Coffee with Craig Show – daily CRE news covering the CEE region, Wednesday, July 6 with Winston Norman, Editor and Chief of EuropaProperty.com.
All real estate investment and development have the potential to deliver social impact, according to a new report by Urban Land Institute (ULI) in partnership with global law firm DLA Piper.
The global report, Social Impact: investing with a purpose to protect and enhance returns, concludes that often with relatively small adjustments to strategy, real estate can deliver market-rate returns, while at the same time intentionally delivering social benefits that would not have otherwise occurred to underserved communities, and locations.
ULI Europe CEO Lisette van Doorn comments, “Real estate and social infrastructure always create an impact on society. The shift now is from unintended consequences to considered outcomes. In many ways, there is nothing new in the social impact model. Investors need to leave behind a mindset that sees this as something different from what they already do in managing real estate and serving customers.”
The report acknowledges regional differences in investor appetite, with interest in social impact strategies strongest in Europe, followed by the US and lowest in Asia.
Susheela Rivers, Global Co-Chair of DLA Piper’s Real Estate Sector, said, “As providers of the built environment where we live, work and play, real estate stakeholders have always had a social impact, both positive and negative, which puts them in a position of huge responsibility.”
Warehousing backspace completed for Solaris factory in Bolechowo
Panattoni has completed a BTS project for Solaris a leading European producer of city buses and specialises in vehicles with low or zero emissions. Its vehicles can be found in 32 countries. The 10,000 sqm warehouse has been built next to the company’s existing factory and will play a key role in the parts and sub-assembly supply chain for the production of Solaris vehicles.
“The handover of the project in Bolechowo marks another successful development to support our client’s factory and it fits perfectly into their operations to be a real warehousing asset that meets the company’s increasing levels of production,” says Marek Foryński, the BTS Managing Director at Panattoni.
“Solaris is continually adding ecological vehicles to its fleet and their work with us has also allowed for the green energy resources generated within the buildings to be greatly increased,” points out Michał Chodecki, the BTS Development Director at Panattoni.
In developing the warehouse centre for Solaris, Panattoni reinforced the roof to mount 572 solar panels. Panattoni is also developing a car park roofing concept with individual shelters equipped with solar panels. The development is also to be certified under BREEAM.
New head of commercial real estate business at Erste Group
Günther Artner has taken over the management of the Commercial Real Estate business of Erste Group and Erste Bank Oesterreich. Artner thus succeeds Patrick Zehetmayr, who is leaving Erste Group.
Günther Artner has very extensive experience in both capital markets business and equity research, always with a strong focus on real estate and the CEE region. In recent years he has also successfully executed several high-profile capital market transactions for leading commercial real estate clients.
“I am convinced that as a great team player, Günther Artner has both the necessary experience and fresh ideas to drive the development of the real estate business in our group,” comments Ingo Bleier, Member of the Management Board of Erste Group responsible for Corporates & Markets.