Devan Valenti

International WELL Building Institute
HVAC and the boardroom: How engineers can be at the forefront of the responsible investment movement

Responsible investing is an exciting market within the real estate sector, and is growing rapidly. The Global Sustainable Investment Alliance expects assets managed through the lens of environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations to exceed US$50 trillion within the next two to three years.

Social sustainability is the latest component of ESG that has investor attention. Health and wellbeing performance as a metric is gaining momentum within the investor community and now forms an integral part of an investment decision. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this. 

This presentation aims to bridge the gap between the decisions at a boardroom level and the role of designers in delivering the outcomes. It aims to inform designers of their role in the ESG movement. 
Devan Valenti is a manager within the International Well Building Institute’s Commercial Team. Based in Sydney, Australia, he supports clients pursuing WELL certification across the Asia Pacific region. Devan is also responsible for leading IWBI’s ESG efforts, ensuring the WELL Building Standard incorporates material ESG trends. 

Prior to his employment at IWBI, Devan worked for the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) where he was responsible for managing the development of Green Star Buildings – the largest overhaul of the rating system for 20 years. Devan has also spent time as an ESD consultant in South Africa, the United Kingdom, and Australia.