Industry insights

Articles, case studies and other insights on ESG best practices and relevant sustainability topics from GRESB and our Members and Partners.

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  • Articles insights into ESG in real assets

    The top 10 questions about GRESB, answered

    As sustainability reporting becomes more critical for the real assets industry, GRESB has emerged as a valuable tool for assessing sustainability performance. However, the GRESB reporting process can be time-consuming and complex for some users, especially for first-time participants, occasionally leading to questions among participants. Through the GRESB Helpdesk, we have received a number of […]

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  • Articles

    Teething problems: Applying SFDR to the real estate sector

    What is SFDR? The EU’s Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) was adopted in November 2019 as part  of the EU Commission’s Action Plan: Financing Sustainable Growth. The Plan aims to increase transparency on financial markets, with a view to directing capital flows towards activities which contribute to reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.   The SFDR […]

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  • Articles

    What US companies need to know about SFDR and its implications on transatlantic investment strategies

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) is a set of regulations from the European Union that aims to provide greater transparency and […]

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  • Articles

    A Deep Dive into The Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR)

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. SFDR – these 4 letters are creating a buzz for so many businesses and are driving forward the EU’s low-carbon transition. But […]

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  • Articles

    2025 EPBD: a game changer for EU real estate

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. Andrea Palmer and Stan Bertram describe five reasons how the new EU Directive could transform real estate You would be forgiven to […]

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  • Case Studies

    India-based asset manager Nucleus Office Parks increases its GRESB Standing Investments score by 15 points in one year

    About Nucleus Office Parks Nucleus Office Parks is the operating platform for fully owned Blackstone Offices in India, managing an industry-leading portfolio of over 20 million square feet of Grade A commercial assets spread across all key markets ESG in Focus: As part of its short-term sustainability targets for FY 2023, Nucleus Office Parks aims […]

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  • Case Studies Understanding Scope 4 The Increasing Importance of Avoided Emissions Data in the Commercial Real Estate Market

    GRESB First-Year Participant Interview: Starlight Investments

    Starlight Investments is a leading global real estate investment and asset management firm. A privately held owner, developer, and asset manager of over 76,000 residential suites and over 8 million square feet of commercial property space, Starlight offers various investment strategies. What motivated you to start participating in the GRESB Assessments and what were you […]

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  • Articles

    Why Embodied Carbon Should Be Prioritized Alongside Operational Emissions in Sustainability Disclosure and Emission Reduction Efforts

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. Embodied carbon refers to the carbon emissions associated with the production, transportation, and disposal of building materials, equipment, and other products over […]

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  • Articles

    Embodied carbon: What it is and how to tackle it

    As the reality of climate change starts to set in, the building industry is realizing that it is responsible for a significant portion of human emissions on the planet.

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  • Articles

    GRESB Participant Q&A: Ventient Energy

    Ventient Energy, an independent generator of renewable energy in Europe, scored 100 in the Infrastructure Asset Assessment in 2022. We recently talked to Holly Backhurst, ESG Manager at Ventient Energy, to understand what it means to achieve top marks and to discuss how the infrastructure benchmark must continue to stretch and evolve to effectively assess […]

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  • Articles

    A closer look at the ESG performance of GRESB first-year real estate participants

    Each year, GRESB assesses and benchmarks the ESG performance of thousands of real estate companies and funds worldwide, providing timely insights into ESG-related risks and opportunities. With every new reporting cycle recording an increase in participation and a growing number of first-year participants, it is crucial to gain deeper insights into the performance of new […]

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  • Articles

    What is embodied carbon in the real estate sector and why does it matter?

    Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e), associated with materials and construction processes throughout a building’s lifecycle. Buildings generate 39% of annual global GHG emissions, with 28% coming from operations of buildings and 11% coming from building materials and construction processes (i.e., embodied carbon). Embodied carbon emissions […]

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  • Case Studies

    Manager Case Study: QuadReal Property Group

    Global investment group QuadReal zeroes in on the S in ESG with GRESB About QuadReal Property Group QuadReal Property Group is a global real estate investment, operating and development company focused on office, industrial, logistics, residential, retail and alternative assets. Additionally, QuadReal invests in equity and debt in both public and private markets and through […]

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  • Case Studies

    Manager Case Study: Mahindra Lifespaces Developers Limited

    Indian real estate developer Mahindra Lifespaces leverages GRESB to improve its ESG performance as it crafts its net zero journey About Mahindra Lifespace Developers Limited Mahindra Lifespaces develops thriving residential communities and enables business ecosystems through its premium residential projects, integrated cities, and industrial clusters. Focus on ESG: Mahindra Lifespaces is firmly on a path […]

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  • Articles

    The I(nclusivity) in DEI

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), which was held last year in Egypt on November 6-20, marked the 30th anniversary […]

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  • Articles

    Attention on Retention: Why Leadership Drives Successful DEI

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) have become the center of focus for employment best practices in the last decade. The ULI Global […]

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  • Articles

    A proven blueprint: From ESG 1.0 to 2.0

    Our industry is engaged in an important dialogue to improve sustainability through ESG transparency and industry collaboration. This article is a contribution to this larger conversation and does not necessarily reflect GRESB’s position. ESG 1.0 In the context of this article, ESG 1.0 is benchmarking at the portfolio scale. Many US cities, like New York, […]

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  • Case Studies

    Manager case study: Klépierre

    Klépierre, European leader in shopping centers, leverages GRESB to stay on top of investors’ expectations and improve performance. Leveling the field Klépierre, European leader in shopping centers, first joined GRESB in 2009 to become part of the real estate benchmark and to ensure that investors and stakeholders could easily access its ESG data. In the […]

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