Where
CBRE OFFICES
SYDNEY
When
22 September, 2026
9 AM – 5PM
ABOUT
A masterclass intensive on how to capitalise on the energy transition, electrification and ESG reporting to avoid stranded assets
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If you’re a property owner, manager or consultant, you’ve got some big challenges to deal with. There’s an energy crisis, a new world of renewable energy you’ve got to navigate and buildings to electrify.
But where do you start? If you don’t get it right, the tenants might walk, investors can easily switch to greener fields, and the cost of finance could likely rise. The assets you manage can start to look like stranded assets.
This masterclass can switch things around for you and make everyone happy – from the CEO to the board and the stakeholders. It will save you a world of pain. And your chief executive, board and the people who manage the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards will thank you.
You’ll hear from the leaders driving the policy and industry trends, technical experts with case studies and practical plans you can adapt to your needs.
WHY ATTEND
This masterclass will help you unlock your asset’s potential and your value as a strategic property owner, manager, or service provider.
Understand what transition risk means for your organisation
Learn what investors, regulators and insurers now expect
Hear practical case studies and discover great technical solutions from industry leaders
Leave with frameworks you can implement immediately
MC: STEVE FORD
The program is curated by Steve Ford, one of the most respected experts in the industry, who led property giant GPT’s net zero transition. Steve will guide and shape the questions and answers you need to hear. He knows the pitfalls but also where the solutions lie.
Bio
After a decade working in science and communications, followed by two decades of development and delivery of sustainability plans in the property industry, Steve Ford shares his insights to a number of organisations as an independent Strategic Sustainability Consultant. He is known for leading energy and climate transition during his time as Head of Sustainability at GPT including achievement such as overseeing energy intensities reductions exceed 50% across property portfolios, implementing demand-side flexibility programs, industry leading decarbonisation programs including renewable energy contracting, electrification and delivering carbon neutral property outcomes. These leading programs flow through the highest governance structure with comprehensive environmental management systems and early adoption of sustainability reporting standards.
MEET THE SPEAKERS
This is a focused masterclass that brings together Australia’s leading property professionals to highlight the key requirements you will need to manage the energy transition. Note: speakers will vary by location.
Manager (NSW)
A.G. Coombs
Bio
Andrew Bagnall is a senior mechanical engineer and ESD consultant with a strong focus on the sustainable built environment. Andrew offers a combination of strong management, leadership and technical skills, as well as an innovative “think outside the square” approach to projects.
Andrew also has a strong background in Building Information Modelling (BIM) and is passionate about driving the adoption of this technology within the AEC industry.
Associate Director, sustainability
CBRE
Bio
Emma is a Director of Sustainability Consulting at CBRE. She is an SG professional with experience in sustainability due diligence and energy audits, carbon accounting, and building optimisation and analytics.
At CBRE Emma is working with clients across sectors including industrial, office, retail and residential to meet their sustainability objectives. Emma works on a variety of projects, including building certifications and improvement plans, Climate Active certifications, ESG Due Diligence and Net Zero strategies.
Prior to joining, Emma worked on organisational carbon reporting and embodied carbon and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and has delivered industry sustainability programs for the City of Sydney.
Head of Property,
CEFC
Bio
Michael Di Russo an Executive Director in the Investment team at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Michael leads the organisation’s debt and equity investments that accelerate Australia’s transition to lower emissions within the built environment. At the CEFC, Michael has contributed to more than $2.5 billion in purpose-led investments demonstrating market leading outcomes. Michael has more than 20 years’ experience in the property sector across a range of roles covering town planning, acquisitions, corporate and structured finance. Michael has previously held roles with CBA, Westpac Group, Ashe Morgan and Spectrum Property Partners.
Director,
NABERS
Bio
Carlos is the Director of NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System), one of one of the largest and most successful government sustainability initiatives for buildings in Australia. He represents Australia at several global building sustainability initiatives at the International Energy Agency and the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark. Carlos is a mechanical engineer by trade, and a regular speaker at major sustainability conferences in Australia and overseas.
Principal Strategic Designer,
NABERS
Bio
Nova Franklin is a strategic designer with over 20 years of experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives across government and for-purpose sectors. She brings deep expertise in stakeholder engagement, policy and program design, and a strong understanding of the levers and frameworks that drive change. Her work focuses on bridging policy, industry and technical perspectives to drive real world uptake and impact at scale.
Nova is Principal Strategic Designer at NABERS, where one of her focus areas is developing energy flexibility metrics to encourage commercial buildings to support a more sustainable and stable grid. Passionate about practical, scalable solutions for Australia’s clean energy transition, Nova played a key role in co-designing NABERS’ five year strategy and Embodied Carbon tool. As Acting Head of Product Development, she led innovative initiatives to advance sustainability across commercial buildings. Her experience includes early stage policy work on Minimum Energy Efficiency Rental Standards in NSW, stakeholder consultations shaping evidence-based policy options for NatHERS Home Energy Ratings disclosure policy in NSW and co-creating GreenPower’s current strategic plan.
