What if the biggest barrier to carbon-neutral development isn't the technology or the materials, but actually the industry's resistance to change? Most developers know sustainable construction is the future, but translating those ideals into financially viable projects feels impossible when you're faced with premium construction costs and market-rate rents. Nate Helbach believes that large-scale, sustainable development is possible when you’re willing to challenge every assumption about how buildings get financed, designed, and built.

As founder and CEO of Neutral, Nate leads a vertically integrated development team that makes sustainability profitable. By bringing architecture, construction, carpentry, technology, and finance in-house, Neutral orchestrates the entire process. This structure enables them to deliver buildings that achieve 58% embodied carbon reduction and 72% operational carbon savings while hitting their return targets.

The Edison, their flagship 378-unit high-rise in Milwaukee, represents this pragmatic approach to ambitious goals. When doors open in 2027, it will break three world records: tallest mass timber structure, tallest Passive House building, and tallest Living Building certified tower. It's also designed as a hospitality and wellness oasis. Residents get access to on-staff doctors, nutritionists, and Equinox-style facilities, transforming apartment living into an experience worth paying a premium for.

Nate's perspective offers both inspiration and practical solutions. From navigating tariff risks to building an investor platform, this conversation illustrates how the industry's biggest challenges can become competitive advantages when you're willing to rethink everything from the ground up.

Episode Outline

(02:24) A fresh look at legacy development systems and how they lead to unnecessary risk 

(06:18) The four-part philosophy that guides every Neutral project: people, place, profit, and planet 

(19:16) Building a company across development, architecture, construction, and technology 

(25:58) Inside The Edison: redefining the standard for luxury apartment living  

(32:35) Why mass timber beats concrete and steel for both environmental impact and tenant experience 

(37:02) Managing development risk through phases and the latest news on tariffs affecting construction 

(44:09) Practical advice for developers who want to try mass timber and Passive House construction 

(46:52) Neutral’s way of democratizing and modernizing real estate investing 

Additional Resources

The 15-Minute City: A Solution to Saving Our Time and Our Planet by Carlos Moreno 

Missing Middle Housing by Daniel Parolek

The Birth of a Building: From Conception to Delivery by by Ben Stevens  

Neutral Webinar: Risk Mitigation with Jeff Klein 

Jenny Peysin of Jenny Peysin Architecture | Wilderness Drive in East Jewett | Passive House Design

Ann Rolland of FXCollaborative | Hunter's Point Campus in Long Island City | School as a Sanctuary  

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