Working together on a sustainable real estate portfolio
Sustainability is not a trend, but an essential part of our business strategy. This applies to our real estate portfolio as well as to the way we work with our tenants.
On the roof of Winkelcentrum Westpolder in Papendrecht this is clearly visible: almost 700 solar panels generate sustainable energy and the remaining roofs have been greened and extra insulated. "You don't do sustainability alone. It requires coordination, cooperation and mutual understanding. Only together with our tenants can we really make an impact," says Dennis Hoek, portfolio manager and driver of sustainability and innovation.
In everything we do, from renovations and redevelopments to new construction and maintenance, we look critically at the sustainability impact. Especially in our existing portfolio there are great opportunities. Here, cooperation with tenants is crucial: if we make the shell more sustainable, but a tenant is inefficient with energy, we will miss the target together.
A more sustainable building often means a more comfortable work environment, lower energy costs and better alignment with user expectations. Think lower costs, more stable energy rates and greater social support. Sustainability not only delivers environmental benefits, but also economic and operational benefits for our tenants.
In Shopping Center De Gaard , for example, we rent solar panels to the local baker, who generates his own sustainable energy and benefits from a predictable energy bill. Together with Jumbo Supermarkets, we recently made one of their stores sustainable from energy label C to A+++, including PV panels. And for planned store renovations, we coordinate our own sustainability measures as closely as possible with the tenant's schedule, so that the inconvenience is minimal and we move forward together.
To really understand where opportunities lie, we need insight. This is why we are working with VastgoedNeutraal, which analyzes energy consumption within our portfolio. Tenants who participate also receive access to their own data, including possible peaks in consumption. In this way they can take targeted action and together we can make better plans for the future.
Our approach is planned and scalable: from CO₂ analysis to technical feasibility, from joint planning to implementation. And if tenants or landlords want to take earlier steps, we coordinate this carefully. This is how we make our portfolio more sustainable step by step, with an eye for timing, efficiency and impact.
The goal is common: to reduce carbon emissions. For us, sustainability is not a reaction to external pressure from banks or investors, although ESG is now firmly embedded in valuations and financing. For us, it is a conscious, intrinsic choice. Dennis: "It suits who we are: a family business with a long-term vision, an eye for people and an eye for the future."
