisitions and divestitures. He also has deep experience in environmental, social, governance, public company issues such as enterprise risk, internal audit, compensation, as well as energy efficiency, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Prior to joining Duane Morris and for nearly 20 years, Brad served as executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Brandywine Realty Trust. At Brandywine, Mr. Molotsky was responsible for all legal operations of the company, including acquisitions and divestitures, financings, joint ventures, board matters, insurance procurement, litigation oversight, SEC filing oversight and the legal aspects of capital raising. During his tenure, the company grew from 40 buildings to approximately 300 buildings, totaling 28 million square feet. In 2020, Mr. Molotsky was named a national influencer in the Opportunity Zone space by OZ Magazine and won The Philadelphia Inquirer Influencers of Law Award for Real Estate. He was also named by The Philadelphia Inquirer as an Influencer of Real Estate for Real Estate Legal Excellence in 2019. He was also named in TheLegal Intelligencer's list of Pennsylvania Trailblazers for 2019. Mr. Molotsky was named one of Philadelphia Business Journal's 2018 "Best of the Bar: Top Lawyers in Philadelphia. He was also named General Counsel of the year by the Philadelphia Business Journal in 2014 and NJBIZ in 2013 and was awarded the Martin Luther King Community Service award in 2014, the Township Sustainability Leader Award in 2016 and the Roger Davis Community Service Award in 2017.

  Duane Morris LLP

  Partner

  Brad Molotsky

  Partner

  Duane Morris LLP

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  Trevor Boz

  Trevor Boz leads PAE’s New York office, bringing nearly two decades of experience in designing high-performance HVAC systems for complex, mission-driven buildings. His portfolio spans laboratories, pharmaceutical facilities, commercial towers, higher education, and high-tech environments, each benefitting from his focus on energy efficiency and system simplicity. Trevor is particularly skilled in large-scale infrastructure systems, including chiller and boiler plants, energy recovery systems, and integrated sustainability strategies. With projects across the Tri-State Area, Trevor plays a key role in advancing PAE’s East Coast practice. His leadership is grounded in a collaborative, problem-solving approach that balances innovation with real-world performance. He is committed to delivering thoughtful, resilient solutions that align with today’s environmental and regulatory demands - including the push for lower carbon footprints and compliance with policies like Local Law 97

  PAE

  Principal

  Moderator

  Trevor Boz

  Principal

  PAE

Enhancing Construction & Design: Evaluating Carbon Usage & Green Materials

Operational Carbon vs. Embodied Carbon + Navigating Construction Headwinds

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  Ben Rodney

  VP, Construction

  Hines

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  Christian Agulles

  For over 30 years, Christian has led teams in the design of innovative building systems for a broad range of complex building types including sports arenas, a U.S. Embassy, LEED Gold and Platinum corporate headquarters, high-rise mixed-use buildings, and affordable housing projects. Christian has been involved in the design of several all-electric, net-zero carbon, resilient affordable housing projects. With a passion for supporting his community, he leads the pro bono work that PAE provides through their partnership with Dignity Moves, an innovative nonprofit organization that uses California’s emergency building codes to build interim supportive housing communities on vacant land or parking lots for people experiencing homelessness. Agulles began his career in New York City and has expertise leading offices in major markets such as Las Vegas, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. He currently serves as the President and CEO of PAE, where he focuses on mentoring future leaders and bringing regenerative design concepts to all of PAE’s projects.

  PAE

  President & CEO

  Christian Agulles

  President & CEO

  PAE

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  Dennis Pilarczyk

  Dennis Pilarczyk, PE is the Department Manager for Nucor Corporation's Construction Solutions Team. Dennis is a licensed professional engineer (PE) with over 20 years of design and construction experience. He leads a national team with a focus on being a solution-provider for the design and construction communities. Prior to joining the Nucor team, Dennis spent two years as a Senior Structural Steel Specialist with the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and is heavily involved with many industry associations including the Structural Engineers Association, International Code Council and American Institute of Architects.  Dennis is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife and two daughters.

  Nucor Corporation

  Department Manager – Construction Solutions

  Dennis Pilarczyk

  Department Manager – Construction Solutions

  Nucor Corporation

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  Lee Hoffman

  Lee Hoffman is currently the cofounder and President of Runwise, a US climate tech company that provides the technology platform operating key energy systems in over 7,500 buildings thoughout the US. A multi time entrepreneur, Lee’s last company Veri exited to The Knot after raising over $8M in capital.

