urbs | Urban Systems

💚 This week, we're spotlighting #BEExMember urbs | Urban Systems: At URBS, we're on a mission to decarbonize the built environment, one building at a time. As a systems integrator, we leverage cutting-edge Nordic technologies and best practices to deliver impactful solutions that surpass industry standards. Our science-based approach goes beyond business-as-usual, aligning your building with the 1.5° Paris Agreement target through innovative design principles of recapture, recover, reuse, and storage. We offer a comprehensive suite of services, from expert advisory to full-scale Energy-as-a-Service solutions, tailored to meet your unique needs and sustainability goals. Discover how we create sustainable, impactful solutions for the real estate sector and join us on this journey to a greener future! Learn more: https://urbs.systems/ #Sustainability #Energy #Innovation #Technology #Decarbonization #ClimateAction #GreenBuilding #RenewableEnergy #EcoFriendly #NetZero

Retrofit, decarbonization, resilience, and and climate finance are key topics being addressed this week at the first ever “Buildings and Climate Forum” hosted by UN Environment Programme and the French Government today. We are lucky to have great innovators on the planet addressing our greatest challenges. Some of my favorites are listed below. Mortar IO - UK 🇬🇧 Ruggiero Guida and his team are addressing the challenge of real elstate decarbonisation. Mortar IO will be a virtual modelling and simulation platform to make decarbonisation retrofit planning more accurate, saving costs in implementation. Watch out for their launch. urbs | Urban Systems - Sweden 🇸🇪 urbs is a Stockholm-based sustainable development firm established in 2019 with ongoing and upcoming projects in New York, Stockholm, Dubai, Istanbul, and New Delhi. urbs started in June 2019 as a commercial arm of Urban Tech Sweden, a non-profit organization, initiated by the Swedish Industry and led by a network of investors, technology & knowledge providers with experience in transforming physical infrastructure and energy systems. They leverage Nordic technology to solve the world’s climate challenges. Run by industry expert Will Sibia. adaa - Jordan 🇯🇴 Maysoon Al-Khuraissat is an Accredited Professional in Architecture specializing in Sustainability and Green Building Design. With over 20 years of international experience in sustainable design, I founded adaa Sustainable Development Consultants”l- a specialized consultancy firm for Green Design and Green Building Certification. Maysoon Al-Khuraissat is not only a buildings expert, but an regional leader who has demonstrated the business case for green buildings in markets such as Jordan and Morocco. Her recent certifications include the new and magnificent The Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, as well as her contributions to Marwa Mahgoub and Radwa Hammam’s successful IFC - International Finance Corporation EDGE Buildings program launch in the country. Asia Green Real Estate - Switzerland 🇨🇭/ Indonesia Arista Dharsono, Alex Büchi and the team have a industry-leading portfolio of sustainable residential and office investments across Asia. The company maintains offices in Singapore, Jakarta, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guiyang, Hong Kong, and Zurich. In a recent GRESB assessment, their core+ rental portfolio achieved a GRESB 5 Star rating - the highest possible rating for exceptional ESG performance. They continue to raise the ambition on the industry. They prove green buildings are an attractive and profitable investment. Acorn - Kenya 🇰🇪 Raghav Gandhi lead the REIT launch by Acorn Holdings, through its subsidiary Acorn Investment Management Limited (AIML) on February 2021 in Nairobi. Acorn Holdings provides purpose built student accommodation in East Africa and are currently targeting over 50,000 students in Kenya. Their REIT was 100% subscribed at launch, raising US$ 22M. Acorn also launched Kenya’s first green bond.

🌍 Exciting News: Today, we are thrilled to announce a pivotal moment in our journey toward a sustainable future. Join us in introducing Dr. Stephen Hammer as our founding CEO. Dr. Hammer is a global climate policy expert and former top climate advisor at The World Bank. With his leadership, we are poised to drive impactful change both locally and worldwide. Here are three things to know about our new CEO: 1. Dr. Hammer has been at the forefront of climate innovation for the past decade. As senior policy advisor at the World Bank, he spearheaded the Bank's early work on urban climate resilience and low-carbon development. His visionary leadership played a vital role in integrating climate change into the Bank's lending operations and nurturing key partnerships with international climate organizations. 2. Prior to his tenure at the World Bank, Dr. Hammer held academic positions at esteemed institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Columbia Climate School, and Pratt Institute, where he focused on urban energy systems and policy, particularly in the context of New York City. He also co-founded the UCCRN Urban Climate Change Research Network and advised then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg on PlaNYC, the city's sustainability initiative. 3. Dr. Hammer holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning, an M.P.P. from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a B.S. in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning. His global network, academic expertise, and vast experience make him the perfect "Convener-in-Chief" to bring diverse stakeholders together to address climate challenges. We couldn't be more excited about the future of #TheExchange under Dr. Hammer's guidance. Together, we will pioneer innovative approaches to tackle climate change and make a lasting impact. Join us in giving a huge welcome to Dr. Hammer! #NYCClimateExchange #ClimateAction #SustainabilityLeadership #ClimateInnovation #ClimateChangeSolutions

The first Energy Machines™ installation in NYC has been successfully commissioned!    My hat goes off to Timo Lehtonen, Torbjörn Sjögren and Vidar sjögren for a well executed delivery! The commissioning process was about as smooth as any I have been a part of in the past because we had one team delivering both the equipment and the controls solution. Pictured below is Timo Lehtonen, me, Vidar sjögren and Torbjörn Sjögren taking a few moments during the commissioning process to memorialize the first installation in NYC.   The delivery of package 1 marks a huge milestone for the 345 Hudson St multi-phased retrofit and for NYSERDA’s Empire Building Challenge.  After thousands of collective labor hours we have successfully brought a new manufacturer to the USA, delivered a state of the art system that will enable an 85% drop in CO2 emissions for a roughly 1M sqft building from the 1930s, and are actively moving the NYC built environment HVAC design ecosystem forward in a way that would not have been possible otherwise.   It has been the highlight of my career to work alongside the Energy Machines team. The advanced level of thought and care given to an energy focused solution that transcends equipment and controls has been truly remarkable to see firsthand.  Over the last year, I feel I have received a doctorate level education on what is possible in HVAC design.    The built environment market in the USA may not realize this now, but we owe our friends in the Nordics (Energy Machines™ and urbs | Urban Systems) a debt of gratitude for bringing to our shores a cutting-edge HVAC solution that took them many years to refine. This solution will help us get to our 2030, 2040 and 2050 decarbonization goals.   There are many people to thank on this project (like the great team that Consigli Construction Co., Inc. put together!), but this market moving project would not have gotten to this stage without the calm and steady leadership of Benjamin Rodney and the Hines team. Benjamin Rodney can not only understand the engineering nuances of a system that has never before been deployed in the USA, but is able to keep calm in the midst of anything that is thrown his way; all while keeping the broader design and construction teams focused, organized and marshaling towards completion. The Hines, Trinity Church Wall Street and Norges Bank Investment Management team is extremely lucky to have Benjamin Rodney leading this portfolio transforming project!   I am excited to keep working on the next phases in this retrofit and can’t wait to see what comes next!