JLL – Lige Nie – 2025

Summary

Lige Nie developed a framework for JLL to integrate nature-positive strategies into real estate services.

Goals

With growing pressure from regulations and frameworks like the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), real estate clients need to address their impact on nature. However, measuring biodiversity is complex and lacks a universal metric. JLL enlisted Lige Nie to develop a structured approach, helping the firm and its clients navigate this ambiguity and transition toward nature-positive real estate.

Solutions

Lige developed a multi-pronged framework to integrate nature into JLL’s sustainability services. First, she demonstrated using publicly available tools, like the WWF Risk Filters, to assess portfolio-level biodiversity and water risks to identify high-risk locations. Second, she conducted a data gap analysis using TNFD metrics to create a clear path for tracking project-level impacts. Finally, she created a novel framework using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data to quantify and compare the embodied ecological impacts of building materials, such as carpet and insulation.

Potential Impact

The recommended framework positions JLL as a strategic advisor on nature-related issues. By identifying risk hotspots, JLL can help clients mitigate operational threats and improve local ecosystems. The TNFD and LCA analyses provide clients with the data needed for corporate sustainability reporting, setting science-based targets, and making informed procurement decisions. This comprehensive approach helps clients reduce their ecological footprint and accelerates the transition to a more sustainable built environment.