Director, Energy Benchmarking & Regulatory Compliance

The Director leads Newmark's energy benchmarking and regulatory compliance practice. This role owns Newmark's ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (ESPM) data and is accountable for keeping client portfolios compliant with building energy and carbon regulations, including NYC Local Law 97 (LL97), Boston BERDO, and Washington, DC BEPS.

You will serve as the senior technical authority and trusted advisor to owners, asset managers, and property teams. You will set the compliance strategy and methodology, lead the delivery of accurate filings, protect clients from fines, and shape the retrofit and operational projects that reduce emissions. You will also manage and mentor the compliance team and help grow the business.

ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager and Benchmarking

• Own Newmark's ESPM accounts, including property setup, sharing and data-access permissions, and the accuracy of property use details, floor areas, and occupancy.

• Oversee utility data collection, including meter setup, automated data feeds, and tenant data requests, and set QA/QC practices for gaps, estimates, and outliers.

• Ensure annual benchmarking reports required by local ordinances (for example NYC LL84, Boston BERDO, DC BEPS benchmarking, and similar city and state programs) are submitted on time and with accurate data.

• Monitor ENERGY STAR scores and energy use intensity (EUI) across portfolios, and advise asset and property teams on performance changes.

• Oversee ENERGY STAR certification applications, including IAQ testing and coordination with a Licensed Professional for verification.

Regulatory compliance (energy and carbon)

• Own the compliance strategy, calendar, and filings for carbon and building performance regulations, including NYC LL97 and LL87, Boston BERDO 2.0, and DC BEPS, plus emerging programs such as those in Denver, Washington State, Maryland, and Seattle.

• Determine the compliance pathway for each client property and lead filings, including prescriptive pathways, alternative compliance, good-faith efforts, extensions, and deductions, where applicable.

• Track new and amended legislation and rulemaking, assess the impact on client portfolios, and advise clients and senior stakeholders on risk and response.

• Serve as the escalation point for regulatory questions, agency correspondence, and audits.

Client advisory and business development

• Own client relationships for compliance engagements, building trust with owners, asset managers, and property managers and communicating risk early.

• Develop compliance roadmaps and decarbonization pathways for client portfolios, including capital planning inputs, energy conservation measures, and cost-benefit analysis.

• Present findings and recommendations to owners and senior stakeholders in clear, non-technical language.

• Lead proposals, pitches, and scopes of work for new Energy & Sustainability engagements, and identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships.

• Manage relationships with third-party verifiers, engineers, and data vendors, including scope, performance, and cost.

Practice leadership and team management

• Lead and develop the benchmarking and compliance team, setting priorities, assigning work, reviewing deliverables, and coaching analysts and coordinators.

• Set the standards, methodology, and quality controls for benchmarking and compliance work, and approve filings before submission.

• Build and maintain trackers, dashboards, and standard templates that make compliance reporting repeatable and auditable.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental science, sustainability, energy management, real estate, or a related field.

• At least 1 year of experience in energy management, building performance, sustainability consulting, or regulatory compliance in commercial real estate or a related industry, including experience leading projects or teams.

• Expert-level knowledge of ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, including data uploads, meter management, sharing, and reporting.

• In-depth knowledge of building energy and carbon regulations such as NYC LL97 and LL84/LL87, Boston BERDO, and DC BEPS, with a track record of leading filings across multiple properties.

• Strong understanding of utility data and of energy and emissions calculations (Scope 1 and 2).

• Advanced Excel skills, including large datasets, formulas, and pivot tables, and comfort with data validation.

• Proven client advisory skills, including presenting to senior stakeholders and explaining technical requirements to non-technical clients.

• Strong organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines across many properties and set priorities for others.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional credentials such as Certified Energy Manager (CEM), LEED AP, or similar.

• Experience supporting business development, including proposals and client presentations.

Core Competencies

• Leadership: sets direction, develops others, and holds the team to a high standard.

• Regulatory judgment: interprets ordinance text and agency guidance and decides when to escalate.

• Client focus: builds trust with owners and property teams and communicates risk early.

• Ownership: manages deadlines and issues through to resolution and is accountable for results.

• Collaboration: works across engineering, accounting, legal, and operations teams.

• Attention to detail: catches data errors that could trigger fines or restatements.