Revolutionizing ESG Landscape: GRESB and BuildingMinds Join Forces for Inaugural Regional Insights Event Featuring Top Experts
GRESB and BuildingMinds, an ESG-focused SaaS company leveraging AI and automation for real assets, co-hosted the GRESB Regional Insights event at Berlin's Humboldt Forum, overlooking the historic center of Berlin. The event focused on sustainability expectations and requirements for the German real estate market, exploring how collaboration and support from GRESB and BuildingMinds can drive the industry toward its goals. The stage belonged to a group of DACH real estate experts, the event delved into the vital role of technology in achieving sustainability targets.
Marek Sacha, CEO of BuildingMinds, stated, "The GRESB Regional Insights event demonstrated how focusing on sustainability can significantly enhance return on investment in the real estate industry. Our panel of experts shed light on the growing importance of ESG factors in driving value and shaping the future of our sector.”
GRESB unveiled the DACH region scoring results, highlighting the German market's progress, which has seen 7% submissions increase on global submissions from 2023 to 2024.
Anne-Sophie Zähringer from CT Real Estate Partners shared their ESG strategy and successes, including the installation of smart meters throughout their entire portfolio. Dawonia Management's Cornelia Reimoser, representing a company committed to GRESB since 2021, outlined their sustainability management strategy, goals, measures, and GRESB performance targets. A panel discussion on "Return on Invest," moderated by Susanne Eickermann-Riepe, Chair at RICS European World Regional Board & Member of the World Regional Board RICS, showcased the growing significance of ESG reporting in the real estate market. The event underscored the positive impact of investing in high-energy-standard and near net-zero buildings, making them more attractive to capital and tenants. The discussion revealed the emerging trend of a "brown discount" for buildings failing to meet high environmental standards, making them less appealing to investors. The rising price of CO2 is expected to exacerbate this issue. Panelists Dr. Jens Hirsch, Philipp Kompch, and René Barownick emphasized the importance of high-quality data, standardized benchmarks, and publicly available sources in combating greenwashing. Technology was identified as the key enabler for effective real estate data utilization, paving the way for informed decisions and sustainable investments.
In order to accurately assess CO2 footprints, the panelists insisted on the need for transparency, which can only be achieved through a comprehensive database that takes into account environmental emissions data, including waste, water, and energy management. The panel also discussed fund reclassification under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). While not perfect, the reclassification as Art. 8 funds aids market participants in positioning their ESG efforts and gaining credibility. The panelists called for further improvements at the political level, considering it a step in the right direction for demonstrating measurability. Jan Dietrich Hempel, Managing Director of GARBE Industrial Real Estate, provided insights on the best ESG strategies for logistics properties, highlighting the significance of smart metering, ESG leases, solar panels, and participation in market standard scoring models such as CRREM and GRESB. He also discussed the importance of certifications like BREEAM in use and how Article 8 funds serve as key metrics in the industry.
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For more information about GRESB and BuildingMinds, please visit their respective websites at www.gresb.com and www.buildingminds.com
About GRESB
GRESB, or the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, is an organization that assesses the sustainability performance of real estate and infrastructure portfolios and assets worldwide. They aim to provide standardized and validated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data to the real estate markets, promoting transparency and encouraging better decision-making in the industry. Their mission is to enhance and protect shareholder value by evaluating and improving the sustainability practices of the real estate sector.
About BuildingMinds
BuildingMinds was founded in 2018 and fully funded by the Schindler Group, BuildingMinds is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider for the real estate industry, offering a comprehensive, data-driven platform for improving building performance. Using innovative technologies and analytics, BuildingMinds enables property owners and managers to efficiently monitor, assess, and optimize their portfolios and assets. This supports the development of a more sustainable and data-driven transformation in the real estate industry.
Media contacts
Peter Panayi, Head of Go-To-Market, peter.panayi@buildingminds.com, +44 7929 108 812
Tyler Guthrie, Director, Marketing and Communication GRESB, t.guthrie@gresb.com
