| Celebrating Earth Day is an important way we can work together to assess and advocate for the state of our shared ecosystems with the goal of promoting a healthier planet. In 2026, the theme of Earth Day was "Our Power, Our Planet” and focused on collective action over political dependence.
This year’s theme and concentration remind us that environmental progress is built through community-led, daily actions to protect our essential ecosystems and develop solutions to address climate issues. Championing clean air and water and fortifying our collective resilience in the face of climate change are how we can mobilize and collaborate for a healthier planet. In this annual Earth Month edition of our Verdani Vitals newsletter, we highlight some of our latest advocacy efforts, including Founder and CEO Daniele Horton’s recent trip to Sacramento for USGBC California’s Advocacy Day. We also share some recent climate wins, which we hope serve as a reminder that even in unsettling times, there is still be good news worth celebrating. |
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For the second year in a row, Verdani Founder & CEO Daniele Horton joined the U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) for its Advocacy Day. In this early homage to Earth Day, Daniele and over 20 members of USGBC-CA met in Sacramento for a powerful day of advocacy, connection, and action. Across four teams and dozens of legislative meetings, participants engaged directly with Assembly and Senate offices to discuss the policies shaping California’s built environment and climate future.
Key conversations focused on: Building decarbonization and climate leadership Workforce development and access to green jobs Wildfire resilience and the insurance crisis Housing affordability and prefab solutions The growing impact of data centers on energy infrastructure
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USGBC-CA´s Advocacy Day bridges the gap between science and policy, acknowledging that real progress can happen when we translate knowledge into action. |
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| | | Verdani created and distributed Earth Day awareness materials to our clients, which contain an overview on Earth Day, its theme for 2026, and actions they can take to do their part. Our high-level recommendations included: |
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Start Where You Are Big things start small. Whether you influence a global audience or a single window, you can take positive action today. |
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Use What You Have From social media to window shades, use what you have to spark conversation and support conservation. |
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Do What You Can We each have different skills and capacity, but every effort matters. Whether it’s a personal action or participation in a broader initiative, do what you can. |
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Verdani has long admired the leadership of climate scientist, activist, and author Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and two of our team members were excited to celebrate Earth Day with her. Corresponding with the release of her book What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures, Dr. Johnson held a Climate Dance Party in Los Angeles, which included conversations on climate change, solutions that subject matter experts are seeing, and — of course — dancing! |
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Verdani´s Chief Communications Officer Paulynn Cue and Senior Director of Sustainability & Head of Resilience Dana Weiss attended on behalf of Verdani, enjoying an evening of celebrating the planet with their peers and listening to Dr. Johnson´s science-based insights on the challenges of (and solutions to!) combatting climate change. |
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| Verdani Executive Director of Strategy & Sustainability Global Mariana Young with PRI’s Gabriel Penteado and Marcelo Seraphim at COP 30 in Brazil |
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| Utility Reporting Coverage Advances |
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| Each year, more companies are reporting to GRESB and other reporting frameworks, indicating a growing trend of transparency and an appetite for corporate sustainability and responsibility in the commercial real estate sector. According to GRESB, in 2025 across global commercial real estate entities: |
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| 75% reported energy data coverage |
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| | 58% reported waste data coverage, an all-time high |
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| | 81.5% have net zero policies |
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| | 66.4% have set net zero goals |
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| | 59.6% have net zero commitments |
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| As we see reporting frameworks like GRESB receive thousands of submissions each year, Verdani is pleased to contribute to the trend for greater transparency and innovation across the industry. |
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| | | Renewable energy´s market share has been rising globally; as the instability and contention of global oil trade remain a concern, along with the finite nature of fossil fuels, markets are looking towards renewable energy as a more reliable power source. |
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| | The United States
The U.S. Energy Information Administration´s first report in 2026 showed that renewable energy performance is exceeding expectations and making impressive gains in its share of the grid. According to the report, “Renewable energy sources provided over one-quarter of U.S. electrical generation in January 2026 — 11% more than a year ago — and accounted for over 36% of installed generating capacity”. Furthermore: Electrical generation by utility-scale solar expanded by 16.4% Utility-scale and small-scale solar increased by 15.3% Wind-generated electricity grew by 1.9% Geothermal power output increased 2.0% Dam hydropower electricity rose by 30.2%
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Spain
Renewable energy gains are also happening overseas, with Spain´s electricity generation peaking at 63.8% in March. Across the last decade, Spain has made strides to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by investing in renewable energies. As a result, Spain continues to enjoy some of the lowest utility prices in Europe, even as gas prices rise. Recent data on Spain´s renewable energy indicates: Wind power accounted for 22.4% of total output Hydropower contributed 19.2% of energy generation Solar photovoltaic output rose 36.7% year over year Low-carbon technologies accounted for 80.2% of Spain’s electricity generation during the month
Spain is harnessing the cost-effective market for utilizing renewable energy, which continues to bode well for the sustainability and resilience of its energy grid. After all, the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) reported that “90 per cent of new renewables worldwide produced electricity for less than the cheapest fossil fuel alternative”. |
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| | Brazil
Brazil has spent a lot of time in the spotlight recently, notably as the latest United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)´s COP conference host (an event our Executive Director of Strategy & Sustainability Global Mariana Young was able to attend!). Home to a large part of the Amazon rainforest, colloquially referred to as the ´lungs of the planet´, Brazil has been upping its renewable energy generation. According to recent data, “large hydropower plants account for around 80% of domestic electricity generation, making the Brazilian electricity mix one of the cleanest in the world.” As a company with many connections to Brazil, we are proud to see this progress towards greener electricity. |
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| | | Verdani Partners brings more than 25 years of sustainability expertise, guiding nearly two billion square feet of global real estate. We help clients translate ESG commitments into measurable action through strategy, decarbonization, performance improvement, compliance readiness, and strategic communications. |
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