Buildings are responsible for a huge chunk of global emissions, but most property owners don’t know where to start cutting carbon. The challenge isn’t just about installing solar panels or switching light bulbs. It requires a complete rethink of how buildings operate and perform. Alicia Silva Villanueva has spent 25 years working at the intersection of architecture, environmental leadership, and regenerative systems, helping companies and cities figure out this exact problem.
Building Smarter Sustainability Strategies
Villanueva founded Revitaliza Consultores after seeing too many half-baked sustainability efforts fall apart. Her firm has worked on more than 120 projects under LEED, WELL, and Net Zero frameworks. The work involves guiding real estate investors through ESG goals and climate commitments, which sounds straightforward until you’re actually doing it. Most companies want to reduce emissions but have no clue how to build a practical plan that doesn’t tank their budget. She’s developed an approach that breaks the process down into manageable steps. These aren’t abstract ideas about saving the planet. They’re practical strategies that connect environmental performance to financial results. The key is having a clear roadmap instead of throwing money at random green initiatives and hoping something sticks.
Start by Establishing a Clear Baseline
You need to know where you stand before you can figure out where to go. Villanueva tells clients to gather data on energy consumption, emissions, and resource use across their properties. “Understanding your starting point is essential,” she explains. Most companies skip this part because it feels tedious, but that’s a mistake. This baseline work tends to uncover problems people didn’t know existed. “In our experience, this step often reveals hidden inefficiencies and opportunities to make your roadmap both practical and impactful,” Villanueva notes. Old HVAC systems burning through energy, insulation that stopped working years ago, lights running 24/7 in empty spaces. The numbers don’t lie once you actually look at them.
Set Ambitious but Achievable Targets
Having data matters, but you need direction too. Villanueva pushes her clients to “define science-based goals for carbon reduction and tie them to business outcomes.” That last part is crucial. Sustainability goals that exist in a vacuum tend to disappear when budgets get tight or priorities shift. The trick is connecting energy savings to things executives already track. Operational efficiency. Tenant satisfaction. Investor confidence. “When decarbonization is linked to financial performance, it becomes a driver of value rather than a cost,” she points out. Suddenly you’re not asking the CFO to spend money on being green. You’re showing them how cutting emissions also cuts operating expenses.
Focus on Action
Plans without execution don’t mean much. Villanueva recommends clients “prioritize deep energy retrofits, energy systems, and renewable integration.” But there’s a right way and a wrong way to do this. A lot of companies want to jump straight to solar panels because it looks impressive. Start with the unglamorous stuff first. “Small improvements in lighting, HVAC, and insulation can lead to major emissions reductions before you even add clean energy sources,” Villanueva explains. Fix what’s broken before adding new technology. Upgrade that boiler that’s been limping along for 20 years. Seal the windows. Install controls that actually work. These basic improvements often deliver better returns than flashy green tech.
Engaging People to Drive Change
The best technology in the world won’t help if nobody uses it right. Villanueva stresses the importance of getting teams, tenants, and partners all working together. You need to “engage your teams, your tenants, and partners so that sustainability becomes part of your organization’s DNA.” Otherwise, you end up with efficient systems being used inefficiently. She’s direct about this reality: “The shift to decarbonization is as much about people as it is about technology.” Install the most advanced climate controls available, but if tenants blast the AC and leave every light on, your carbon targets stay out of reach. Real change needs everyone moving in the same direction.
Villanueva sees this work as more than just environmental responsibility. “It’s a smart business strategy for long-term resilience,” she argues. Properties with strong environmental performance command higher rents and attract better tenants. Investors keep pushing harder on ESG metrics. Regulations aren’t getting looser. Getting ahead of these trends beats scrambling later when you have no choice. The approach she outlines isn’t rocket science. Measure your current performance, set targets that connect to business goals, fix the basics before chasing new technology, and get everyone involved. Commercial real estate can reduce emissions while improving returns. That’s the kind of outcome that actually works in the real world.
Follow Alicia Silva Villanueva on LinkedIn or check out Revitaliza Consultores for insights on practical decarbonization strategies that turn ESG goals into measurable business impact.