  Runwise

  CoFounder & President

  Lee Hoffman

  CoFounder & President

  Runwise

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  Tiffany Yao

  Tiffany Yao is a Managing Director and ESG Lead with Newmark’s Global Corporate Services Workplace Strategy & Human Experience consulting practice. Yao’s role is to create, build and lead successful project teams to provide industry-changing strategies, workplace design and innovation to advance client interests and practice objectives. A visual and dynamic communicator, Yao delivers holistic workplace strategies, space guidelines and design aspirations that support research and champion emerging trends to both challenge and address diverse business needs. As a subject matter expert, Yao represents Sustainability & ESG Consulting with profound experience and grounding knowledge to support both internal and external engagement efforts. Throughout her career, Yao has demonstrated success in strategic project management and execution of complex initiatives, with the ability to identify critical success factors and align real estate with business goals. Prior to joining Newmark, she worked for a decade as a lead interior designer, amassing extensive knowledge of creating healthy built environments. Her experience enables Yao to integrate holistic wellbeing into clients’ workplace strategy to build stronger workforce. Yao also served as an Adjunct Professor at New York School of Interior Design, educating the next generation of industry professionals.

  Newmark

  Managing Director, ESG

  Moderator

  Tiffany Yao

  Managing Director, ESG

  Newmark

Decarbonizing our Way to Local Law 97 Compliance

Local New York City Panel & Using Compliance to Advance Sustainability Innovation

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  Cecil Scheib

  Cecil is NYU’s Chief Sustainability Officer, leading the university-wide effort to build a healthier and more sustainable future. Key responsibilities include reducing NYU’s greenhouse gas emissions; supporting sustainability teaching and research across NYU’s diverse schools; championing ideas that advance innovation, education, and social justice; and engaging with the community through student, faculty, staff, and administrator opportunities. Cecil formerly served as Chief Program Officer at Urban Green Council, as the Managing Director of the Building Resiliency Task Force for the City of New York, as Director of Energy and Sustainability at NYU from 2007 to 2012, and co-founded Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. He earned a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. He serves on the Board of Directors of Urban Green Council and is a New York State licensed professional engineer, Certified Energy Manager, and LEED Accredited Professional.

  NYU

  Chief Sustainability Officer

  Cecil Scheib

  Chief Sustainability Officer

  NYU

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  Michael Gilbert

  Michael Gilbert has deep domain expertise, as well as public and private sector experience in the areas of energy and the environmental management. He has a passion for creating value in these areas at the nexus of technology, policy and finance. Michael has provided business strategy analysis and consultation to several companies in the areas of business strategy, algae, biomaterials, renewable energy, energy management, micro-grids, green buildings, carbon capture, remediation and sustainability. He also has experience with sustainability issues related to aviation lodging, oil sands and COSIA. Michael is currently Business Development Manager for Con Edison's energy efficiency and demand management programs for the commercial & industrial customers. With an unprecedented amount of funding available, the role affords the opportunity to help clients improve resilience, reduce costs, and operate in a more sustainable manner. He served earlier as VP of Strategy and Business Development for Global Green Solutions' waste-biomass and algae production businesses, working with customers, partners, and investors. In this role, he was intimately involved in the challenge of commercializing early stage sustainable technologies within a volatile business, technological and regulatory environment. Michael was previously the Director of Sustainability at Maine Pointe LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in global supply chain excellence. He served as both a technical and financial reviewer for several rounds of USDOE funding opportunities centered on energy and water. During his career at Pitney Bowes, he was the company's Energy and Environmental Manager, and subsequently, their Manager for Futures Strategy and Scenario Planning. Michael began his career at the EPA working on hazardous waste site remediation, as also for a stint working in Central and Eastern Europe on environmental technical assistance and capacity building. Michael is a licensed Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager and Certified Energy Auditor. He holds a BS in Ag & Bio Engineering and an MS Environmental Engineering from Cornell, and MBA in Finance from the University Of Connecticut School Of Business. He was recently appointed by the Mayor to the City of White Plains Sustainability and Environmental Enhancement Committee, and serves on a number of volunteer advisory boards within the community.

  Fairstead

  Director of Energy & Sustainability

  Michael Gilbert

  Director of Energy & Sustainability

  Fairstead

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  Mounir Tawadrous

  Senior Associate

  KSS Architects

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  Jon Colatrella

  With more than 20 years of experience, Jon leads the HLZAE MEP/FP and Forensic Engineering group as the Executive Director. He is an integral component of driving and acquiring new business through proposals while supporting his team of engineers and running the day-to-day operations of the MEP/FP group. Jon directs the design, installation, and investigation of all MEP/FP projects while fostering the growth of his team. He has served as project engineer for residential and commercial building major system upgrades, capital improvements, and individual component replacements. Jon also provides expert witness consulting for HLZAE’s reputable clients. With energy and emission reductions at the forefront of NYC’s concern, Jon and his team perform energy audits and make recommendations for upgrades to conserve energy so buildings can better prepare for the upcoming Local Law 87 & 97 deadlines. This could include his team performing cooling plant upgrades, heating plant upgrades / fuel conversions and building-wide lighting retrofits. Throughout the COVID19 pandemic, Jon and his team also worked to ensure HVAC systems in buildings and building amenity spaces throughout NYC met all the necessary safety standards to resume operation. Additionally, with the heightened concerns revolving around gas piping distribution systems, Jon has been working closely with the NYC Buildings department as well as industry leading licensed master plumbers to strategize ways to perform proactive gas piping repairs and/or upgrades to prevent sudden and unexpected building wide gas shutdowns following the mandatory LL 152 inspections. Jon earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology and is a licensed professional engineer in the state of New York.

