[Video] The Impact of ESG on Commercial Real Estate
Watch Dan Winters, GRESB Head of Americas, in this video webinar from S&P Global Market Intelligence on the impact of ESG on commercial real estate. This webinar explores the connection between ESG factors and Commercial Real Estate. We look at how ESG impacts how assets are evaluated, public REITs and funds are analyzed, as well […]
Businesses and organisations are becoming increasingly aware of the need to monitor and manage their water consumption, as evidenced by the growing amount of water-consumption data that are being submitted into our global sustainability-benchmarking database.
Constructing Water-Smart Properties through Innovative Technology and Data Transparency
Already grown six-fold throughout the 20th century, global water demand is projected to increase by 55% between 2000 and 2050. In conjunction, global water supply faces increasing strain as worldwide per capita water resources more than halved from 1962 to 2014, and are forecast to slump to a third of 1962 levels by 2025.
Water consumption: Why we should measure every drop
Clean freshwater is a vitally important natural resource that is essential for life. Although water covers approximately three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, only 2.5% of the global water stock is freshwater, and over two-thirds of this freshwater is locked up in the form of ice and snow in the Arctic, Antarctic and mountainous regions.
Biology tells us that water is the key to sustaining life, and history has shown that water determines where and how humans live. Early on in humankind, all settlements were located near wells and springs, with drought and flood periods deciding the survival of most early villages.
According to the new global risk report issued by the World economic forum, water-related risks are amongst the five key risks for the fifth year in a row now. According to United Nations’ estimates, by 2030 almost half of the global population will be living in regions with high water stress.
Flood Risk and Climate Change: England Flood Planners must prepare for the worst?
Developers and investors must consider the risk of flooding to the development design, planning and investment process at the earliest opportunity to help inform the decision-making process. Early engagement with the Environment Agency (EA), local authorities and environmental consultants (such as Delta-Simons who specialise in flood risk and climate change for developers, occupier and investors) will ensure that the masterplan design includes suitable, viable and cost beneficial mitigation measures. By not considering climate change during the early stages of design and during the planning process, from a flood risk perspective, the risk of the planning application being objected to or occupiers being unwilling to sign leases increases along with potential delays to timescales due to reworking and spiralling costs.
Strengthening Urban Resilience through Managing Risks and Grasping Opportunities
Without doubt, climate change has posed a fundamental threat to urban development around the world. Frequent adverse weather events and intense typhoons happening in many countries have drawn the attention of sustainability and green building professionals to the need for identification of climate-related vulnerabilities in their cities. Apparently, it is high time for us to strengthen the cities’ resilience through design, construction and operation of green buildings as well as investment in climate-resilient infrastructure.
There are five global mega trends shaping the way that we are currently living, how we respond to them now determines how we are going to live into the future. These mega trends are affecting all aspects of our lives, from the food we eat to the technology running our cities, each carrying with them their own risks and opportunities.
