In the face of environmental challenges, the need to adopt sustainable practices has become crucial in all business sectors. The real estate sector, which makes a significant contribution to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, has recognized the importance of sustainability. In this respect, the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) has established itself as a leading tool for assessing and improving the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of portfolios and real estate assets.
What is GRESB?
GRESB is an industry-led organization that evaluates and compares the sustainability performance of real estate companies and funds worldwide. Created in 2009, its aim is to provide standardized, actionable data to help real estate investors better understand and manage ESG risks and opportunities. The GRESB framework enables participants to measure, compare and improve their sustainability performance over time.
How does GRESB work?
GRESB collects and evaluates ESG data from participating real estate entities as part of an annual assessment process. The assessment covers a wide range of topics, including energy and water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, sustainability certifications, tenant engagement and corporate governance. Participants submit data on their individual portfolios and assets, enabling them to benchmark themselves against peers and industry standards.
The data collected is validated, scored and analyzed by GRESB to generate various performance and benchmark indicators. GRESB provides both individual and global scores for different regions, countries and property types. This information enables real estate companies and investors to identify areas for improvement, set performance targets and make informed investment decisions.
What are the benefits of GRESB for Stonal customers?
GRESB encourages real estate companies to disclose their sustainability practices and performance, thereby promoting transparency and accountability. Investors can assess the sustainability performance of potential investments and make informed decisions based on their ESG objectives.
By assessing and addressing ESG risks, GRESB helps real estate entities identify vulnerabilities and implement measures to mitigate them. This proactive approach minimizes the risks associated with regulatory changes, climate impacts and shifting market demands, protecting the long-term value of investments.
GRESB promotes resource efficiency by encouraging participants to measure and reduce energy consumption, water use and waste production. Implementing sustainable practices and technologies can save money, improve operational performance and reduce environmental impact.
Investors are increasingly integrating ESG criteria into their investment strategies. A favorable GRESB rating enhances the attractiveness of real estate entities to environmentally conscious investors, which can attract capital and foster long-term partnerships.
Finally, GRESB facilitates knowledge-sharing and collaboration between real estate players, helping to improve sustainable development practices across the sector. By participating in GRESB assessments and engaging with their peers, companies can stay at the forefront of sustainability trends and best practices.
The GRESB, what impact?
Over the years in the real estate sector, participation in GRESB assessments has increased significantly, indicating the growing importance of sustainability in the sector. GRESB’s data and knowledge have enabled companies to identify and prioritize sustainability initiatives, resulting in reduced energy consumption and emissions, as well as improved stakeholder engagement.
In addition, GRESB promotes a cultural change in favor of sustainable development in the real estate sector. It has encouraged companies to adopt innovative technologies and sustainable construction practices, boosting demand for green buildings and sustainable urban development.
GRESB is a powerful tool for change, promoting sustainability in the real estate sector by providing standardized assessment frameworks and benchmarking. It promotes transparency, commitment and responsibility among industry players.
Stonal and GRESB
Stonal becomes a partner of GRESB, the global benchmark for assessing the sustainability and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of real estate investments. Stonal’s AI technologies and applications, in particular ESG, provide real estate asset owners and managers with comprehensive, reliable knowledge of their properties, enabling them to feed their GRESB-validated ESG indicators effectively.
By combining our data quality skills with GRESB’s reputation in the field of sustainability, Stonal will enable more comprehensive and in-depth analyses of the ESG performance of real estate assets, helping its clients to identify opportunities for improvement and make informed decisions to optimize the performance of their real estate portfolios.
Thanks to our expertise in data quality, we can help our customers collect, standardize and verify their ESG data, ensuring its accuracy and reliability. This will enable them to respond more effectively to GRESB requirements and improve their ranking in this benchmark.
Finally, this partnership will also enhance the credibility and reputation of our customers in the real estate sector, by demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and transparency.
