Union Investment is a leading international investment company specializing in open-ended real estate funds for private and institutional investors. Union Investment has assets under management of €18 billion in six real estate funds. Established in 1965, Hamburg-based Union Investment Real Estate GmbH is the specialist for private real estate investment within the Union Investment Group. Its sister company, Union Investment Institutional Property GmbH, focuses on real estate investment for institutional customers.
The portfolios of Union Investment’s open-ended real estate funds comprise some 300 properties and projects in Germany, other European countries, the Americas and Asia. Within the commercial real estate sector, Union Investment is active as an institutional investor, developer and landlord. Union Investment is increasingly leveraging the opportunities that arise from different property cycles around the world. To spread risk and enhance performance, the company has a strict policy of investing in a mix of uses, regions and property sizes.
Investments in city-centre office space and business parks are the mainstay of the company’s investment strategy. In addition, Union Investment is investing in logistics properties, shopping centres and business hotels in selected locations that offer the prospect of attractive returns over the medium and long term. The company’s hotel portfolio consists of 21 properties with a current market value of €1.6 billion. Some €3.8 billion is invested in 22 shopping centres in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Spain and Turkey.
Since 2002, the company has expanded into 22 new markets, including Chile, Mexico Singapore and Malaysia. Active in the property investment business for 45 years, Union Investment today operates in 26 countries around the world, with approximately 60% of property assets located in countries outside the domestic market. In 2009 Union Investment was one the most active European buyers purchasing 18 properties with a total investment of more than €1,6 billion.
Sustainable real estate investment is an integral part of Union Investment’s business strategy. In 2009, the company made significant progress towards its goal of creating a property portfolio that is sustainable on as many levels as possible. Last year Union Investment invested some EUR 465 million in certified green buildings, including the BREEAM-certified office property at 10 Gresham Street in London (“excellent”) and the ATMOS office building in Munich, which has a DGNB “silver” certificate. Union Investment’s holdings today incorporate 12 properties and projects with national or international certificates for sustainable building with a current market value of €1.3 billion.
With the Prime Property Award Union Investment is helping to raise awareness among investors and developers of the opportunities presented by sustainable real estate investment. The bi-annual Prime Property Award recognises investors whose exemplary projects incorporate sustainability factors in the development and refurbishment of commercial and residential buildings in Europe.
