Introducing CREFC’s Property Risk & Resilience Committee
(Formerly the Sustainability Initiative)
CREFC is excited to announce the rebranding of the
Sustainability Initiative to the
Property Risk & Resilience Committee, a change that better reflects our members’ evolving priorities and mission.
Launched in 2021, our initiative focused on the roles that climate risk and sustainability efforts play in the long-term health of the commercial real estate finance market. As climate-related risks grow in both frequency and severity, so too does the need for a deeper understanding of how these forces impact property performance, asset valuation, and overall market stability.
The new name,
Property Risk & Resilience Committee, more accurately captures our expanded focus:
- Risk: Helping investors, lenders, and other CRE finance stakeholders understand the physical and financial risks posed by extreme weather events and long-term climate trends.
- Resilience: Promoting strategies that strengthen the built environment, through energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and smart infrastructure investment, to ensure properties remain desirable and viable over time.
What We Do
The Committee serves as both an educational resource and advocate for the commercial real estate finance industry, providing insight into how macro-level environmental and regulatory trends intersect with financing decisions.
Our work includes:
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Surveys & Research: The Committee has conducted in-depth surveys of our members to better understand market attitudes and practices around sustainability, risk management, and regulatory preparedness.
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Strategic Issues Monitor (SIM): In partnership with Oxford Analytica, the Committee produces a biannual benchmark tool that helps CRE-related organizations identify, assess, and track the macro trends most likely to affect U.S. commercial real estate and the CRE finance market over the next three years.
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Webinars & Panels: The Committee has hosted dozens of educational sessions for CREFC members, covering a wide range of topics, from energy efficiency standards and emissions targets to insurance challenges and climate risk disclosure frameworks .
Why This Matters
CRE lenders and investors are looking not only for solid market returns, but also for resilient, forward-looking assets. Properties that lag behind on emissions performance or climate adaptation are increasingly at risk of becoming “stranded” or undesirable in the market.
By equipping the CRE finance community with the relevant tools, data, and insights, the Property Risk & Resilience Committee supports better investment decisions and a more resilient built environment.