Global ESG Case Studies

ROOTS Hamburg is Germany’s tallest timber hybrid high-rise, developed by GARBE in HafenCity and completed in Q1 2024. Standing at 19 storeys, the project pioneers climate-resilient construction through the innovative use of prefabricated timber combined with a concrete core. ROOTS integrates sustainable materials, advanced fire safety measures, and urban mixed-use programming to set a new benchmark for low-carbon, high-density development in Europe.

IPUT Real Estate is developing Nexus Logistics Park, a 2.5 million square-foot logistics scheme in North Dublin, to meet increasing demand for energy-efficient, modern facilities. The project incorporates timber-frame construction, photovoltaic panels, and high-performance materials. As part of IPUT’s logistics expansion strategy, the park targets LEED Gold certification and BER A1 energy performance, delivering long-term sustainability and market resilience.

DWS has repositioned a vacant asset in London’s Fitzrovia into a highly energy-efficient, wellness-focused workplace. By retaining much of the original structure, the redevelopment achieved a 30% reduction in primary energy demand and now targets BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Gold certifications. Strategic enhancements include rooftop extensions, upgraded amenities, and all-electric systems. Delivered in a constrained market with high occupier expectations, the project exemplifies how DWS leverages smart retrofitting to unlock long-term value and reduce environmental impact.

As part of the building owner’s broader Sustainability agenda, Twenty8 Freshwater successfully expanded and upgraded end-of-trip (EOT) facilities by converting some car parking spaces to support bicycle commuting for tenants rather than driving a car. The addition of EOT facilities has increased the lifestyle amenities of this building, strengthened tenant relationships by promoting health and wellbeing activities and therefore improved the owner’s ability to renew tenant leases and maintain high occupancy rates. 

Hines’ Südkreuz project in Berlin delivered 116 social rented apartments as part of a multi-phase urban regeneration, aligning with Berlin’s requirement for ~30% of the GFA subsidised housing. With tenants paying €6/m²—36–68% of the market rent rates—due to a municipal rent subsidy, the development supports inclusive living for diverse groups, including young people with mental ill health. The project achieved DGNB Gold and WiredScore Platinum certifications, and offered additional ESG value through sustainable materials, digital services, and shared spaces.The bold and novel endeavors resulted in the creation of sustainable housing that is affordable and inclusive.

PATRIZIA Global Partners, through its PATRIZIA Sustainable Communities fund, delivered 907 high-quality social and affordable homes across three developments in Greater Dublin. In partnership with local Housing Associations, the fund ensures long-term affordability via forward funding agreements. Homes are targeted at key workers and low-to-middle income households, with rents capped at 37.5% of net income. All units achieve EPC A ratings and green certification, with 91% of the fund’s portfolio now classified as affordable. The developments also provide essential community infrastructure, including a public library, crèches, and green spaces—contributing to holistic, sustainable urban regeneration.

Slättö’s strategy focuses on increasing the availability and quality of rental housing while contributing to the EU’s energy transition. With 13,000 apartments across more than 160 assets, primarily in Swedish cities, the firm targets increasing the availability and quality of rental housing. Measures such as solar panels, AI-driven heating systems, and geothermal installations have reduced energy use by up to 30% in some buildings—without increasing tenant costs. Approximately 65% of Slättö’s residential assets already meet EU Taxonomy energy efficiency thresholds.

Bouwinvest’s De Terp Rijswijk project unlocked 153 affordable mid-rental homes in a stalled urban redevelopment through a €3.712 million Start Bouwimpuls subsidy. Located on a former department store site, the scheme faced viability challenges due to high construction costs. The subsidy de-risked delivery and attracted institutional capital via the Dutch Social Impact Partnership (ABP & bpfBOUW), which acquired 249 units. With rents capped below €1,158 and completion due within 36 months, the project offers a scalable model for delivering sustainable mid-rent housing through public-private collaboration.

Savills Investment Management’s Simply Affordable Homes fund invests in and manages a portfolio of 236affordable homes across 11 sites throughout the UK including Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, Suffolk, and Kent. The Fund manages a mix of tenure types with 169 affordable rent and 67 shared ownership homes under management with further acquisitions completed post quarter end taking the total number of homes owned to 367. Simply Affordable Homes is committed to achieving measurable results that promote resident wellbeing, enhance access to affordable housing and contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Achmea Real Estate’s Justus project delivered 289 affordable housing units in the inner city of Amsterdam, responding to the municipality’s rental restraints and housing requirements. Developed through Stadsgoed NV, the initiative targeted the middle segment, with rents capped at a maximum of €1,184 per month. Apartments, averaging 60 m², were rented on a priority basis to key workers essential to Amsterdam’s economy—such as policemen, firefighters, and teachers—who face difficulty securing housing in the city.

PIMCO Prime Real Estate’s affordable housing portfolio in Germany comprises over 300 social housing units, of which more than 90% are subsidised. Located in well-connected neighbourhoods with access to schools and daycare centres, the homes serve lower income groups including young professionals, retirees, and single-income families. Tenants are classified into three income groups to receive subsidies. Various schemes, including public subsidized loans, have been employed to bridge property and tenancy cost gaps, and mitigate leasing risk. In addition to the social benefits of this portfolio, investor climate targets were reflected in the newly completed assets, adhering to standards such as KfW 55, EnEV (Energiesparverordnung), a regulation for energy use, and CREEM decarbonization pathways.