  HLZAE, A Milrose Company

  Executive Director, MEP & Forensic Engineering

  Jon Colatrella

  Executive Director, MEP & Forensic Engineering

  HLZAE, A Milrose Company

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  David Sivin

  Team Director

  PVEDI

• Moderator

  Randy Topp

  SVP of Energy Services & National Operations Support

  Ainsworth

Prioritizing Sustainability Across Existing Assets

How to Build Sustainability Metrics into the Goals of a Conversion Project

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  Sydney Mainster

  VP, Sustainability & Design

  Durst

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  Sara Bayer

  Associate Principal, Director of Sustainability

  Magnusson Architecture and Planning

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  Joshua Soble

  Joshua Soble is the Director of Business Development for Celsius Energy in the northeast US where he facilitates the deployment of Celsius’ innovative geothermal heating; cooling solution on both existing building retrofit projects and new construction developments to reduce carbon emissions, minimize operational expenses, and optimize property operations. Prior to joining Celsius Energy, Josh spent his career developing a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects including solar photovoltaic (PV) installations, cogeneration systems, HVAC overhauls, real time energy management (RTEM) building monitoring and controls solutions, green building certifications (LEED, EGC, Passive House etc.), and more. In his early career, Josh worked at leading renewable energy trade associations in Washington, DC including SEIA (the Solar Energy Industries Association), The Solar Foundation, and the American Biogas Council. Josh has a B.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Michigan and lives with his wife in NYC.

  Celsius Energy

  Director

  Joshua Soble

  Director

  Celsius Energy

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  Rebecca Schmidt

  NY Regional Sustainability Manager

  Turner Construction

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  Chuck Hurchalla

  Chuck Hurchalla is the president of Evolution Sustainability Group. He has over 30 years of experience in the deregulated energy markets, including natural gas, electricity and petroleum products. He is considered a subject matter expert on hedging strategies and the fundamental and technical drivers of movements in the energy markets, including renewable products. In addition, he has been instrumental in helping clients develop comprehensive energy management solutions that meet or exceed energy efficiency and sustainability goals.

  Evolution Sustainability Group

  Founder and CEO

  Moderator

  Chuck Hurchalla

  Founder and CEO

  Evolution Sustainability Group

The Future of Sustainable Investing & How to Finance Deals

Capital Markets Challenges & Their Impact on ESG Investment Strategies

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  Katie Cappola

  Katie Cappola is Vice President of ESG at Madison International Realty and is responsible for directing the firm’s ESG strategy across its global portfolio. This involves integrating ESG considerations throughout the investment process, from market screening to due diligence and partnering with sponsors to advance sustainability at the portfolio and asset level. In this capacity, she works to identify and manage ESG-related risks and opportunities, driving value and resilience while contributing to Madison International Realty’s ongoing alignment with emerging sustainability best practices. Katie joined Madison International Realty from JLL and Empire State Realty Trust, where she focused on decarbonization efforts, and integrating sustainability best practices throughout real estate operations.

  Madison International Realty

  Vice President, ESG

  Katie Cappola

  Vice President, ESG

  Madison International Realty

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  Nadine Anderson

  Prior to joining Galvanize Climate Solutions, Nadine Anderson was the founding employee and Head of Real Estate for Keyway Real Estate, a venture-backed startup focused on building technology platforms to scale small-sized commercial real estate transactions. Prior to Keyway, Nadine worked at Jamestown LP, a global real estate investment and management company where she focused on northeast and southeast acquisition initiatives. Nadine started her career at Goldman Sachs in their Goldman Sachs Asset Management Real Estate Group. While at Goldman, she also helped develop the first framework for ESG programs for the real estate portfolio. Nadine holds a BA from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, where she majored in Economics and minored in Geography. She is a member of the ULI and the ULI Women’s Leadership Initiative.

