The uneasy geopolitical situation of the recent years is surely not helping investors in Slovakia and the CEE region, that is a reality investors live in. However, the discussion of the first panel during Bratislava Property Forum 2024 has revealed that there is still some room for optimism.

Sustainability will continue its massive growth, as stakeholders demand more action on environmental and social issues, and businesses and governments respond to stricter demands imposed by politics and climate pressures, finds a BuildGreen report.

Members of the European Parliament adopted plans agreed upon with the EU Council, which will contribute to reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in the buildings sector, according to a statement from the European Parliament.  

Ultimately, more than 10 MW of green energy from photovoltaic farms will power Warsaw UNIT, an office building developed and owned by Ghelamco. It is the first skyscraper in Poland entirely powered by green energy. Funding for the innovative remote farm project was provided by ESCOlight, and the contractor is Revolt Energy, part of the Blachotrapez Group.

The Polish shopping centre market is now considered mature as many retail malls were built in the 1990s and 2000s, that is before the technological boom in energy efficiency and during a period of significantly lower awareness of the issue. A wave of upgrades is coming, but they will not happen overnight due to high levels of refurbishment expenditure required. In the face of rising challenges of energy and heat consumption, experts from Cushman & Wakefield managing a large and highly diverse portfolio of shopping centres and retail parks provide valuable insight into the results of their frequently innovative and low-cost measures.

Swedish property developer Skanska has developed an offer to tenants consisting of services to support them in creating sustainable workplaces and non-financial reporting.

Jarosław Fiutowski, Member of the Board responsible for ESG strategy and innovation at Ghelamco Poland, talked to Property Forum about the renewable energy in office buildings,  the awareness of ESG issues among tenants and the related stance of Western investment funds.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) is launching a new data list, alongside a thought leadership paper which explores and aids valuers in incorporating ESG into their work.

Whilst significant ink has flowed in relation to the ‘E’ pillar from the vast ESG spectrum, the ‘S’ pillar is beginning to catch up in prominence particularly in the office sector across the UK and Continental Europe. Post-Covid behaviours have had a massive impact on the office offering and workforce demands - the office is by no means dead, but its role has certainly had a significant rethink, writes Mirela Calota, Director, Deal Advisory - Real Estate and Infrastructure at KPMG, in an article prepared for Property Forum.

Colliers has promoted Andrzej Gutowski as ESG Chief Officer in CEE, including Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.