The European Real Estate Forum is an informal alliance of organisations with an interest in institutional investment in European real estate, including investors, fund and asset managers, property professionals and property companies.
Real estate investment diversifies portfolios and delivers the returns needed by (institutional) investors, such as pension funds and insurance companies, to fund pension and insurance obligations. These long-term investments provide a critical contribution to the real economy in Europe.
Commercial property contributed EUR 427 billion to the EU economy in 2021, in fact, 2.8% of the total European economy, and directly employs over 4 million people – more jobs than in the banking sector and more than in automotive and telecommunications sectors combined.
Around 35% of total European commercial space is let to businesses, which frees up capital and enables them to lease new space as they grow.
The existing stock of residential and commercial property accounts for almost 40% of carbon emissions. Investment in improving it can avoid embodied carbon from construction (11%) and deliver huge energy savings through operational efficiency (28.5%) that are critical to achieving environmental targets. Such investment, including management, maintenance and repurposing, in the EU and UK amounted to €371 bn in 2021.
Property-related activities are highly diverse and involve besides property management also planning, financing and construction activities, valuation, facilities management as well as consultation or brokerage services. The real estate sector has a higher economic importance than other sectors such as the automotive industry or the healthcare sector.
MORE
EU climate and energy policy is increasingly focusing on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improving energy efficiency, whilst maintaining the security of energy supplies and supporting growth, competitiveness and jobs. Key in achieving these objectives are innovation, cost effectiveness and resource efficiency.
MORE
Real estate investment plays a vital role in facilitating European business and industry. The provision of appropriate premises is equal in importance to plant and machinery as a vital factor of production, as well as an important requirement for a healthy and pleasant working environment in the services sector.
MORE
Real estate associations produced a focused response to the FCA's Discussion paper 23/1 on Finance for positive sustainable change: governance, initiatives and competence in regulated...
The property sector has a critical role to play in tackling climate change and the UK will not become net zero by 2050 unless we...
