Building Sustainability into Real Estate

Both residents and shareholders enjoy the right returns when real estate companies collaborate and innovate for environmental solutions, according to a research project done by the Center for Sustainable Business at ESMT Berlin in collaboration with the real estate company ZIEGERT.

Did you know that buildings are responsible for 20 percent of CO₂ emissions and 40 percent of energy use? According to a 2016 report by the World Economic Forum, emissions, which are caused by buildings and new construction, are expected to grow. In order to achieve the average two degrees Celsius limit for global warming, however, building emissions must be reduced by nearly 40 percent by the year 2030.

Because of increasing demand for new homes, the situation is dire. The Oxford Economics’ Global Cities 2030 report shows that rapid human population growth will need 260 million new residential properties and 540 million square meters of office space