ABSTRACT
Commercial real estate sits at the nexus of many of the most complex issues facing the world. In a resource-challenged world, the development and occupancy of real estate has captured the attention of environmentalists, regulators, product designers, architects, investors and occupants alike. By many measures, commercial real estate is one of the most important and visible component in the war on waste and carbon dioxide emissions. The United States (US) Green Building Council (GBC) identifies commercial real estate as responsible for 13.6 percent of US water consumption, 65 percent of US waste, 38 percent of the US CO2 emissions and 71 percent of US electricity consumption. Careers in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability in general are growing. Directors of sustainability must focus on real estate and internal operations to do their jobs well, and much of the work involves measuring and monitoring and reporting. Whilst early professionals had to write their own job descriptions, universities and professional organisations are sharing resources and starting specialised educational programs. The future for those who want to benefit society is bright.
