9th September 2021

LeadingRE members unite on new global sustainability drive

LeadingRE members unite on new global sustainability drive
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Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE), the community of the world's highest quality independent real estate companies, has launched The LeadingRE Sustainable Series, a campaign designed to shine a light on the newest sustainable properties, technology, initiatives, policy, and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in the global real estate industry. Each quarter, LeadingRE and its global network of 550 member firms in over 70 countries, will focus on a different segment of worldwide real estate and take a closer look at sustainability within, highlighting some of the most forward-thinking environmental features from around the world.

LeadingRE has chosen to launch its Sustainable Series following a global coalition for climate neutrality by 2050, in which more than 110 countries have committed to achieve net zero emissions by the middle of the century. The EU Commission also proposed The Green Deal in September 2020 to raise the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target, including emissions and removals, to at least 55% compared to 1990. Many global businesses and groups, including Apple, are also vowing to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.

"We're thrilled to be launching the LeadingRE Sustainable Series to recognise the important role real estate has in helping create a sustainable, low-carbon economy," says Chris Dietz, VP of global operations at LeadingRE. "We want to promote the newest and most exciting properties, initiatives, ideas and businesses making a positive difference for one of the world's most pressing issues. Our aim is to support and educate our member network and the wider real estate world, through knowledge sharing and best practices, helping drive the cause for sustainable real estate," he added.

Jojo Romarx Salas, global research director at LeadingRE said: "There is now a global focus on sustainability as a measure of national performance, something that has in the past been assessed in mostly economic terms. The floor area of the global buildings sector is expected to double by 2060. The importance of a focus on sustainability in our industry is highlighted by the fact that the buildings sector presently consumes more than half of all electricity, for heating, cooling and lighting and 28% of energy-related greenhouse-gas emissions, and it will require an estimated 50% more energy by 2050."

The LeadingRE Sustainable Series will be a quarterly campaign, focusing on four different areas of global real estate each year. The first topic will be Sustainable Homes by LeadingRE, including new homes that have been created with sustainability at their core or historic homes that have been retrofitted with exciting new features.

"Sustainability is no longer an afterthought in the home buying process. The green credentials of a home, old or new, will become even more important in the coming years as the world puts the issue of environmentally friendly real estate into sharper focus," said Mr. Dietz.
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