The role of Climate Tech in delivering Real Estate's Net Zero

Abigail Dean is the Global Head of Strategic Insights for Nuveen Real Estate. She is responsible for the organisation’s global research, sustainability and proptech and innovation functions. She oversees Nuveen Real Estate’s Tomorrow’s World Strategy which future proofs the investment strategy in light of global megatrends and integrates ESG across fund and asset management. This strategy ensures that the business delivers on its mission to invest in the urban fabric of Tomorrow’s World for the enduring benefit of our clients and society. Working alongside our Product Development team, Abigail is also responsible for ensuring that new product and the growth of the business are under pinned by solid research and sustainability considerations overseeing the global research team.

Since joining the firm in 2016, Abigail has overseen the organization setting a target to achieve Net Zero Carbon by 2040. Abigail is a member of Nuveen Real Estate’s Investment Committee and has spearheaded the integration of sustainability considerations into the acquisition process. She is also leading the organisation to develop investment guidelines related to physical and transition climate change risk.

She previously worked at JLL, where she led on sustainability for the Property and Asset Management's U.K. team.

Jonathan is an Associate Director in the real estate department at Osborne Clarke LLP and advises on a variety of property related matters, including investment, development, tech, and energy and utilities. He has a specific focus on the alternative residential market including coliving, student accommodation, Build to Rent / Multifamily and assisted living / care.

On the investment and development side Jonathan acts for banks and institutional funders, as well as insolvency practitioners. This range of experience allows Jonathan to ensure that investment or development transactions meet the requirements of the developer but would also satisfy a funder’s lending criteria. He has been involved in both large and smaller scale acquisition and development projects, across a variety of asset classes. More recently Jonathan has taken a lead role in advising real estate investors and operators in the alternative residential market, in particular in relation to coliving and assisted living products.

Jonathan also advises a wide range of energy clients and have advised developers in connection with their acquisition of sites for the development of solar parks, stand-by generation and wind farms. He also acts for investors and funds in these areas.

Ruairi has been at abrdn since 2015, originally as a ESG Manager for Real Assets, and more recently as Head of Real Estate ESG. He specialises in sustainability, Environmental Impact Assessment, Carbon Footprinting and sustainable development. 

He graduated from Leeds University with a degree in Environmental Management (Industrial)

Dennis Schoenmaker, Ph.D., co-leads CBRE’s Econometric Advisors team of economists, data scientists, data engineers, software engineers and account development professionals to provide clients with a wide range of data analysis and thought leadership.

After earning a Ph.D. in real estate economics from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, he began working with the global research team of CBRE in London where he helped the team to translate macro-economic trends into real estate implications. After that, he joined AEW where he worked with key international clients and business colleagues focusing on the European commercial real estate markets. In his role he was also responsible for property market forecasts across the European markets.

Dennis has a keen interest in how quantitative solutions can help create value for investors around the world. He is particularly interested in the effect of climate risk on commercial real estate returns and the role data science can play in improving strategic investment decisions.

Dennis is based in London and passionate about academic research. He is a visiting Lecturer at ESCP Business School, a football (soccer) fanatic, and enjoys spending time with family and friends on holidays.

Tom’s motivated to bring about positive change in our cities, and change the world. Develop a host of technologies with environmental benefits that outpace market demand for less conscious solutions.

Tom Selva is a British educated engineer, having worked at institutions such as the United Nations, and on projects such as the Apple Stores and the world’s first Spaceport.

His work in architectural design and in robotics has merited a MOMA award, and contributed to Q-Bot: the fastest growing robotics firm in the construction sector.

Between 2016 and 2018 he worked in a garage alongside Edward Hamilton, to create the Smart Point. The first technology of its kind, it offers a Single Point of Sale for any Product and Service, and has quickly become the reference for servicing Intelligent Buildings throughout Europe.