GRESB

The ESG Benchmark for Real Assets

Infrastructure Investment Frontiers

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Infrastructure Investment Frontiers will bring together a select group of globally recognised infrastructure practitioners drawn from the policy, investment, business and civil society communities to forge a new approach to frontier infrastructure investment — to develop new models that can mobilise deep pools of capital at scale and therefore address the massive collective needs for better core economic, transport, logistics, water, waste, sanitation and health infrastructure for frontier economies.

WEDNESDAY, 5 JUNE,

6 pm Royal Automobile Club, Cocktails Participants will meet for an informal discussion on the present and future circumstances of infrastructure investment in frontier economies.

THURSDAY, 6 JUNE

9am to 2pm, Forum
Participants will consider a series of key questions that will anchor the day’s conversation including:

    • How far out of step are risk perception and risk reality for frontier economies and their infrastructure needs?
    • What and how will new models of co-investment address the stark gaps of infrastructure provision for frontier economies?
    • Can new forms of community driven investment begin to address the needs of social infrastructure?
    • What is the role of innovation and new technology to meet infrastructure needs?
    • Can the evolving infrastructure transparency principles under the Japanese presidency of the G20 process address the curse of corruption in major projects?
    • What institutional architecture would support new investment models?

2018 GRESB Results Photo Round up

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The 2018 GRESB Results events were the most expansive yet- with 21 events being held across 4 continents and 13 countries. More insights can be found across our social media channels, and the programs, as well as slides from the presentations, are all publicly available.

London

Our GRESB Real Estate Results events kicked off in London with a full house

Sydney

GRESB’s Co-Founder & Managing Director, Sander Paul van Tongeren, alongside panelists from RIAA, Local Government Super, Lendlease, and Charterhall at the Real Estate Results event

Sydney

GRESB Head of Asia Pacific, Ruben Langbroek, presented Australian Infrastructure Sector Leaders their awards

San Francisco

The Climate Risk & Resilience preview was a side event at PRI in Person, with a diverse panel of investors and industry leaders

Hong Kong

Panelists at the Hong Kong Infrastructure event included representatives from GRESB, RICS, Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets Investments, and ARE

Hong Kong

Sander Paul van Tongeren accompanied by panelists from ARE, CITIC Capital, CBRE, and BlackRock Real Assets at the Real Estate event

Brussels

Ugo Bassi, Director, DG FISMA – Financial Markets at European Commission spoke at the Real Estate and Sustainable Finance event, followed by a panel of representatives from GRESB, INREV, CBRE Spain, PGGM, and the European Commission

Singapore

In a live poll at the Asia Real Estate Results, the majority of attendees believed there is a positive correlation between GRESB Score and financial performance

Amsterdam

Kate Archer, Associate, Infrastructure at GRESB presented two sector leader awards to representatives from Arcus Infrastructure Partners and Alpha Trains Group

New York City

Rick Walters, Director, Infrastructure presented the North American Infrastructure Results in New York City.

New York City

The North American Real Estate Results event in New York City was another full house and included two mini panels

Milan

Panelists from Covivio, Savills, and Robeco discussed trends in the European Real Estate market

London

The final GRESB Infrastructure Results event of the season included a presentation on GRESB Infrastructure Public Disclosure

Auckland

Our first ever GRESB Results event in New Zealand was hosted by Bayleys in Auckland

Paris

The 2018 GRESB Real Estate results for the French market were presented by Charles van Thiel, Associate, Real Estate

 

Den Haag

Our GRESB Real Estate Results event in Den Haag with panelists from MN, Triodos, ASR, Syntrus Achmea Real Estate & Finance, and NN

Tokyo

Our final and biggest GRESB Results event of the season took place in Tokyo, with over 300 attendees

Case Study: Launch of the Speak up Campaign

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This article is part of a series of selected ESG case studies submitted by participants in the 2017 GRESB Infrastructure Assessment.

Purpose of the project

Recognising that there was a need to increase the number of interactions from staff on matters affecting them and as a result of there being no reports through the whistle-blowing line, the company launched its speak up campaign.

Here at Southern Water we want to be open and transparent with you, so that you feel you can be open with us too. With your help we’ll foster a culture where we look after the safety and wellbeing of each other and our customers.

Approach

The company engaged an external provider to provide both the help line and advice on implementation.

Implementation

A video was created and a campaign launced that was provided face to face to every member of staff. Thre are speak up cards for every member of staff and literature and posters at every site. It is a very visible campaign, including on the intranet site.

Results

Increase in reports and staff feeling confident in coming forward with their reports. Keeping the campaign fresh and ensuring that staff trust that the policy and process is credible.

This case study was submitted by Southern Water Services Limited.

Case Study: Wellington Place Wellbeing and Community Initiatives

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This article is part of a series of selected ESG case studies submitted by participants in the 2017 GRESB Real Estate Assessment.
 “The ability to attract and retain great people and have them feeling their best is a vital ingredient to long term success of places and business”

Purpose of the project

People are fundamental to the sustainability of any location and the businesses that are based there. The ability to attract and retain great people and have them feeling their best is a vital ingredient to long-term success.

