Act on Climate Change

COP26 is well underway and the world is keenly waiting to see what is discussed and then acted upon.  Whilst the seriousness of the event can not be understated we thought, as we approach the end of the first week, to take a slightly different and optimistic look at the issues we face by rereleasing…

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Cities, Regions, and the Built Environment at COP26

Collaboration between real assets owners and the cities in which they operate is key to advancing on climate action As the world gears up for COP26, attention is turning to the built environment’s responsibility to reduce GHG emissions and urgent need to adapt to the physical impacts of climate change such as flooding and heat…

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Improving SECR Reporting

Unprecedented inflows into sustainable investment funds, the looming threat of climate change, and societal pressure for businesses to better align their activities to public interests are all driving an agenda towards better disclosure of non-financial information. Ultimately, the “alphabet soup” of ESG reporting acronyms and frameworks exists today because different people want different things from…

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What did we learn from our first EVORA Insight’s lunch on the topic of how ESG is being integrated into investment decision-making?

The gap in expectations between the leaders and the majority of investment managers is huge. Even the leaders don’t think they are doing anywhere near enough. To be honest, it’s a little disheartening. Organisational change and capacity building is being hampered by structural changes, which cannot be solved by each firm on their own. For…

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Green Building Certification for Operational Buildings: which to choose?

Since the first green building certification standard, BREEAM, was launched in the UK in 1990, the number of sustainability related certification initiatives for the built environment has grown. There are now hundreds operating around the world. While the early certification standards focused on the design and construction of new buildings, there are now a plethora…

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It’s getting hot in here! Heat risk to buildings

The recent heatwave in Canada has brought into focus the real and present dangers of extreme weather conditions. Record temperatures in British Columbia, reaching as high as 49.6°C, resulted in hundreds of excess deaths and heat-related hospital visits. As early analysis shows the heatwave would have been ‘virtually impossible’ without human-caused climate change, we know…

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Nature: the next challenge for sustainable finance?

If there is one thing we’ve learnt from spending more time inside our homes over the last year, courtesy of these ‘unprecedented circumstances’, it is the importance of spending time outside. The natural environment is a key part of our built environment. Access to green space has never been so desirable. And in our cities,…

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Disentangling ‘Community Engagement’, ‘Social Value’ and ‘Impact Investing’

Community engagement in real estate is where landlords, property/building managers and occupiers seek to better engage with the local municipality, landlords, occupiers and general public. Community engagement can span a variety of topics from investments in public realm improvements to engaging with schools, prioritising local employment and suppliers, recruiting apprentices, charitable donations, and environment, social…

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