Property Funds World Newsletter

Not displaying correctly? View this email in your browser

NEWSLETTER | 3 Dec 2020

Lockdown measures to help combat the coronavirus pandemic may have resulted in blue skies reappearing above normally pollution-choked cities, wildlife roaming deserted urban streets, and marine creatures reclaiming beaches and bathing hotspots normally packed with tourists, but the climate crisis remains a considerable threat which may yet intensify as 'normal' life resumes.

That's according to Richard Hyams, founder of architectural practice astudio, who points out in a guest feature this week, that with the 'built environment' accounting for a staggering 40 per cent of the UK's carbon footprint, the real estate and infrastructure sectors can play a huge role in effecting real, lasting change.

Employing technology to make buildings smarter and healthier, focusing on developing green transport, and implementing sustainable construction methods are all part of the package says Hyams, whose practice is actively involved in several cutting-edge initiatives. In partnership with Brunel University, astudio is developing 'living wall' technology to absorb pollutants in the atmosphere, and has employed low energy design principles, including natural ventilation and high thermal mass, to cut emissions at a new school building by 60 per cent.

"Building on developments seen during the pandemic, we can make our homes healthier, our workplaces more energy efficient, and our travel more sustainable, addressing the urgent need for change at speed while also building a greener future that we all need," says Hyams.

Developer Fabrix is certainly on the same wavelength with the company's latest project, Roots in the Sky – a radical reimagining of the former Blackfriars Crown Court as a next-gen workspace – featuring a 1.1 acre rooftop forest of over 100 established trees and 10,000 plants which will be open to the public.

New research from Savills meanwhile, suggests that a company's ESG strategy is now 'very important' to over two-thirds of residential sector investors. “Our survey findings indicate that sentiment towards ESG strategies has remained incredibly resilient this year and continues on an upward trajectory. This demonstrates how attitudes towards the role real estate has to play in the current climate crisis, are really shifting for the better,” says Sophie Chick, Director, World Research, Savills.

Staying with the green theme, we also have news this week of a partnership between Carbon Care Asia and Solactive to launch the Solactive CarbonCare Asia Pacific Green REIT Index, which allow investors to identify companies which demonstrate strong sustainability performance and commitments to meet the carbon reduction targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Transport for London meanwhile, has been rewarded for its ESG efforts with a 5-Star rating from GRESB, one of the leading environmental, social and governance benchmarks for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world.

In other coronavirus-related news this week, we report on a new study by Catella into how European housing markets have reacted to the Covid-19 crisis, and research by CBRE which reveals that retail parks have proved to be the best retail performers throughout the pandemic.

Property Funds World

Sustainable cities: Building-in positive environmental impact post-pandemic

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

By Richard Hyams, Founder and Director of astudio – The silver lining in an otherwise gloomy experience, has been the positive impact national lockdowns have had on the environment. Many of us have marvelled at the canals of Venice and the skies over Delhi, both clearer than they have been for years, while videos showing animals roaming boldly through locked-town cities have proliferated on social media.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

A 1.1 acre rooftop forest of over 100 established trees and 10,000 plants has been granted planning by London Borough of Southwark as part of Roots in the Sky, a radical reimagining of the former Blackfriars Crown Court as a next-gen workspace, with just under 385,000 sq ft of contemporary and sustainable office, commercial and community space.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

A recent survey by Savills has found that ESG corporate strategy is “very important” to two-thirds of residential sector investors, a marked increase over the past five years.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

Carbon Care Asia (CCA) has partnered with Solactive to launch the Solactive CarbonCare Asia Pacific Green REIT Index, the first index of its kind to allow investors to identify companies which demonstrate strong sustainability performance and commitments to meet the carbon reduction targets set out in the Paris Climate Agreement.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

Transport for London (TfL) has today been awarded a GRESB 5 Star rating, with an overall score of 93 out a maximum of 100. GRESB is one of the leading environmental, social and governance benchmarks for real estate and infrastructure investments across the world, examining their environmental, social and governance performance.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

European housing markets have in the main, reacted calmly to the Covid-19 crisis, but differences are apparent, according to new analysis by Catella Research.

Thu | 3 Dec 2020, 14:03

Retail parks have been the best performing and most resilient retail format prior to and throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in a slight compression in yields by 25bps since the beginning of the year, according to new research by CBRE commissioned by Mitiska REIM.