  Galvanize Climate Solutions

  VP, Acquisitions

  Nadine Anderson

  VP, Acquisitions

  Galvanize Climate Solutions

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  Gizman Abbas

  Gizman Abbas is an Ethiopian-born American entrepreneur and investor whose journey from refugee to industry leader reflects a deep commitment to resilience, equity, and innovation. He earned his engineering degree while working manual labor jobs and went on to build a distinguished career spanning energy, finance, and real estate development. As Founding Principal of Direct Invest Development, Gizman leads an impact-driven real estate firm focused on revitalizing disinvested urban communities through equitable development, environmental sustainability, and health-centered design. Previously, he co-founded the commodity investment platform at Apollo Global Management, focusing on energy and mining, and began his finance career at Goldman Sachs, managing over $1 billion in investments across power, biofuels, emissions credits, metals, and agriculture. He also held roles at Morgan Stanley as an investment banker and at ExxonMobil and Southern Company as a project engineer. Gizman has served on the boards of eight companies, including roles as Co-CEO and committee chair across Audit, Compensation, and Governance. He is currently a board member of NYISO, Talen Energy, Qenta Inc., and Prairie Operating Co., reflecting his continued leadership in sustainable energy and digital infrastructure. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

  Direct Invest Development

  Principal

  Gizman Abbas

  Principal

  Direct Invest Development

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  Yoni Tammam

  Yoni Tammam is a Vice President in the Tax Insurance Practice at CAC Specialty. With deep technical tax expertise, years of legal practice, and a strong foundation in specialty insurance, Yoni is uniquely positioned to deliver tailored tax insurance solutions. He brings a practical and strategic approach to help clients mitigate risk and drive seamless execution in high-stakes transactions. Before joining CAC Specialty, Yoni led the Tax Insurance practice at Brown & Brown, a leading national brokerage. There, he helped clients unlock capital and protect value by placing multi-million-dollar tax insurance policies, covering areas from tax credit transactions to complex state and local tax matters. Earlier in his career, Yoni practiced as a transactional tax attorney at top-tier law firms including Kirkland & Ellis, Mayer Brown, and Reed Smith. Yoni holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Maryland – College Park, a J.D. (cum laude) from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, and an LL.M. in Taxation from New York University School of Law

  CAC Specialty

  VP, Tax Insurance

  Moderator

  Yoni Tammam

  VP, Tax Insurance

  CAC Specialty

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  Morris DeFeo, Jr.

  Morris F. DeFeo, Jr. is a partner and chair of Herrick’s Corporate Department, where he focuses on domestic and international capital markets, corporate finance and M&A transactions, and corporate governance and compliance counseling for boards, committees and directors of public and private companies and not-for-profit entities. Morris advises public and private corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, real estate investment trusts (REITs), private equity firms and funds, venture and hedge funds, private investment funds and other clients in U.S. and cross-border joint ventures and strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, consolidations, asset and stock acquisitions and dispositions, all aspects of private equity and venture capital fund transactions and public and private offerings of debt and equity securities, including initial public offerings and shelf-registered offerings, Rule 144A high-yield debt offerings and exchange listings. Morris provides counsel to fund sponsors and investors on a range of investment activities including fund formation, structuring arrangements, senior and mezzanine debt, distressed investments, syndications, leveraged buyouts, majority and minority stake investments, sales and divestitures as well as exit strategies. He also advises clients on compliance with the registration, proxy solicitation and periodic reporting requirements of the U.S. securities laws, and the complex requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, such as those related to section 404 internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and governance. Morris has advised clients, including start-ups and emerging growth companies in the U.S., the Middle East/North Africa, Europe, India and the Far East, which have operated in a range of sectors, including defense, automotive, energy, information technology, manufacturing and telecommunications. Earlier in his career, Morris served as executive vice president of corporate and international transactions for CAIS Internet, a Nasdaq-listed Internet access solutions company. In that capacity, he helped build out CAIS's deployment in Asia, Australia and Europe through merger and acquisition transactions, joint ventures and strategic relationships with foreign telecom, infrastructure, equipment and hospitality companies in 16 countries. From 1990 to 1991, Morris worked as a foreign visiting attorney in the law firm of Yuasa and Hara in Tokyo, Japan.

  Herrick

  Partner

  Moderator

  Morris DeFeo, Jr.

  Partner

  Herrick

Remarks from the Podium

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  Dominic DePizzol

  Dominic DePizzol is a seasoned façade industry professional currently leading sales and sustainability efforts at PhoxOne, one of the largest and most innovative curtain wall manufacturers in the United States. In this role, Dominic works closely with real estate owners, developers, and design teams to navigate the evolving landscape of sustainability regulations and performance standards for high-performance building envelopes. With a deep understanding of both technical systems and market demands, Dominic plays a key role in shaping forward-thinking strategies that align environmental goals with practical construction solutions. He is passionate about helping clients future-proof their assets by integrating sustainable design practices into every stage of façade development—from concept to installation. A trusted advisor and engaging speaker, Dominic brings a unique perspective at the intersection of business development, building technology, and environmental stewardship.

  PhoxOne

  Creative Solutions Specialist

  Dominic DePizzol

  Creative Solutions Specialist

  PhoxOne