SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENTS
100% CERTIFIED REAL ESTATE PORTFOLIO
Sustainability is a key priority for our fund management division ECE Real Estate Partners, which manages assets in one open-end and several closed-end shopping center funds as well as a hotel fund. The same goes for ECE Living, which supports institutional investment in residential real estate, including build-to-rent developments.
ECE Real Estate Partners
ESG TARGETS AND FACTS AT A GLANCE
ECE Real Estate Partners’ business activities are squarely focused on long-term value creation. We actively take responsibility not just for our properties but also for our tenants, for our own employees and those of the centers, for the centers’ customers, and for using resources with the utmost care and efficiency.
The division’s strategy is geared toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). We translate sustainability and responsibility into action based on targets such as cutting CO₂ emissions by an average of 40% by 2030 (compared with the 2019 baseline), using 100% green electricity to power communal areas by 2025, and having a 100% certified (DGNB, BREEAM, etc.) real estate portfolio.
ECE Real Estate Partners also signed the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) in 2020 and achieved a top rating in the categories Real Estate and Confidence Building in 2023.
THE ECE EPIG FUND’S CURRENT ESG INDICATORS
ECE Real Estate Partners’ largest fund, the ECE Progressive Income Growth Fund (EPIG Fund), with a total value of 2.2 billion euros, was launched in June 2019. It is an open-end shopping center fund with a long-term investment strategy geared toward global institutional investors and a portfolio of shopping centers in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Poland, and Italy. The EPIG Fund is classified as an Article 8 fund and follows a clearly defined ESG strategy, many elements of which have already been successfully implemented:
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100% of the centers in its portfolio are already DGNB or BREEAM-certified
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45% of communal areas in the centers have already been fitted with LEDs (target: 100% by the end of 2024)
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36% of rental agreements include a green lease (target: 90% by 2030)
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Around 86% of centers are already powered by green electricity (target: 100% as soon as possible)
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Around 72% of centers have e-charging points (target: 100% by the end of 2024)
The aim is to achieve a sustainable and resilient net zero portfolio.
ECE Living
ESG TARGETS AND FACTS AT A GLANCE
For its residential investments, ECE Living takes a holistic view that considers many different ESG aspects. The ECE Better Living Europe Fund’s development-focused approach has made it possible to incorporate sustainability into planning for real estate projects, placing particular emphasis on energy-efficient buildings and socially responsible urban development. As well as environmental goals, the fund considers social and quality factors that help to improve tenants’ well-being. Some facts and figures about the ECE Better Living Europe Fund:
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100% certified property portfolio:
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BREEAM certification (“Very Good”)
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Fully EU Taxonomy-compliant
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Signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI) since 2020
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Article 8 fund with specific ESG strategies and targets
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CRREM pathway for all assets
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Strategy based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Class A and B energy certificates for all properties
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Large communal areas that can be freely used by tenants (including coworking spaces, gyms, lounges, residents’ kitchens)
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Vast majority of apartments have private outdoor spaces (balconies, terraces)
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Rent-controlled apartments freely distributed within buildings
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Ongoing monitoring of energy and water use
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Secure, sheltered bike parking (including a bike elevator directly from the sidewalk at some properties)
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EV charging points and car-sharing services are provided where possible
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Solar panels installed on roofs Green inner courtyards and outdoor areas
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Waste separation in up to ten categories