Retrofitting the Vertical City: Can Existing Buildings be Transformed Fast Enough to Meet Climate Targets?

Based in Shanghai, Jing Wang serves as Vice President for North Asia at USGBC and GBCI, the organizations that developed and administer LEED, one of the world’s leading green building rating systems. She works with industry leaders, developers, investors and public-sector organizations across North Asia to advance sustainable buildings and accelerate market transformation. A frequent speaker at regional industry forums, Jing shares insights on sustainable development, green building and market transformation, and is committed to fostering collaboration across the built environment.

Prior to joining USGBC and GBCI, Jing led the Marketing & Communications function at CBRE China, a leading global real estate services firm. She also held regional marketing roles with Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Singapore and China before the company became part of Marriott International.

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

Yasushi Kinoshita, Esq., FRICS, is Representative Member of Eminence Partners, an independent real estate investment advisory firm, and Chairperson of Green Building Japan, a not-for-profit organization advancing sustainability in Japan’s built environment. He serves on the Governance Council of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), co-chairs IWBI’s Investing for Health Advisory, and is a Commissioner of the Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air. With nearly four decades of experience in real estate investment, structured finance, and ESG, he has held senior roles at SBI Shinsei Bank, Touchstone Capital Management, and Secured Capital Japan (a.k.a. PAG Investment Management). He also serves on the Executive Committee of ULI Japan and is Co-Chair of the Asian Chapter of The Counselors of Real Estate (CRE).

Grace is the Chairman and Executive Director of Allied Sustainability and Environmental Consultants Group. She currently serves as Chairman of the Environmental Campaign Committee, member of the Advisory Council on the Environment and the Energy Advisory Committee. Grace contributes to various professional bodies, including HKIQEP, HKGFA, GRESB, USGBC, CRREM and IWBI. She is a Board Director of HKGBC and WorldGBC. Her accolades include HKMA Sustainability Leader of the Year 2021, APEC Bio-Circular-Green Award 2023, WorldGBC Asia Pacific Leadership in Green Building Awards 2024 – Women in Green Building Leadership, Kate Hurst USGBC Leadership Award 2025, 2025 IWBI WELL Executive Award and EY EWW Asia-Pacific Class of 2026.

Grace has been involved in many green building and sustainable design projects in Hong Kong, Mainland China and across Asia-Pacific, acquiring vast professional experiences and regional insights. With a background in environmental engineering, she is a keen advocate for regenerative sustainability. Driven by a vision to shape a sustainable future for all, Grace facilitates collaboration through her work with environmental, building and construction, and finance sectors to build climate resilience and accelerate net-zero transition. With AEC Group’s expanding operations in South East Asia and Middle East, Grace is utilizing her experiences in bridging finance and sustainability through her extensive network to create impact at scale and drive transformative change.