Building Better: How LEED Helps Companies Create Sustainable Value in North Asia

Jing Wang is based in Shanghai and serves as Vice President of USGBC and GBCI in North Asia, responsible for advancing the LEED green building standard and its values across Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, and Korea markets. In this role, she leads efforts to raise awareness and drive adoption of LEED, working closely with clients, partners, and stakeholders throughout the region. Jing also serves as a spokesperson for the office, representing the organization in key communications and public engagements.

Prior to this role, Jing led the marketing and communications function at CBRE China, a leading global real estate services firm. She also held roles at Starwood Hotel Group (now part of Marriott Group) in Singapore and China.

Jing holds an MBA from the University of Manchester and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Real Estate CSO Survey published together with CBRE APAC Research
Jing Wang @ COP 28

Media Interview
Boao News
Aug 2023 The cycle is uncertain, but the path of corporate ESG is certain

China Global TV Network
Dec 2023 SHANGHAI HAS MOST LEED PROJECTS IN ASIA

China Daily
May 2024 China’s youth expected to be new driving force for sustainable growth
Feb 2025 Nation’s efforts in green buildings garner praise

Economic Daily
Feb 2025 Hong Kong makes its debut in the global top 10 LEED green buildings list

Wim has been with the Delta Electronics Foundation (DEF) since 2007 and currently serves as its CEO. Over the past 17 years, he has led initiatives in climate risk communication, low-carbon building promotion, and green transportation development, establishing DEF as a key advocate for sustainability. He has represented the Foundation as an official observer at both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, and its related conferences for 17 consecutive years, bringing Taiwan’s voice to the global stage.

In addition to his extensive international engagement, Wim has published two books on low-carbon living, and is widely recognized for his contributions to environmental protection. He was the inaugural recipient of the “Taiwan Environmental Hero Award” by Global Views magazine and was also honored as a “Water-Saving Talent” by Taiwan’s Water Resources Agency.

Beyond his professional achievements, Wim actively embodies DEF’s mission in his personal life. As an accredited divemaster, he participates in coral restoration projects and other hands-on conservation efforts, demonstrating his commitment to protecting biodiversity and combating climate change.

With over three decades of experience across Hong Kong, Mainland China, and various regions in Asia, James is a seasoned expert in the development and asset management of commercial real estate, including office buildings, retail complexes, and hospitality properties. Trained as both an architect and facility manager, he possesses comprehensive expertise in the full real estate development lifecycle—from land acquisition and project execution to leasing, operations, and asset enhancement.

In his current role, James plays a strategic leadership role in shaping the Group’s commercial real estate portfolio. He is also a member of Shun Tak’s Sustainability Steering Committee, where he contributes significantly to the formulation and advancement of the Group’s ESG strategies.

In 2006, at the age of 23, Yukihiko Ito launched his first real estate investment and management firm in New York. In 2008, he founded Asterisk, Inc. in Japan, delivering strategic solutions to maximize the “soft value” of real estate for global institutional investors, investment funds, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. He played a central role in fund placement and global business development for clients including M&G Real Estate, BentallGreenOak, and Hoshino Resorts.

In 2018, Yukihiko founded GOYOH K.K., a real estate tech startup based in Tokyo, and introduced the “EaSyGo” service, designed to enhance soft value and generate measurable social impact through an ESG lens aligned with international investor priorities.

Under his leadership, the EaSyGo team has developed several pioneering industry-first initiatives, including:

• Japan’s first Social Impact Linked Real Estate Finance product in partnership with MUFG Bank,
• A nationwide program to measure energy consumption in multifamily residential buildings,
• An interactive sustainability engagement platform implemented across diverse real estate asset classes.

As a recognized thought leader in sustainable real estate, Yukihiko introduced the CRREM (Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor) concept to the Japanese market and established the CRREM Japan Forum in both 2023 and 2024, bringing together public and private stakeholders to accelerate decarbonization in the property sector.

He is currently spearheading the development of EaSyGo Value Driver, a next-generation ESG-SaaS platform that empowers urban assets to meet evolving global investor mandates, align with city-level sustainability policies, and enhance the well-being of tenants and local communities.