IGEL’s business and faculty advisors collaborate to identify solution-oriented, world-class research topics. Some recent topics include: exploring and comparing benchmarks and metrics for environmental performance in leading companies across different countries; examining how consumers and investors process environmentally relevant business information and use it to make purchasing and investment choices; and reviewing the mechanics of new regulations and social norms regarding the emission of greenhouse gases and trading markets and how they work.
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Latest reports:
May 2013 Special Report
The Rapid Rise of Green Building
Nobody can deny that the sustainable building movement’s rise has been meteoric. In a 2012 Turner Construction survey of 718 U.S. real estate owners, developers and tenants, 90% were committed to environmentally sustainable practices. More than half were “extremely” or “very” committed to green principles. And a 2013 McGraw-Hill Construction global report found that 51% of architects, engineers, contractors, consultants and building owners surveyed in 62 countries say it’s likely that more than 60% of their work will be “green” by 2015.
Last year, there were more than 13,500 commercial buildings certified to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards in the U.S. Another 30,000 applied, and LEED has spread to 139 countries. Green building is maturing, especially in American cities, which are developing innovative regulations outcomes. Even without new laws, forward-looking companies find options — such as the use of energy services companies, green leasing and affordable approaches to solar and other renewables. They’re motivated by more than “eco correctness” — adding sustainable features reduces operating costs (and often increases a building’s value and the rent levels it can command), though payback periods can be long.
Some strategists go beyond more modest standards to the “net zero” building that generates as much energy as it uses. Cities are developing their own audit and energy management procedures, often using software unavailable 10 years ago. Clearly, green building has gone from a feel-good exercise to an impending baseline for all construction.
March 2013 Special Report
Next Stop, Innovation: What’s Ahead for Urban Mobility?
Transportation in the 21st century is entering a robust phase that mirrors the early years of the automobile, when gasoline, steam and electric technology vied for market share. Although electric cars led for a while, the internal-combustion engine reached dominance by 1920, with profound effects on American city-based public transportation — which atrophied as car ownership grew.
Today, urban transit is making a comeback, as is the electric car. Congested highways still face emission concerns, but consumers now often have the choice of light and heavy rail. Car sharing, which began as a European phenomenon, has prospered in U.S. urban centers, along with bicycle sharing, vanpooling and other options.
Government plays a major role in shaping efficient urban transportation systems. So far, regulations have proven an effective driver in the early development of new technology. But for ultimate success, environmentally friendly options also must satisfy consumers’ needs and meet economic goals. This special report, produced in coordination with Wharton’s Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL), explores how cities are expanding their options for cleaner transportation, and how new technologies, innovations and incentives are revitalizing the sector.
Check out the interview with Gary Survis and the new video: Funding Innovation for Cleaner Cities.
September 2012 Special Report
The Pathways to Sustainability in Emerging Economies
During Wharton’s Global Alumni Forum in Jakarta, Indonesia in June, IGEL organized a panel to discuss protecting natural resources and sustainable development. The report explores government regulation, non-profit work, and the palm oil, ecotourism and pulp and paper industries.
