Brenna S. Walraven

Brenna brings 25 years experience in managing Class A commercial property for demanding institutional owners.  Her personal attributes and diligent, persistent and creative problem solving contribute to her ability to add value to any requirement.

As Managing Director, National Property Management, Brenna is responsible for the leadership, support and direction for property management services and operational execution for USAA Real Estate Company’s 77 million square foot portfolio.  As Portfolio Manager, Brenna is also responsible for the leadership, direction and execution of national portfolio strategy for multifamily, mixed use, and medical office properties.  With 25 years of experience and through partnering with Energy Star and US Green Building Council (USGBC), has successfully lead a national effort of improved energy efficiency and environmental stewardship – including leading USAA’s portfolio program pilot efforts with USGBC and USAA’s nine Energy Star Partner of the Year awards, the first real estate company to be so recognized. 

Brenna has developed, led and has been executing USAA’s strategy for driving the business case for sustainability.  Specifically, using the LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance (LEED EBOM) and Energy Star platforms to drive operating cost savings that exceed costs to implement, while driving improved indoor air quality, tenant comfort and overall asset performance.  The strategy was built on an energy efficiency execution that has saved over $15MM in the past ten years.  Further expanding into sustainability and first vetted on the FBI Chicago office building, where by the project achieved LEED EBOM Platinum (first under LEED EBOM, 16th platinum in the world for LEED EB) and saved over $400,000 after implementation costs (including registration, certification and upgrades) with a 920% year 1 return on investment. 

Ms. Walraven worked with leaders at BOMA International and Energy Star as well as with other top real estate companies to develop the BOMA Energy Efficiency Program (or BEEP), a six course curriculum to educate real estate professionals how to execute low and now cost energy efficiency enhancements, and to include development of EPA’s Building Upgrade Value Calculator to better measure financial value enhancements of energy efficiency and sustainability upgrades.  Brenna has also led efforts with the Clinton Climate Initiative and BOMA International to develop an industry vetted, standardized energy performance contract (EPC) model known as the BOMA Energy Performance Contract (or BEPC), where by energy efficiency and sustainability measures are paid for over time out of the savings generated by efficiency retrofits – see www.boma.org and search under BEEP and BEPC for more details.

Brenna is past chairman for BOMA International, current vice chair of the Real Estate Roundtable Sustainability Policy Advisory Council, served on Governor Schwarzenegger’s Real Estate Leadership Council and has testified before Congress on issues of energy efficiency and sustainability.  She speaks regularly on issues of sustainability, energy efficiency, change management and leadership.

Brenna is a graduate of University of Southern California (USC) with a MBA in Finance, emphasis in real estate, and a BA in Economics.   Additionally, she holds a California Real Estate Brokers License.