Navigating to Net Zero - Episode 7

Brick by brick: In the pursuit of green properties

Economic progress comes at a price, in our view. Surging consumer demand for goods has increased the need for warehouse space, fulfilment centres, factories, and other commercial real estate. Making a dent in real estate emissions requires more than just turning off the lights and keeping the thermostat low. It comes down to embodied emissions that are hard enough to abate in a brand-new building, let alone an existing one, where they are integral features.

In this episode of Navigating to Net Zero, host Rebecca Darst talks with three leaders with extensive expertise in green property management: Coen van Oostrom, Founder and CEO of Edge, whose team is transforming cityscapes across Europe one green building at a time, and Simon Hanna and Carlos Viesca of FIBRA Macquarie, who are working with tenants to make more than 250 office and retail buildings in Mexico more energy efficient and less carbon intensive.

What we are seeing now is that in all the markets where we are active, from, let's say, Boston all the way to Berlin, we see that there's a huge interest for net zero buildings.… There’s almost a waiting list.” - Coen van Oostrom, Edge

Coen van Oostrom, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Edge

Since founding Edge in 1997, Coen van Oostrom has built one of the world’s largest real estate development companies through innovation and sustainable building practices. He founded the company on the belief in the green promise of untapped technologies and has made it the company’s mission to deliver new standards in urban office development. He has served as co-chair of the Real Estate Governors at the World Economic Forum, is a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations, and sits on the board of the Urban Land Institute Europe.

About Edge

Edge is one of Europe’s largest commercial property developers and a global leader in technology-enabled sustainable building design. Edge holds more than a million square metres of development across the Netherlands, the UK, Germany, and the US. The company recently introduced Edge Next, a sensor- and data-driven platform that makes office buildings smarter, healthier, and more sustainable. In 2022, Macquarie Asset Management and Edge agreed to form a strategic partnership to expand its business in existing and new markets. Learn more about Edge here.¹

We are adopting a very ambitious approach and a broader sense of responsibility toward climate management in our portfolio. I don’t see it as a challenge. I see it as us preparing our portfolio for the future.” - Carlos Viesca, MPA², a member of FIBRA Macquarie

Simon Hanna, Chief Executive Officer, FIBRA Macquarie

Before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2022, Simon Hanna served as the Chief Financial Officer of FIBRA Macquarie for nine years. During that time, he led more than $US2 billion in capital markets activities for FIBRA Macquarie and was instrumental in the 2014 establishment and leadership of MPA, FIBRA’s internal property administration platform. He also developed FIBRA’s environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategy. Simon previously served on the leadership teams for the Macquarie Russia & CIS Infrastructure Fund and Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund series. Simon joined Macquarie Group in its Sydney office in 1999, where he supported the Corporate Asset Finance division.

Carlos Viesca, Head of Sustainability at MPA², FIBRA Macquarie

Carlos Viesca joined FIBRA Macquarie in 2022 after more than 15 years as a corporate sustainability consultant. He advised more than 50 companies, from start-ups to large multinationals in 15 different industries. He has expertise in strategic planning; climate change adaptation and resilience; circular economy and sustainable business; social investment; human rights; and diversity and inclusion.

About FIBRA Macquarie

FIBRA Macquarie is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the acquisition, ownership, leasing, management, and development of industrial and retail real estate properties in Mexico. Established in December 2012, the trust holds a portfolio of 243 industrial properties totalling 35 million square feet of leasable area in 20 cities and is developing 1.6 million square feet of new buildings. About one-third of FIBRA Macquarie’s buildings are green certified, and FIBRA Macquarie is focused on climate adaptation and net zero carbon operation. Learn more about FIBRA Macquarie here.¹

Episode content recorded October 2022 (FIBRA) and December 2022 (Edge).

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