Commentary

How occupiers are prioritising sustainable buildings

A JLL survey reveals businesses are choosing real estate based on their carbon emissions

July 27, 2021

Over the past few years, we have heard Larry Fink, chairman and CEO of BlackRock, emphasise the message that ‘climate risk is investment risk’, a mantra that has now gone mainstream.

JLL has undertaken a survey of senior executives representing 647 occupiers and investors to understand their journey towards carbon neutrality. We identified six key insights that were outlined in our recent report, Decarbonizing the Built Environment.

One of those insights relates to the emergence of responsible real estate. Occupiers are continually looking for ways to innovate their sustainability initiatives, with 83 percent of respondents noting the link between corporate real estate and sustainability is a board-level agenda item.

The sustainability agenda is reflected in occupier behaviour. Almost 80 percent of surveyed organisations are prioritising buildings that will help reduce emissions. As the demand for green space increases, the refurbishment and development of buildings represents a significant opportunity in the transition to a low-carbon economy.