EMC Company Consultancy Project Series

Speakers: Daniele Horton, Founder and CEO of Verdani Partners, and Emma Huizar Felix, Associate ESG Manager at Verdani Partners and MEM Alumna (Class of 2018)

The Real State industry currently accounts for nearly 40% of the global carbon dioxide emissions according to Forbes. The data shows that, from these emissions, around 70% comes from building operations, while 30% happens from construction.  

Our planet is at a critical point, and it’s imperative for the real-estate industry to become greener by addressing the current challenges correctly to enable emissions reductions and avoid the worsening of the impact of climate change.  

Verdani Partners is a leading international ESG consultancy firm that empowers organisations with cost-effective strategies to create sustainable buildings and communities. Associate ESG Manager Emma Huizar Felix and Founder Daniele Horton delved into the compelling landscape for integrating ESG into commercial real estate while aligning to key regulations at the portfolio and asset level. Discussion covered:

• ESG Drivers and Trends
• The Business Case 
• Regulatory Trends
• Top ESG Strategies: 
  Environmental: Environmental Conservation, Climate-change Mitigation and Adaptation, Biodiversity
  Social: Health and Wellbeing, DEI, Supply Chain
  Governance: Risk Management, ESG Disclosures

The webinar took place on Zoom at 6pm GMT on Wednesday, 6th March.

Our Speakers 

Daniele Horton

Daniele Horton, Founder and CEO of Verdani Partners, brings over 26 years of expertise in real estate and sustainability. A LEED Fellow, CRE, licensed architect, and Certified Energy Manager and CRE, Daniele was recognized as a “Top 10 Most Powerful Woman in Sustainability” in 2014 and a USGBC Shero in 2020. She teaches Sustainable Real Estate at the University of San Diego and holds a master’s from Harvard in Sustainable Development. Daniele also founded the Verdani Institute for the Built Environment (VIBE). Verdani manages ESG programs for 21 firms across 8,900 properties, focusing on decarbonisation, resilience, and ESG reporting.

Emma Huizar Felix

Emma manages corporate ESG programs for Verdani’s commercial real-estate clients. She holds a master’s degree in Energy Management from ESCP Business School and a double bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University in Sustainable Development and Design Management. Her versatility and passion to keep learning has led to a diverse career, with experiences ranging from managing a real-estate sustainability program spanning 150,000 multifamily units across the U.S., to being guest lecturer for the Renewable Energy Engineering Program at CETYS Universidad. Prior to joining Verdani, Emma worked in the public sector as Sub-Director of Operations and Development at the Energy Commission of the state of Baja California in Mexico, becoming the first woman in that role, where she focused on policy and strategy implementation of the state’s energy transition. Her passion for energy transition is demonstrated by her commitment to share and deepen her expertise through speaking engagements, workshops and trainings in Mexico, the United States and London.