From investment strategy to risk mitigation, the Climate Initiative engages partners seeking practical solutions and forward-looking collaboration in support of resilience-building and transformative sustainability initiatives.

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The Initiative on Climate and the Built Environment addresses one of the defining challenges of our time: aligning real estate investment, development, and finance with the imperatives of climate resilience and decarbonization. Through applied research, policy collaboration, and the development of actionable tools, the Initiative supports stakeholders across the public and private sectors in navigating climate risk, accelerating emissions reduction, and building adaptive capacity into the global built environment.

 

Housed at the Chen Institute, the Initiative convenes experts from industry, government, and academia to address the complex intersections of climate science, real asset performance, and institutional capital flows.

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Translating Climate Insight into Market Action

 

The Initiative is grounded in the belief that climate goals cannot be achieved without transforming the way real estate is financed and operated. In partnership with NYC’s Economic Development Corporation and NYU Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business, we co-authored Banking on Climate: Mortgage Lending for Decarbonization, a first-of-its-kind report outlining how mortgage markets can support building-level emissions reductions at scale. This work highlights the Initiative’s commitment to market-relevant solutions that enable financial institutions and policymakers to act with confidence and urgency.

 

Our applied research also informs broader strategy and policy debates. Through contributions to the World Economic Forum, the Initiative has helped elevate sustainability, adaptation, and resilience as foundational themes in global investment strategy and urban governance.

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Practical Tools for Climate-Aligned Investment

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To help translate research into execution, the Initiative develops frameworks and decision-support tools for investors and lenders. The Decarbonization Compass, developed in collaboration with Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business, provides financial institutions with a practical pathway to incorporate decarbonization into loan origination, underwriting, and portfolio management. Tools like this underscore our commitment to applied solutions that are usable, scalable, and responsive to both regulatory trends and institutional goals.

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A Convening Platform for Climate and Real Assets

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The Initiative also plays a key role in building a community of shared learning and innovation. Our Innovation and Sustainable Real Estate Conference, held annually, brings together industry leaders, academics, and public officials to explore the evolving role of climate considerations in real estate valuation, investment, finance, insurance, and policy design.

 

We work in active partnership with leading centers of excellence across NYU, including the Climate Finance Initiative, the Center for Sustainable Business, and the Office of Sustainability, reinforcing our belief that climate solutions require cross-disciplinary, cross-sector collaboration.

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Engage Our Cross-Disciplinary Community

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We welcome collaboration with investors, lenders, researchers, and public agencies seeking to align their investments in the built environment with their climate goals. Whether your focus is on portfolio resilience, policy design, or capital allocation, the Initiative offers a platform for informed action and shared progress.