Given the expensive investment of real estate, many property companies are beginning to include sustainable strategies into the development of their buildings, seeking to stabilize the value and lifecycle of the building.
Incorporating a human-centric focus in the development of property – which involves designing buildings to provide tenants with, among other things, ample access to natural daylight, acoustic and thermal comfort – can positively affect several stages within a building’s lifecycle; be it leasing, leaseholder retention, operational costs and property sale.
According to Dodge Data & Analytics’ Smart Market Report, “The Drive Toward Healthier Buildings 2016,” investing in healthier buildings does yield tangible results.
The top three business benefits of including a sustainable strategy in real estate investment include:
- Improved satisfaction – 79% of building owners witnessed an improvement among employee satisfaction and engagement.
- Increased demand – 73% of building owners observed a positive impact in the building’s ability to lease. Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) also has shown a connection between healthy buildings and its ability to lease quicker. Furthermore, it links a healthy space’s ability to attract premium tenants, higher rent and better leaseholder retention.
- Higher Value – 62% of building owners saw a positive impact on the building’s value, meaning that the building’s sustainable features can potentially affect the resale rate.
