Sustainability data can be complex when managing real estate assets. It can show many interesting patterns and insightful trends about energy usage, but at the same time be hard to manage. The ability to use sustainability data to reduce energy usage by seeing the impact of actions is one of its most powerful features. Connecting those patterns and trends to actions leads to results.
GRESB (The Global ESG Benchmark for Real Assets) provides a way of thinking about sustainability data which focuses effort on certain areas and types of energy consumption. GRESB provides assemement of Real Estate which are guided by what investors and the industry consider to be material issues in the sustainability performance of real asset investments, and are aligned with international reporting frameworks.
Why do assets managers and property owners want to demonstrate their green credentials and show ongoing improvement? Because according to a recent Aviva survey Investors are demanding it – Climate issues rank top on the ESG concerns – please see the chat below
Assessment participants receive comparative business intelligence on where they stand against their peers, insight into the actions they can take to improve their ESG performance and a communication platform to engage with investors.
Investors use the ESG data and GRESB’s analytical tools to monitor their investments, engage with their managers, and make decisions that lead to a more sustainable and resilient real asset industry.
But GRESB provides its own challenges. Submitting data to GRESB involves making sure the data is correct, accurate and, above all, reflects the performance of a property and ultimately a portfolio.
GRESB can be challenging to get right.
For those who submit to GRESB, there’s a lot of data to prepare – a lot of ducks to get into rows if you will. One of the first hurdles is making sure that your asset data is correct, that floor areas add up correctly and that the consumption, waste or emissions make sense to GRESB. There’s wide range of categories and ownership to consider, and things like where emissions are generated and who consumes them.
In short, it can easily become somewhat of a mountain of information to organise. GRESB provide a website and a spreadsheet you can use to upload data. The website points out where things don’t add up correctly and you work through the errors until they’re all gone.
As ever, selecting the right data and presenting it appropriately is key to getting the answers you need.
One the firms we know well is Evora Global. Founded just 10 years ago in a small serviced office in Farnham, this business has set itself the forefront of reporting data and making real recommendations for carbon reduction in Real Estate. As the market explodes, Evora is doubling in size year on year, developing software to enable its consultants and clients to meet the rapidly changing needs of seeking carbon reduction and reporting this to stakeholders.
Evora Global is a great example of the type of global business that will drive the UK forward in the years ahead. Where ESG needs meet with bright consultants, supported by world-leading software, to deliver practical solutions to customers across the world.
If you would like an introduction to Evora or would like to discuss how you can leverage your software, please let us know.
91% of global insurance and pension fund investors are now committed to delivering Net Zero. As a result, infrastructure assets in all its various classes and forms are the foundation for how the Net Zero commitment will be realised