Consultant – Sustainability,
WT
Bio
Stephen Hennessy started his career as an apprentice technician working in the paper manufacturing industry, primarily on process cooling and drying projects. He subsequently undertook a building services degree, and since moving to Australia has focussed on sustainability and energy and commissioning management (and on the challenges associated with ‘close control’ environments).
Stephen has authored a broad selection of technical papers and publications relating to building services, and delivered keynote presentations at industry and professional forums over many years.
In 2007 Stephen was awarded a Silver Medal by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers for service to the industry, and in 2025 he was awarded CIBSE’s Gold Medal.
Stephen has had the fortune to work on some of Australia’s most prominent and iconic buildings including Parliament House Canberra, The National Gallery Australia, Art Gallery NSW (including Sydney Modern), the Sydney Opera House and most recently the new Sydney Fish Markets.
Founding Director
Foresight Consulting
Bio
Josh Martin is the CEO and Founder of Foresight Consulting Group, Australia’s leading independent, locally owned climate and sustainability firm. A leading expert in climate risk, scenario analysis, decarbonisation and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Josh advises many of Australia’s ASX100 companies and has worked globally, including with several Fortune 500 organisations. He is a qualified climate scientist with a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Climate and Atmospheric Sciences) from Monash University. Josh is also a register Greenhouse and Energy Auditor with the Clean Energy Regulator and a qualified GRI practitioner.
Investor Group on Climate Change
Bio
Francesca is one of Australia’s most influential and expert climate policy leaders. She joined IGCC after almost ten years at the Property Council of Australia.
As the council’s National Policy Director, Francesca led the property industry’s national policy and advocacy agenda on sustainability, cities, housing and regulatory affairs.
Francesca represents industry on numerous Government advisory boards, including as a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Building Codes Board. In November 2024 The Australian recognised Francesca as one of the country’s top 100 energy players.
Francesca also co-hosts the popular climate and energy podcast Let Me Sum Up, which has become industry and policy insiders’ go-to source of specialist analysis and commentary.
Investment Manager
AsheMorgan
Bio
Jamie O’Reilly is an Investment Manager at AsheMorgan, an Australian private equity real estate firm investing across office, retail, industrial and mixed-use assets.
Jamie brings a distinctive blend of engineering, sustainability and property expertise to the investment process, having trained as a mechanical engineer before moving into commercial real estate through roles at Colliers International, JLL and Roxy-Pacific Holdings.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Wollongong and a Master of Property Development from the University of Technology Sydney.
At AsheMorgan, Jamie draws on this technical grounding to support investment analysis, asset performance and value creation across the firm’s Core+, value-add and opportunistic sustainable strategies, working closely with the broader investment team to deliver strong risk-adjusted returns for investors.
Head of New Energy Solutions,
BUILDINGS ALIVE
Bio
Anthony Szatow has worked at the forefront of energy market innovation since 2006, in roles spanning research, advocacy, entrepreneurship and innovation in corporate environments.
He conducted formative research on barriers to distributed generation that helped shape network connection processes for behind the meter solar in 2008, developed a lasting template for cost effective zero emission homes in 2012 for Victoria’s first mass market zero emission home project, and co-founded market leading home electrification platform BOOMPower in 2015.
Head of ESG
CBRE
Bio
Su-Fern Tan has a blended background in technology and sustainability. She has represented the interests of both investors and occupiers, and brings a wide range of knowledge from her work in the office, life sciences and industrial sectors. Su-Fern has both design and operations experience spanning a long history of delivering commercial sustainability outcomes in Real Estate. In 2007 her building, CH2, won the “World’s Greenest Building”
Su-Fern has held senior roles at Arup, Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Prescriptive Data and Catalent in addition to being on the Board at several high-profile real estate and government committees in the U.S, including the US Green Building Council. She is currently an advisor for New York City’s Commercial Buildings Working Group, focused on the successful delivery of NYC’s ambitious building carbon cap and trade scheme arriving in 2024.
At CBRE, as the Head of Sustainability, Su-Fern uses her experience and knowledge to drive ESG outcomes in the property industry through real estate services and proptech. Her work enables CBRE to support clients, investors, and communities to deliver and exceed their ESG targets.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
- Property owners
- Asset managers
- Energy efficiency and electrification specialists
- Facility managers and capital works managers
- Sustainability professionals
- Risk managers
- Fund managers
- Disclosure and reporting managers
THEMES
Mandatory compliance
Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS) now mandate clear disclosure of your strategies to manage an orderly transition plan to a low carbon energy future.
Market Volatility
Doing nothing exposes your portfolio to an increasingly erratic energy market and sudden price spikes. Tenants and investors can flee buildings that don’t meet expectations
Capital Risk
The lack of a viable plan could mean being forced to act outside your normal capital planning cycles, leading to exposure on higher retrofitting costs
PROGRAM
This masterclass is an essential part of your success story. It will empower you with practical solutions so you can build your own skills and business and make your clients happy.
TICKETS
SPONSORSHIP
We would like to thank our event partners
Sponsorship opportunities are available for both Melbourne and Sydney masterclasses.
Contact Tina Perinotto on +61 413 834 574 or tina@thefifthestate.com.au.
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