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Commercial. Environmental. Social.

Sustainable real estate investment seeks to ensure long-term value appreciation. As such, it is driven by clear financial criteria, but the benefits for the environment and society are also crucial aspects of sustainability. When all three components come together, it is primarily tenants who gain from a sustainably designed property.

A question of strategic orientation

A sustainable property portfolio can be achieved by means of long-term management planning, a clearly formulated strategy, and regular dialogue with tenants. At Union Investment, a team of experts with a track record have been using an established rating system since 2009 to implement and evolve our sustainability strategy.

Would you like to talk about sustainability?

Then please contact our expert
Jan von Mallinckrodt

Jan von Mallinckrodt
Head of Sustainability
Tel. +49 40 34919-4512
Jan.vonMallinckrodt(at)union-investment.de

Our current focus areas

  • Sustainability Label

    The new sustainability label

    Union Investment teamed up with atmosgrad° to develop “atmosphere”, a new sustainability label that allows tenants, investors and other market players to see the sustainability performance of a property at a glance.

  • Manage to Green

    Manage to Green Strategy

    At the end of 2018, Union Investment formulated the Manage to Green strategy to strategically develop its real estate portfolio along the climate path until 2050.

  • atmosphere

    Our new sustainability magazine

    In our "atmosphere" magazine, we present the sustainable aspects of real estate management. We inform you about the current status and next steps. We move forward and want to motivate others to do the same.

  • Klimaschutzplan

    Climate Protection Plan 2050

    At the 2015 World Climate Conference in Paris it was decided to limit global warming to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius. The German Federal Government has derived the Climate Protection Plan 2050 from this decision.

  • Grüne Mietverträge

    Green Leases

    It is a well-known problem: The priorities of the owner of a property are not always the same as those of the users. In order to enable both sides to pursue common sustainability goals, there are green leases.

  • SI Check

    Data creates transparency

    Data relating to properties forms the primary basis for measuring the sustainability of those properties. Intelligent rating systems, however, are equally important in achieving legitimate assessment and comparisons between properties of the same types of usage and beyond.

  • Centurion Commercial Center Hamburg

    Certifications: initial point of reference

    Certifications are an effective means of convincing tenants and investors of a property’s sustainability. Certification systems are constantly developing and can thus be an initial point of reference.

Sustainability performance of our funds

Using KPIs to document the sustainability performance of our real estate funds is important to us. It enables us to keep our investors informed, it creates greater transparency in the market and also allows comparisons between different products. We are currently able to provide KPIs for three large retail funds which are targeted at private investors and focus on commercial properties, plus data on five large vehicles for institutional investors.

UniImmo: Deutschland

217 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
46 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
3,06 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
55% of the portfolio is certified
10,2% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

UniImmo: Europa

234 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
64 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
3,19 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
82% of the portfolio is certified
5,9% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

UniImmo: Global

309 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
95 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
3,06 Sustainable Investment-Score (2017, maximum score: 5,0)
80% of the portfolio is certified
10,8% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

UniInstitutional European Real Estate

193 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
51 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
2,80 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
46% of the portfolio is certified
2,4% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

UniInstitutional German Real Estate

227 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
67 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
2,36 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
23% of the portfolio is certified
0,6% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

DEFO Immobilienfonds 1

198 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
44 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
2,71 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
13% of the portfolio is certified
0% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

UII GermanM

164 kWh/m2 Final energy consumption (2017)
68 kg/m2 CO2 emissions (2017)
2,52 Sustainable Investment-Score (2018, maximum score: 5,0)
19% of the portfolio is certified
5,9% of rental space is covered by green leases
Green Star under GRESB assessment system

Explanation of key figures

Final energy consumption and CO2 emissions

The final energy consumption and CO2 emissions figures provide information on resource efficiency with reference to floor space and per year. In addition, specific consumption data is adjusted for factors such as vacant space, the local climate and users with particularly high energy requirements in order to filter out fluctuations and ensure the best possible comparability of the values. Union Investment uses the adjustment formulas defined by the Germany Property Federation (ZIA).

SI-Score

The Sustainable Investment Check (SI Check) is a scoring module developed by Union Investment which measures the qualitative sustainability features of commercial properties. The SI Check covers features from six different categories: energy, resource use, economics, user comfort, operation, location.

Green lease

Union Investment's green leases contain provisions in accordance with the guidance set out in “Green Lease Agreements – Recommended clauses and actions for sustainable building use” (as at 2015).

GRESB rating

GRESB is the leading assessment system for measuring the sustainability performance of real estate funds. The evaluation of seven different aspects results in the GRESB score. This standardised score makes a significant contribution to transparency around sustainability in the real estate industry.

Initiatives and associations: we make an active contribution

Union Investment’s real estate experts are active in around 20 different sustainability organisations, working in areas such as the establishment of standards in the property sector. Here are some examples of our work in the field of sustainability.

ZIA Logo

The ZIA: Zentraler Immobilien Ausschuss (Central Property Committee) is Germany’s biggest and most influential real estate association. Union Investment has been a member since 2008 and is involved in various work groups.

BVI Logo

BVI Bundesverband Investment und Asset Management is an association of investment companies founded in 1970 and is involved in the establishment of uniform standards. Union Investment has been an active member for many years.

DGNB Logo

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (DGNB, German Sustainable Building Society) was founded in 2007 and is the biggest and most important sustainability organisation in the German property sector. Union Investment is one of its founding members.

PRI Logo

The UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) are an investor initiative founded in 2006 and supported by the United Nations. They are aimed at responsible, sustainable investing. Union Investment has been a member since 2010.