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Global real estate accounts for over 20% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and consumes approximately 40% of the world’s energy. New York City recently adopted a law requiring buildings in NYC to reduce GHG emissions or face financial penalties, and other jurisdictions are likely to follow suit. As a result, it’s not surprising that many of the world’s leading real estate investors have integrated sustainability considerations into their investment processes.

Vinson & Elkins’ deep roots in energy and continued strength in the energy transition combined with our award winning real estate and real estate investment trust (REIT) teams uniquely positions us to assist our clients with navigating issues that the heightened focus on sustainability has brought to the real estate industry. By leveraging knowledge from all corners of the firm including environmental, corporate transactional and transactional tax, regulatory, and environmental, social and governance, our team provides a full range of integrated services to clients looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Experience

  • Initial structuring, equity capital raising, a corporate reorganization, project level debt financing, and project level joint venture formations for a real estate technology company that builds energy efficient multifamily buildings using a patented panelized construction technology

  • Neinor Homes, S.A., a leading sustainable real estate residential development platform in Spain and Europe, in its €300 million green bond offering with proceeds intended to fund sustainable residential projects and its related revolving credit facility

  • A company that develops and operates smart data centers that act as controllable loads for the grid in locations adjacent to wind and solar power generation facilities in its initial public offering (confidential)

  • Investors, lenders and project companies in connection with both tax equity investments and construction loans

  • Vía Célere, the largest homebuilder in Spain and Värde Partners portfolio company, in its €300 million green bond offering with proceeds intended for, among other things, the construction of energy efficient residential buildings in Vía Célere’s portfolio across Iberia

  • Significant experience counseling in-house counsel and boards of directors of companies in the real estate and REIT sectors on information, reporting, disclosure and governance requirements and considerations related to sustainability

  • Advice and assistance with development of property/sponsor-level due diligence criteria for ESG metrics

  • Routinely advise private equity clients on structuring alternatives for investments in or related to sustainable real estate

Sustainable Real Estate

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Events

Vinson & Elkins Sponsors the TCG Building Futures Gala

Tannenbaum Capital Group (TCG) and Vinson & Elkins, united by a shared commitment to community impact, are proud to present …

April 9, 2026

April 9, 2026 • 1-minute read

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Client Alerts

Distressed Real Estate: Vinson & Elkins Partner Zach Swartz, Live from NYSE

IPO Edge hosted a fireside chat from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with Zach Swartz, partner at Vinson & Elkins. Mr. Swartz spoke to IPO Edge Editor-in-Chief John Jannarone about the current distressed real estate market in the country, its relationship with debt and the economy, among other topics.

September 20, 2023 • Published by CorpGov.com

September 20, 2023 • 1-minute read

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Client Alerts

Real Estate’s Sustainability Challenge

Transitioning to a carbon-neutral economy will require meaningful commitment and action from nearly every major industry.

April 25, 2023 • Published by CorpGov.com

April 25, 2023 • 3-minute read

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Event Recaps

Real Estate Opportunities in the Energy Transition

In this presentation, we discussed how real estate investors are integrating sustainability considerations into their investment processes, the growth of government regulation in the space, and more.

May 11, 2022

May 11, 2022 • 1-minute read

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