GRESB Data Shows Broad Improvement in Real Estate ESG Performance

Real estate companies and funds are showing improvement across all aspects of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, according to the 2016 Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) Real Estate, Developer and Debt assessments.

“The global real estate sector is working to manage its carbon footprint, build resilience in the face of climate change and respond to more stringent environmental regulations,” said Nils Kok, CEO of GRESB.

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GRESB COO Says Global Real Estate Sustainability Efforts on Upward Track

Chris Pyke, COO of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2016 Leader in the Light Working Forum at the Ritz Carlton – Coconut Grove in Miami.

Commenting on the 2015 GRESB Survey, Pyke said he was “impressed and surprised” that the entire real estate industry’s sustainability achievements are on an upward track.

“The entire industry, on a global basis, is in motion. They are doing more, achieving higher levels and that is broad-based and sustained,” he said.

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REITs With Higher GRESB Scores Outperform Peers, Study Finds

A new report concludes that committing to sustainability pays off for REITs.

REITs with higher Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) scores outperform their peers in terms of returns, according to a study from the University of Cambridge. The study also showed that when adjusted for risk, there is a significant link between REITs’ portfolio sustainability indicators and their performances in the stock market.

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GRESB Seeing Increased Interest in Green Bonds from Institutional Investors

Nils Kok, founder and executive director of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), joined REIT.com for a video interview at NAREIT’s 2015 Leader in the Light Working Forum in Reston, Va.

GRESB is an industry-driven organization that assesses the sustainability performance of real estate portfolios around the globe. Kok noted that during the past 18 months, he has observed an increasing interest in “green bonds” from fixed-income investors. The proceeds from these bonds are used to finance sustainability initiatives.

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GRESB 2014 Survey Shows Improvement in Sustainability in Real Estate Industry

The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) 2014 Survey results released Sept. 4 point to strong improvement in the sustainability performance of the global real estate industry as a whole, according to GRESB.

The survey looked at data from listed property companies and private equity real estate funds around the world. In total, the respondents’ portfolios cover 56,000 buildings with an aggregate value of $ 2.1 trillion.

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