Approach

The past eight years, Wellington Place has strived to bring together both the business and local community to create meaningful and long-lasting connections. The mixed-use sustainable development at Wellington Place is built around the people it is designed to serve. With its inspiring built and open spaces, well-managed and thought-provoking environment, occupiers and their employees enjoy a host of great activities and facilities focusing on community and wellbeing.

Implementation

By working with local charities and companies in organising and hosting diverse events the whole community can enjoy, Wellington Place is a force for good and an exemplar citizen in Leeds. The ongoing initiatives and events together with the biodiverse public spaces directly benefits the community and the companies on site by helping them to attract and retain a healthy happy workforce and thereby assisting in the creation of a sustainable local economy. Wellington Place is about more than just bricks and mortar (although it builds, refurbishes and offers modern sustainable properties). It’s about people and having a connection to the community it serves.

Results

The results are from occupier testimonials.

Tim Halstead, Managing Partner Shulmans Solicitors: “Wellington Place was a very strong choice from day one, primarily for its location; it’s very central, it’s in the heart of the new business district of Leeds, close to the station, great public transport links – just a great central place to be. What we’ve got at Wellington Place is being part of a community; there’s a café on the ground floor of our building for example, there’re exercise classes for those who want them, even a five-a-side football pitch, but also a good sense of space and a real sense of place.”

Richard Flint, Managing Director Sky Betting and Gaming: “We’ve managed to create a great atmosphere here and a great culture and part of that is the ability to recruit the sort of people that we’re looking for from the Leeds area and part if it is also the environment here at Wellington Place.”

 

This case study was submitted by Hermes Fund Managers.

Case Study: Milton Park Community & Customer Engagement

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This article is part of a series of selected ESG case studies submitted by participants in the 2017 GRESB Real Estate Assessment.

 

Purpose of the project

People are fundamental to the sustainability of any location and the businesses that are based there. The ability to attract and retain great people and have them feeling their best is a vital ingredient to long term success.

“The ability to attract and retain great people and have them feeling their best is a vital ingredient to long term success of businesses and place making.”

Approach

Milton Park is all about people, whether that is people working on Milton Park or living close-by. The MEPC team value their relationships with all of these individuals and strive to ensure their experience of Milton Park is a good one.

Implementation

A number of initiatives are carried out and hosted throughout the year, these include: green travel days, a green travel campaign, monthly networking, social and educational events. Annual Summer & Christmas parties are very popular. As well as community engagement onsite, offsite community engagement is important. MEPC hosts a local liaison committee with members from local parish councils, the purpose of the committee is to inform local residents of Milton Park developments. Charitable support is also given to all parishes: Milton Utd sponsorship, donating raffle prizes, sponsorship of village fetes and the promotion of village events. As well as local and smaller charities, MEPC host events to raise money for nationwide charities such as MacMillan, Stand Up 2 Cancer, Red Nose Day and Sport Relief. Milton Park is home to an Oxfordshire based charity – MS Therapy Centre, MEPC offer the centre free accommodation.

Results

Milton Park customer retention rate has been over 93% for the last 10 years this shows that the social calendar, collaborative and educational events are beneficial to the staff of companies that reside at Milton Park. Residents in local parishes are appreciative of regular updates and contact with the MEPC team and are therefore mostly supportive towards new developments or commercial initiatives on the Park. Limitations to these solutions are that sometimes people are very expectant when it comes to updates, events, marketing support and the MEPC team’s time.

This case study was submitted by Hermes Fund Managers.

Case Study: Winning formula: Collaborative Asset Performance Programme at 2 Cavendish Square

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This article is part of a series of selected ESG case studies submitted by participants in the 2017 GRESB Real Estate Assessment.

“The next step in active property management: digging into the BMS and engaging with occupiers and technical teams to fine tune property management”

Purpose of the project

2 Cavendish Square compared poorly to other Hermes assets in the Better Building Partnership’s Real Estate Environmental Benchmark (REEB) despite numerous active management initiative and refurbishments over the last 5 years. In order to significantly reduce energy consumption on site, analysis at the component level was required.

Approach

Working with managing agents JLL, Carbon Credentials implemented our “Collaborative Asset Performance Programme” (CAPP) to improve the management of site plant and equipment with the goal of making energy and carbon savings. PP has a three stage process with Diagnostic, Implementation and Monitoring and Control phases.

Implementation

In the Diagnostic phase, a data capture device is installed and there is engagement with Facilities Management (FM) teams, Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) and BMS Engineers as well as building managers, owners and tenants. Most will have a role in improving the performance of the building in the Implementation phase. In the Monitoring and Control Phase, Carbon Credentials is ensuring that the savings are maintained and the site is monitored for fault detection, comfort management and wellbeing improvement. This monitoring has resulted faults being quickly detected and remedied in a fraction of the time.

Results

  • VERIFIED ENERGY SAVINGS: Programme drives 18% reduction in Natural Gas usage, verified through integrated M&V process.
  • ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS: Technical stakeholders and site occupiers are engaged as part of the solution.
  • COMFORT AND WELLBEING: Data can be used to improve comfort and increase productivity of occupants on site.
This case study was submitted by Hermes Fund Manager.

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