Case study: The challenge of sustainability in real estate

Buildings account for nearly 40 per cent of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions, according to UNEP’s 2020 Global Status Report. The ecological footprint becomes even bigger when you consider how much water and raw materials are used. The long-term impact investors can have on improving buildings’ ecological footprint can be huge. This session examined investors’ role and outlines the importance of a common measurement framework. Click here to view Zsolt’s slides[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Zsolt%20Kohalmi%20%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Global%20head%20of%20real%20estate%20and%20co-CEO%20Pictet%20Alternative%20Advisors%20(Geneva)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Zsolt%20Kohalmi%20is%20Global%20Head%20of%20Real%20Estate%20and%20co-CEO%20of%20Pictet%20Alternative%20Advisors%2C%20the%20alternatives%20investments%20arm%20of%20the%20Pictet%20Group.%20Zsolt%20brings%2026%20years%20of%20pan-European%20investment%20experience%20and%20has%20invested%20in%20excess%20of%20%2420%20billion%20into%20all%20real%20estate%20asset%20classes%20in%20more%20than%2020%20European%20countries%20throughout%20several%20investment%20cycles.%5CnPreviously%20he%20was%20Managing%20Director%20and%20Head%20of%20European%20Acquisitions%20at%20Starwood%20Capital%20Group%2C%20one%20of%20the%20top%203%20firms%20in%20global%20private%20equity%20real%20estate.%20At%20Starwood%2C%20he%20was%20instrumental%20in%20sourcing%20and%20executing%20a%20number%20of%20successful%20investments%20for%20Starwood%20Capital%E2%80%99s%20commercial%2C%20hospitality%20and%20debt%20platforms.%20Starwood%20was%20twice%20(2013%2C%202015)%20voted%20The%20European%20Private%20Equity%20Real%20Estate%20Firm%20of%20the%20year%20by%20its%20peers%20(PERE%20magazine)%20during%20his%20tenure.%20Prior%20to%20joining%20Starwood%20Capital%20in%202013%2C%20Zsolt%20was%20Chief%20Investment%20Officer%20at%20Meyer%20Bergman%20for%208%20years%2C%20a%20European%20real%20estate%20investment%20firm%20that%20he%20co-founded.%20Before%20that%20he%20was%20a%20Director%20at%20GE%20Capital%2C%20where%20he%20acquired%20financial%20platforms%20as%20well%20as%20loan%20portfolios%20across%20Europe.%20Zsolt%20previously%20worked%20in%20investment%20banking%20with%20ABN%20AMRO%20Hoare%20Govett.%5CnZsolt%2C%20who%20is%20fluent%20in%20nine%20languages%2C%20holds%20an%20M.S.%20degree%20in%20economics%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Budapest%20and%20an%20MBA%20from%20INSEAD.%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2245812%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fzsolt-kohalmi-9684%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Speaker” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Colin%20Tate%20AM%20%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20executive%2C%20Conexus%20Financial%20(Australia)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Tate%20has%20been%20an%20investment%20industry%20media%20publisher%20and%20conference%20producer%20since%201996.%20In%20his%20media%20career%2C%20Tate%20has%20launched%20and%20overseen%20dozens%20of%20print%20and%20electronic%20publications.%20He%20is%20the%20chief%20executive%20and%20major%20shareholder%20of%20Conexus%20Financial%2C%20which%20was%20established%20in%202005%2C%20and%20is%20headquartered%20in%20Sydney%2C%20Australia.%20%5Cn%5CnThe%20company%20hosts%20more%20than%2020%20conferences%20and%20events%20globally%20each%20year%20and%20publishes%20three%20digital%20publications%2C%20including%20the%20global%20website%20and%20strategy%20newsletter%20for%20global%20institutional%20investors%E2%80%AFTop1000Funds.com%2C%20Professional%20Planner%20for%20financial%20planners%2C%20accountants%20and%20private%20bankers%20in%20Australia%20and%20Investment%20Magazine%20for%20Australian%20superfunds%20and%20institutional%20investors.%20One%20of%20the%20company%E2%80%99s%20signature%20events%20is%20the%20bi-annual%20Fiduciary%20Investors%20Symposium%20attended%20by%20global%20asset%20owners%20and%20hosted%20in%20the%20Americas%20and%20Europe.%20%5Cn%5CnConexus%20Financial%E2%80%99s%20events%20aim%20to%20place%20the%20responsibilities%20of%20investors%20in%20wider%20societal%20and%20political%20contexts%2C%20as%20well%20as%20promote%20the%20long-term%20stability%20of%20markets%20and%20sustainable%20retirement%20incomes.%20%5Cn%5CnTate%20served%20for%20seven%20years%20on%20the%20board%20of%20Australia%E2%80%99s%20most%20high%20profile%20homeless%20charity%2C%20The%20Wayside%20Chapel%3B%20and%20he%20has%20underwritten%20the%20welfare%20of%2060%2C000%20people%20in%2028%20villages%20throughout%20Uganda%20via%20The%20Hunger%20Project.%20In%202021%20was%20appointed%20as%20a%20Member%20(AM)%20of%20the%20Order%20of%20Australia%20(General%20Division)%20for%20significant%20service%20to%20the%20community%20through%20charitable%20initiatives.%20%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2245799%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fcolin-tate-839a5a181%2F%3ForiginalSubdomain%3Dau%22%7D%5D” title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Karen%20Lockridge%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Director%2C%20ESG%20investing%2C%20Canada%20Post%20Corporation%20Pension%20Plan%20(Canada)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2246328%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkaren-lockridge-7810867%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Investor Response” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]

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Unanswered questions and answers

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Poll results

As a result of the pandemic, are you positive or negative about real estate? [vc_line_chart x_values=”” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22I%20think%20the%20pandemic%20will%20bring%20more%20opportunities%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2230%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22blue%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22I%20think%20work%20from%20home%20and%20change%20of%20habits%20will%20negatively%20impact%20the%20industry%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2248%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22pink%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22I%20have%20no%20opinion%20%2F%20I%E2%80%99m%20neutral%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2222%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22sandy-brown%22%7D%5D”] Do you believe in being able to achieve net zero in your own real estate portfolio? [vc_line_chart x_values=”” values=”%5B%7B%22title%22%3A%22Yes%2C%20we%20are%20on%20the%20right%20track%20to%20net%20zero%20in%20our%20real%20estate%20portfolio%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2215%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22blue%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22No%2C%20this%20asset%20class%20is%20too%20complex%20to%20ever%20reach%20net%20zero%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2244%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22pink%22%7D%2C%7B%22title%22%3A%22Not%20sure%22%2C%22y_values%22%3A%2240%22%2C%22color%22%3A%22sandy-brown%22%7D%5D”]

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