Altera’s sustainable and affordable housing project on Amsterdam’s north waterfront delivers 181 newly built rental units, including 157 mid-range apartments averaging €1,112 per month and 24 private sector units. The acquisition meets both financial (IRR) and non-financial (ESG) investment criteria. Located directly on the riverbank, the development includes 140 parking spaces and a semi-public outdoor space leading to the harbour. The project forms part of Altera’s wider effort to expand its portfolio with high-quality, sustainable housing, having acquired 3,866 such units in the past five years.

Seasons by Amvest integrates informal care within a supportive community, promoting independence and reducing reliance on formal healthcare. By fostering social interaction and efficient care delivery, it enhances well-being while lowering costs. With high occupancy rates, cost savings of up to 30%, and strong resident satisfaction, Seasons redefines assisted living as a model of connection, dignity, and sustainability.

The case study highlights how LGIM transformed Poole's Dolphin Centre from a struggling shopping mall into a thriving mixed-use space with healthcare, education, and leisure facilities. This revitalisation created new jobs, and fostered community impact through initiatives like an Adult Education Centre and NHS clinic. The project illustrates the power of place-based strategies in improving both social and economic outcomes.

Southside, located in central Stockholm is a redevelopment of an office building into a state-of-the-art educational building that will focus on the wellbeing of its occupants, demonstrating strong social value credentials.

Prepared by EQT

Code, located in Paris CBD was a major redevelopment from a car park into a Grade A office with a strong focus on sustainability certifications and occupier health and wellbeing. Several sustainability and health and wellbeing certifications were achieved upon completion.

Prepared by EQT

Allee Center, located in Leipzig (Germany) is a daily needs shopping destination and community hub in the district. Indoor and outdoor greenery, water features and biophilic elements enhance the visitor experience. Active engagement with community groups and charities as well as holding community events have ensured strong links with the local community.

Prepared by EQT

Franklin Templeton’s Project Spring revitalised six care homes across the UK to meet the dual challenges of an ageing population and outdated infrastructure. The investment brought 96 dormant beds back into use and improved living conditions for over 400 residents, while delivering long-term social and environmental impact. Supported by a 35-year lease and a dedicated capex and sinking fund, the initiative targets significant upgrades in carbon performance, care quality, and affordability – aligning with SDG 3.8 and 11.1.

In November 2019, Patron Capital announced its intention to establish the Women in Safe Homes (WISH) Fund, believed to be the world’s first gender-lens property fund, alongside Resonance and Big Society Capital. The fund will be a solution to the lack of affordable, safe and secure homes for women who are experiencing homelessness, have been involved with the criminal justice system, are survivors of domestic abuse or have other complex needs.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a powerful organizational and communications tool for institutional investors and asset managers as they are universally accepted across multiple facets of society. But the SDGs are vulnerable to misuse, misrepresentation and dilution. Investors need to ensure that when a product is labelled as “aligned with the SDGs” that it moves beyond just alignment and makes a real contribution to positive social and environmental outcomes. In this article we explain how we have approached this challenge with an investment in affordable housing, one of the main sectors within social infrastructure.

Prepared by Franklin Templeton

The case study details the development of Innocent Drinks’ energy-neutral factory in Rotterdam, designed by Deerns. The facility integrates sustainable features, including a solar park, wind turbines, and efficient energy systems, achieving BREEAM-NL Outstanding and WELL Platinum certifications. Producing 400 million bottles annually, it reduces transportation miles by 25% and CO₂ emissions by 10%. This innovative approach highlights effective collaboration and sustainability in industrial design.

The Malinas Retail Park in Mechelen, Belgium, developed by Mitiska REIM, is Europe’s first CO2-neutral retail park. Achieving BREEAM 'Excellent' certification, its sustainable features include solar panels generating 2.85 MWp, green façades, permeable paving, and rainwater management systems. The park also promotes biodiversity, creating 254 jobs and providing eco-friendly infrastructure like EV charging stations. Opened fully let in 2021, it reflects the demand for accessible, sustainable retail solutions.

The Elithis Danube Tower in Strasbourg is the world’s first energy-positive residential building, generating more energy than it consumes through solar panels and smart design. Completed in 2018, this 17-story, 63-apartment tower emphasizes sustainability, affordability, and comfort, offering near-zero energy bills and reduced CO₂ emissions. Residents use a Smart Home App to monitor and optimize energy usage. The project demonstrates that sustainable construction can be cost-effective and scalable, inspiring plans for 100 similar towers by 2030.

User manual for the CRREM Risk Assessment Tool V2: This Reference Guide accompanies the CRREM Carbon Risk Assessment Tool for the Global Commercial & Residential Real Estate Industry. 

The guide provides an overall instruction on how the CRREM tool should be applied, as well as indepth guidance into the user input variables for the tool, user adjustable variables, default data underlying the tool and resulting output figures on property and portfolio level.

