The importance of the construction and real estate sector in delivering the ambitions of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainability Development Goals is unparalleled. New regulations, rising operating costs, and growing scrutiny from stakeholders are among the factors creating fresh challenges and opportunities for the sector.
CBRE’s latest global survey of more than 500 commercial real estate professionals worldwide illustrates the most common and impactful initiatives currently applied in real estate strategies by both investors and occupiers.
The following trends were revealed among survey participants from Continental Europe (CE):
The survey has offered some interesting insights into regional differences in priorities and approaches:
With the increasing scrutiny on ESG issues, commercial real estate (CRE) stakeholders more than ever need to understand, enhance, and leverage their ESG performance to drive value and stay competitive. To achieve this, they need to understand the stakeholders they interact with – their mutual drivers, incentives, and backbones of their corporate ESG strategy.
CBRE’s survey revealed that occupiers and investors are not always aligned in their priorities, ESG Goals, and the timeframes for achieving them. Going forward, an open dialogue will prove to be crucial for minimising the risk of buildings becoming obsolete and undesirable to occupants. A significant aspect of this collaboration will be green lease clauses which include operational procedures that advance efficient and carbon-neutral buildings.
Find the full survey report here.
Footnote 1: The % figures in brackets mean % of respondents.
Footnote 2: Scope 1 - Carbon emitted directly from a company's building systems and vehicle fleets; Scope 2 - Carbon emitted indirectly through electricity or fuel consumption for heating and/or cooling buildings; Scope 3 - Carbon emitted indirectly through the products and services provided by building suppliers.