ULI Joins Green Building Finance Consortium

We are pleased to announce that ULI has become a Sustaining Member of the Green Building Finance Consortium (GBFC), which is comprised of leading real estate companies and industry trade groups and organizations who have joined together to support independent research and analysis of investment in "green" or energy efficient buildings.

The GBFC's mission is to develop metrics and measures that recognize and quantify the value and risk of investment in green buildings. The GBFC is tasked with developing the underwriting practices, tools, and valuation methodologies required to assess investment in or lending green buildings and lending secured by green buildings. The GBFC is committed to widely distributing the results of its research process and programs and expects to become an industry-wide resource.

The GBFC's 2008 operations plan includes the development of the following work product and is divided into three phases:

1. Underwriting sustainable property investment;
2. Special reports on sustainable property underwriting; and
3. Special considerations in underwriting by property type.

GBFC members include a wide array on real estate industry participants including, but not limited to, the follow: BOMA International, Cherokee Investment Partners, EPA Energy Star Division, Kennedy Associates Real Estate Counsel, National Association of Realtors, Mortgage Bankers Association, Pension Real Estate Association, and Principal Real Estate Investors.

ULI's membership will benefit from our association with the GBFC by publishing and make available on its web site the results of the GBFC's program of work, thereby providing our members with the models, tools, knowledge, and technology developed by the GCFC and the ability to independently assess the cash flows, values, risks, and benefits associated with an investment in green buildings.

Comments

[Mr. Sustainable]

ULI does very fine work. I had the privilege of attending their sustainable communities conference in Orlando in March. It was excellent! Green finance is a vital area and I am delighted to learn that ULI is joining the trend.