Network Insights: Net Zero Is Not a Trend, It’s a Turning Point
At GNFZ, we are grateful to partner with champions of decarbonization and sustainability who understand the barriers that organizations and projects face in achieving their full potential — and more importantly, know how to effectively remove and overcome them.
Which is why we’re excited to share insights from an interview with Héctor Gonzalo Miranda Plaza, General Manager of Regenerativa and GNFZ Advisor, who’s an established sustainability leader in Latin America with nearly 20 years of experience and accomplishments in leading the region to a resilient, restorative and decarbonized future.
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General Manager of Regenerativa, Héctor Gonzalo Miranda Plaza
GNFZ: What role do you play in your company and what does your company do?
Héctor Gonzalo Miranda Plaza: As the founder and CEO of Regenerativa, I lead a multidisciplinary team dedicated to accelerating sustainable transformation in Latin America. My role goes beyond managing operations—I act as a strategic advisor and project manager for organizations that seek to integrate decarbonization and ESG principles at the core of their decision-making.
Regenerativa works with real estate investors, corporate leaders, and public institutions to design and implement customized pathways toward sustainability and net zero goals. We provide diagnostic tools, strategic planning, and hands-on execution, integrating international frameworks such as GNFZ, GRESB, LEED, and WELL into local realities. Our goal is not just compliance or certification, but to generate measurable impact, enhance reputation, and strengthen the long-term value of our clients’ assets and operations.
Q: Why is achieving net zero in the building sector important to you personally and your company?
A: For me, achieving net zero in the building sector is not only a professional commitment—it is a deeply personal mission. I’ve spent more than two decades working at the intersection of urban development, energy, and environmental responsibility. What I’ve learned is simple yet urgent: The way we build and operate our spaces determines the quality of life we offer to future generations.
At Regenerativa, we see buildings not just as physical assets, but as vessels of possibility. They represent a unique opportunity to align operational efficiency, financial performance, and environmental integrity. The building sector accounts for a significant share of global emissions, but it also holds the greatest potential for measurable, scalable transformation.
By helping our clients achieve net zero, we are not just reducing carbon footprints—we are empowering them to lead, to innovate, and to build legacies rooted in responsibility. That, for us, is both a duty and a privilege.
What is your definition of leadership in the sector that your organization operates in?
Hector and Mahesh in Peru.
Leadership, in the context of sustainability and urban decarbonization, means having the courage to act ahead of the curve—and the clarity to bring others with you. In a sector often driven by short-term returns and traditional models, true leadership is about creating long-term value by aligning environmental responsibility with business intelligence.
We define leadership as the ability to transform complexity into direction. It’s about making bold decisions when others hesitate, designing practical pathways through uncertainty, and building trust through action—not just ambition.
Leadership also means listening carefully to local realities while maintaining a global perspective. It’s about connecting technical excellence with purpose, strategy with empathy, and sustainability with measurable outcomes. We don’t just aim to manage change—we aim to shape it.
What advice do you have for organizations with an existing building portfolio that may be intimidated by the cost of sustainability or by all the options that are out there?
My advice is simple: don’t let complexity become an excuse for inaction. The sustainability space is evolving rapidly, and yes, it can be overwhelming—technologies, frameworks, metrics, certifications. But the real cost isn’t in trying—it’s in waiting.
Sustainability is no longer a question of compliance or image. It’s a strategic imperative. The good news is that there are scalable, step-by-step approaches that allow organizations to move forward responsibly, without compromising financial performance. In fact, done correctly, sustainability enhances efficiency, reduces long-term risk, and unlocks new forms of value.
Start by aligning sustainability with your core purpose and operational context. Then, surround yourself with people who can translate vision into action with clarity and discipline. You don’t have to do everything at once—but you do have to start. And the sooner you do, the more options and influence you’ll have.
How do you think GNFZ and Regenerativa can collaborate to bring value to a larger ecosystem of businesses to achieve net zero?
GNFZ and Regenerativa are aligned by more than a common goal—we share a philosophy: that leadership in climate action is not about declarations, but about measurable progress grounded in global standards and local execution.
Our collaboration brings together the strength of GNFZ’s certification framework with Regenerativa’s on-the-ground expertise and regional insight. While GNFZ sets a credible and pragmatic path to net zero, we provide the strategic design, diagnostics, and implementation support that make it actionable for businesses across Latin America.
Together, we can demystify the transition for companies that are ready to move forward but unsure where to begin. We simplify the path, reduce the risk, and elevate the outcome—not just for individual clients, but for the broader ecosystem that depends on credible climate leadership.
How are you currently working with GNFZ to support your clients in reaching net zero?
We are currently working with GNFZ to provide our clients with a clear, structured pathway to net zero that goes beyond abstract goals. This collaboration allows us to integrate the GNFZ certification process into our broader sustainability consulting work—bringing together diagnostics, emissions baselining, strategic planning, and implementation.
What makes this partnership so effective is the complementarity: While GNFZ provides a robust, credible certification standard, Regenerativa offers the localized expertise and execution support to ensure that each client can move forward with confidence and clarity.
We’ve already begun onboarding clients who are ready to take meaningful action and see GNFZ as a platform to validate and communicate their commitment. Through this process, we’re not only helping them meet international standards—we’re helping them lead within their sectors and markets.
What do you value most about GNFZ’s net zero certification and platform, and how does it benefit your clients?
What I value most about GNFZ’s certification is its clarity, pragmatism, and credibility. It offers a rigorous yet accessible framework that allows organizations to understand where they stand, what steps they need to take, and how to demonstrate meaningful progress toward net zero.
For our clients, this brings immediate value. GNFZ provides them with an independent, globally recognized validation of their efforts—something that resonates with investors, regulators, and stakeholders alike. But beyond recognition, it gives them a clear roadmap for operational improvement, helping align sustainability targets with business objectives. In a space where greenwashing is a risk and confusion is common, GNFZ offers confidence. It transforms climate ambition into results. That’s precisely the kind of tool forward-thinking organizations need—and exactly why we’ve integrated it into our advisory model.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I believe this is a decisive moment. Not just for companies or countries—but for the kind of leadership we choose to exercise in the face of a global challenge.
Net zero is not a trend. It is a turning point. A chance to reimagine the way we operate, invest, build, and lead—with responsibility, intelligence, and integrity.
I see this partnership with GNFZ as part of something bigger: a collective movement to prove that transformation is not only necessary—it is entirely possible. And that the Global South is ready not just to follow, but to lead.