Shaping change and reaping benefits

Sustainable buildings have time on their side

Today’s property investors are increasingly focused on operating costs and service life when it comes to assessing returns. An awareness of building-related CO₂ emissions, coupled with continually rising energy prices, is making energy-efficient buildings more and more attractive. Union Investment recognised the opportunities and issues early on, embracing sustainability on a strategic level and in our relationships with business partners and customers. 

Sustainable building and refurbishment as opportunities
Despite concerns about the higher construction costs associated with sustainable building, the real estate sector is agreed on the prospect of huge rates of growth for properties that are sustainably planned and implemented with regard to the entire lifecycle, thereby opening up exciting long-term opportunities for the environment as well as for users and investors. The benefits of investing in sustainable buildings become ever clearer as time progresses. Steffen Möller, chief analyst at the Scope rating agency in Berlin: “In my view, no initiator will be able to ignore this trend long-term because these properties promise to deliver sustained success with regard to both lettings and saleability.” (Source: Das Investment, 18 March 2010.) Anyone failing to adopt an appropriate investment strategy today will find themselves at a disadvantage tomorrow.

Investing in sustainable values
Union Investment aims to be at the forefront in actively shaping these exciting new developments, as well as leveraging their exciting potential for its customers. Attractive cooperation partners, properties certified in accordance with DGNB, LEED or BREEAM and a proprietary rating system ensure the high quality of our portfolio. Sustainability is now an established part of our investment strategy.