I recently had the amazing opportunity to sit down with Michaela Neuberger, Affine Climate Solutions’ Executive Director to learn more about her company and personal entrepreneurial journey. 

Meet Michaela

This drive to make a positive impact on the world led Michaela to pursue a Master’s in Sustainability and Resource Management to gain more knowledge about climate change and building decarbonization. During her studies, she worked for the City of Vancouver Green Building team allowing her to pivot from her career in construction and find interest working in the environmental industry.

Affine’s Journey and Growth

Starting operations as an independent non-profit organization in April 2022, Affine specializes in building decarbonization, climate resilience and the practical implementation of net zero and climate strategies for the real estate sector. Affine Climate Solutions stems from Living Future Vancouver (LFV), a volunteer collaborative of the International Living Future Institute. Since 2016, LFV has been committed to finding practical, market solutions to help building owners decarbonize new and existing buildings. LFV was also undertaking pioneering work with Vancity Credit Union to help them decarbonize their lending portfolio. Through these projects and relationships, Affine’s founders saw a strong opportunity and need for a new venture that operates as a link between building owners and financial institutions.

Affine defines success as building positive relationships in the workplace, both with clients, partners, and with colleagues. Moreover, success includes achieving the company’s mission of reducing carbon emissions in the real world and making the real estate sector more climate resilient to the biggest climate threats. This year, Affine is focused on growing their team, refining their branding and marketing, as well as streamlining their operational processes.

In the upcoming years, Affine aims to establish a strong presence in partnership and client networks, as well as expand operations to Western Canada. Their goal is to become well-established in the building and financial sectors, recognized for their impact towards building a greener and more resilient future.

Creating Meaningful Work with Affine

 Reflecting on her time with Affine, Michaela is most proud of the company’s innovative work with financial institutions to design new products and services for low carbon and deep emission retrofit financing. Affine supported Vancity Credit Union with the design and implementation of a Non-Profit Retrofit Program that supports affordable housing providers and co-operatives with funding and financing carbon reduction and resilient retrofit projects. Furthermore, she is proud of Affine’s commitment to not only working with corporate clients, but with organizations with limited resources. She explains that while corporate clients obtain first-class consultancy services at competitive market rates, Affine’s mission is to serve organizations with limited resources at a discounted rate. As a non-profit, Affine can obtain public funding to support clients’ decarbonization work. The team is currently working on decarbonization projects with five non-profit housing providers and First Nations.

For Michaela, the most rewarding aspects of building Affine have been the positive feedback received from clients and partners, the difference made in the community by her company and her own personal and professional growth. “Building Affine sometimes pushes me outside of my comfort zone and challenges me to learn and grow” she explains. “It can be demanding but it is immensely rewarding to grow as a manager and entrepreneur.” 

Affine’s residential projects stand out in making buildings climate resilient by introducing cooling. Many of the projects the company is currently working on house members of the community who are most impacted by not only the housing affordability crisis but also by the consequences of climate change.  Reflecting on the impacts of the 2021 heat dome, it is becoming increasingly important to future-proof affordable homes to protect those who are most at risk in extreme heat.

Michaela’s Entrepreneurial Advice

“Associate yourself with value-aligned partners and team members to build the company” is the advice that Michaela would give to others working with a startup company as well as future entrepreneurs. Furthermore, Michaela recommends mentorship and networking as important steps to building a support system that encourages success. She also believes in the importance of taking calculated risks and staying close to your values and principles no matter what. While there may be many opportunities for new clients or projects, it is those that truly align with your values and mission that are worth investing in.