Sustainable investment research plays an important role in expanding what is possible in investments.
Academic discourse often shapes how investors understand sustainability drivers, various risks, and economic performance across real assets and infrastructure.
To support this work, Vert Asset Management sponsors the VERT Sustainability Dissertation Prize at the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy.
The annual prize recognizes graduate research that advances knowledge and practice in sustainable investment within the built environment.
Encouraging Research in the Built Environment
The VERT Sustainability Dissertation Prize is awarded to the student whose dissertation best advances understanding of sustainable investment within real estate and infrastructure.
The annual £1,000 prize is open to students enrolled in three Cambridge MPhil programs:
- MPhil in Real Estate Finance
- MPhil in Environmental Policy
- MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration
These programs sit within Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy, which focuses on the intersection of economics, law, policy, and the built environment.
Research topics eligible for the prize may include areas such as:
- Investment in energy-efficient or green buildings
- The economics of biodiversity and environmental stewardship
- Public finance mechanisms that support sustainable infrastructure investment
- Climate transition dynamics affecting real assets and property markets
By supporting this prize, Vert aims to encourage rigorous research and help expand the range of economic questions being explored within sustainable investing and the built environment.
Recognizing the First Recipient
The inaugural recipient of the prize is Jascha Servi, a graduate of Cambridge’s MPhil in Environmental Policy.
Servi’s dissertation examined “Measuring Carbon Costs and Consumer Welfare of Coldplay’s 2024 European Tour.”
The research explored how large-scale social events can measure and manage carbon impacts while also considering broader economic outcomes and consumer welfare.
While the topic extends beyond traditional real estate investing, it illustrates how sustainability questions increasingly intersect with economics, infrastructure, and large-scale operations.
Research like this helps deepen understanding of how environmental considerations and economic incentives interact in complex systems.
Supporting the Next Generation of Research
The VERT Sustainability Dissertation Prize reflects Vert’s broader commitment to supporting education and research within sustainable investment.
By encouraging academic exploration of sustainability in the built environment, the prize supports students developing new perspectives on how economic systems, infrastructure, and environmental considerations interact.
Over time, research like this contributes to a deeper understanding of the evolving relationship between sustainability, real assets, and long-term investment strategy.
Vert Asset Management is a registered investment adviser focusing on sustainable real estate investment that helps financial advisors build resilient, future-ready portfolios. We connect institutional-quality investments with the long-term goals of clients, focusing on both financial soundness and sustainability.
Investors should consult their investment professional prior to making an investment decision.
