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  • Imke - Stadträume für Bienen auf Dächern des Immobilienportfolios

    We're supporting
    natural talent.

  • Urban spaces
    for bees

  • BienenBoxen auf dem Dach des DomAquaree

    Bees on the roof
    of DomAquarée Berlin

Imke - Urban spaces for bees
by Union Investment

In 2020, Union Investment launched its “Imke” bee project at over 30 locations. In conjunction with the non-profit Stadtbienen e.V. beekeeping association, two bee colonies were introduced into bee boxes on the roofs of each of the selected properties. The aim is to boost the bee population in Germany and thereby help to protect the climate. Further locations will be added.

Giving wings to sustainability

Ecological beekeeping and the well-being of the bees are central to our Imke Project.
Bienen-Einlauf in Bienen-Box an einem Standort von Union Investment

In addition to long-term value appreciation, we always focus on the sustainability of our properties and the associated benefits for the environment and society. Germany’s building sector is responsible for a good 30 per cent of CO² emissions. The real estate industry thus bears a particular responsibility and its actions can have a positive impact. We are therefore constantly trying to improve the sustainability performance of our properties. Even small steps can make a difference here, such as our Imke Project.

The Imke beekeepers

Our bees are introduced to their boxes and cared for by professional beekeepers from the non-profit Stadtbienen beekeeping association.
Imke-Imker zeigt Kursteilnehmern eine Naturwabe

Before the bees were installed, the beekeepers inspected all locations for suitability. They will also check on our honey bees at regular intervals throughout the year. A beekeeper’s tasks include monitoring health and development, treating illnesses and preparing the bees for winter. As part of our ecological and sustainable concept, the bees winter on their own honey. Our beekeepers therefore only harvest surplus honey, which we then gift to our staff, partners or customers.

Moving in- Bees on the roof of the EMPORIO (Video)

4K-Version-Union-Investment-IMKE-rc18.mp4
On 13 July, two bee colonies were moved to the roof of the EMPORIO office building in Hamburg’s city centre.

Did you know...?

5,000,000,000

This amount represents the economic benefit of pollination in Germany alone. Worldwide, the figure is approximately EUR 256 Billion.

Peaceful, hard-working and indispensable

Aside from the importance of bees to humankind, we have a fundamental responsibility to preserve biodiversity, and therefore bees, on our planet. After all, the problems are man-made: agricultural monocultures, pesticide pollution and the spread of the varroa mite due to human intervention are all affecting bee populations. Imke is making a small but important contribution to stabilising these populations in Germany.

4,000 kinds of fruit and vegetable

Up to 80 per cent of our crops and wild plants depend on pollination. Without these hard-working pollinators, it would not just be honey that would be missing from our tables. Apples, peaches, cucumbers, but also cotton and much more besides would suddenly be in short supply, as they depend to a large extent on pollination by bees.
 
4.000 Obst- und Gemüsesorten

A peaceful passion for pollination

Honey bees are gentle and hard-working pollinators. They are wholly herbivorous, feeding on pollen and nectar. As bees are always drawn towards light, they are not interested in flying into rooms.
Honigbienen sind friedliche Sammler

Bees in the city

Germany’s city centres are greener than average. Bees have no problem finding sufficient and varied food here all year round, as there are no monocultures in cities and virtually no pesticides. To that extent, bees in the city are often better off than those in the Country.
Bienenseminare vermitteln Wissen über Bienen

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Honey harvest

Central to the ecological and sustainable concept of the Stadtbienen e.V. beekeeping association is its focus on the honey bee and therefore also on overwintering of the bee colony using its own honey. Only surplus honey is harvested in the autumn.
Imke - Weltmeister - 1 kg Honig pro Jahr

Bees on the roof

Bee colonies have a flight radius of up to 5 km, which means a rooftop location doesn’t pose any challenges. However, it is important that the bee box is sheltered from the wind.
Bienen-Boxen auf dem StadtQuartier RiemArcaden

Did you know...?

120,000

That is how many kilometres a bee colony travels to create 1 kg of honey.

Interested to learn more?

Die Bienen-Box von Stadtbienen e.V.

Stadtbienen e.V.

Stadtbienen e.V. beekeeping association promotes ecological beekeeping and the protection of wild bees in urban spaces.

Imke- Der Flyer zum Projekt

The Imke project flyer

In 2020, Union Investment launched its Imke project to provide urban spaces for bees. The flyer provides an overview of the Project.

Nachhaltige Immobilieninvestments

Sustainable real estate investment

In order to maintain long-term value, sustainable real estate investment is an integral part of our business strategy.