Real estate sector continues to lead on sustainability: GRESB

This year’s Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) reveals that sustainability reporting has improved in coverage and quality of data, with the average overall score increasing due to increasing implementation and measurement.

The average score is now 47 (out of 100) which is up nine points this year. The benchmark collects data from 637 listed property companies and private equity real estate funds, covering 56,000 buildings with an aggregate value of $2.1 trillion.

GRESB found that collectively, in 2013, the commercial real estate sector reduced its energy consumption by about 0.8 per cent, carbon emissions fell by 0.3 per cent, and water consumption fell by 2.3 per cent.

Sustainability is assessed annually by GRESB with a focus on: executive decisions, plans and policies; performance measurement; and stakeholder engagement.

The data provided by GRESB allows pension funds and other institutional investors to incorporate responsible investment principles into their decision-making. It is a source of portfolio-level sustainability data for the real estate industry, with  more than 40 institutional investors, representing $5.5 trillion in assets under management, using it for timely, actionable information about the sustainability performance of property portfolios.

Five years after the launch of the benchmark in 2009, GRESB participation has become standard practice for many of the world’s fund managers and listed property companies. There has been a more than 220 percent increase in response rate since 2009.

Sponsored Content

To view the results click here

 

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

Year in review

In 2015 we have delivered more than 300 investor profiles, analytical and research-driven pieces on the global institutional investment universe.

Pricing geopolitical risk

Geopolitical risk is largely priced in to markets according to the John P. Birkelund ’52 Professor in History and International Affairs at Princeton University, Stephen Kotkin.

Holding managers to account

CalPERS has integrated sustainability into its investment strategy and implementation, and uses asset class-specific criteria to assess managers on ESG.

‘Asset class alpha’, and sector ETFs

A large percentage of the outperformance of private equity can be replicated by using sector exchange traded funds, according to new research.

A coming of age

Today marks the relaunch of our publication with a new look and added features. I’m sure you’ll agree our amazing team of graphic and web designers have done a stellar job. While we have a new look, you can be assured we are not only maintaining, but honing, our fierce passion and dedication to advancing

Institutional investors get serious

Chief executive of AP4, Mats Andersson has announced that the PDC has far exceeded its decarbonisation target and reached the $600 billion mark.

Previous