IPUT Real Estate redefined sustainable retrofit practice with the transformation of 25 North Wall Quay in Dublin. This landmark redevelopment delivered IPUT’s first net zero office, achieving a 60% reduction in embodied carbon and 70% energy savings while retaining 75% of the original structure. Completed in Q1 2025, the project demonstrates how circular economy principles and close occupier collaboration can meet ambitious environmental, operational, and wellness goals without demolition.

Valuers face increasing pressure to incorporate ESG factors into valuations, yet gaps in data availability and quality remain a key obstacle. This case study explores how JLL tested Large Language Models (LLMs), including its proprietary JLLGPT, to enhance the extraction of ESG data from diverse sources. The findings reveal JLLGPT’s accuracy, particularly in processing multi-language documents, demonstrating the potential of AI to streamline ESG reporting and improve valuation robustness.

To address rising flood risks and meet EU disclosure requirements, APG piloted the open-source REACT tool, moving away from opaque ‘black-box’ models. The tool enabled clear, comparable assessments using EU climate data. Results revealed up to a 78% increase in flood risk for some assets by 2080, highlighting the value of transparent methodologies for climate-resilient real estate strategies.

Revelop has partnered with Myrspoven to improve the energy efficiency of its properties.

Myrspoven’s AI platform, myCoreAI, was integrated to optimise energy use. It analyses data from the building and external sources, such as weather and social patterns, to create a unique algorithm tailored to each building’s specific conditions and usage.

The case study outlines how a.s.r. Real Estate partnered with Scaler to meet its ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Using the Scaler platform, a.s.r. was able to create data-driven decarbonisation roadmaps for its portfolio of over 450 assets. Scaler's tools help track energy use, GHG emissions, and sustainability efforts, while enabling iterative scenario planning. 

This partnership provides transparent, actionable insights for reducing emissions, improving data accuracy, and aligning with international standards like the Paris Agreement.

Cromwell Property Group partnered with Deepki to streamline ESG data collection and reporting across its European portfolio. The Deepki platform automates utility data collection, enabling better asset performance insights, energy and carbon reduction planning, and compliance with European regulations. By March 2023, 74% of Cromwell's European assets were integrated, allowing for improved energy tracking, tenant data collection, and carbon accounting. 

This initiative supports Cromwell’s ESG strategy with clearer reporting and actionable sustainability targets​.

Realterm engaged Longevity Partners to assess the feasibility of implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) across a number of assets in the Netherlands, in response to climate risks including drought, flooding, and soil degradation. The study evaluated green infrastructure options specific to each site, incorporating legislative, technical, and ecological considerations. Based on this analysis, Longevity Partners developed tailored NbS recommendations and a practical design guide. Initial measures implemented include rainwater reuse systems and biodiversity enhancements such as birdhouses and bee boxes. The initiative supports Realterm’s ESG+R strategy by strengthening asset-level climate resilience and aligning with emerging regulatory frameworks.

abrdn's AIPUT faced challenges in meeting the UK’s Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements for its Heathrow developments. The solution involved creating a biodiversity bank on a 30-hectare greenfield site. This area, initially agricultural land, was converted into a habitat, generating BNG credits for use in the fund's developments. The project also contributed to carbon offsetting and community rewilding. Although market conditions led to a shift away from the BNG proposals, the model showed potential for future biodiversity and carbon credit initiatives within abrdn’s wider portfolio.

APG implemented a biodiversity risk assessment across its global real estate portfolio to address biodiversity loss. This analysis, using data from leading conservation organisations, highlighted areas of protected habitats, priority species, and critical conservation needs. Conducting the analysis for APG’s Amsterdam office serves as an illustrative example of how these type of assessments can be of value, even in urbanised areas. Despite its urban nature, the region around Amsterdam demonstrates significant biodiversity value and conservation potential.The insights from the analysis help APG develop targeted conservation strategies and integrate biodiversity considerations into investment decisions​.

Bourn Quarter, a 25-acre business park, transformed a former WW2 airfield site with innovative biodiversity initiatives. These included insect hotels, bird boxes and over 2,500 native trees and shrubs. A sustainable urban drainage system supports local species and manages runoff. The site minimises light pollution to protect local wildlife like the Barbastelle bat. This green infrastructure, alongside wildflower seeding, has created a thriving natural habitat, enhancing both biodiversity and the area's aesthetic appeal​.

With the construction of a new shopping center on a plot covered by grassland, KLP Eiendom wished to reduce the project’s negative impact on local biodiversity. KLP Eiendom's Fornebu S shopping center in Oslo incorporates a green roof that recreates a rare local habitat, "dry calcareous grassland," enhancing biodiversity. The roof consists of 84 native plant species and beehives and  provides a vital “green corridor, helping to protect the local biotope after the conversion of significant natural land into a built environment. It mitigates physical climate risks by absorbing water during torrential rain, reducing stress on storm drains. The green roof helps keep the building cool during extreme heat. Furthermore, it enhances the visual appeal for residents in surrounding apartment buildings.