Investors and lenders are expected to increasingly focus on the physical and transitional risks of climate change, in turn upending some conventional views of costs and value.

Climate change is more ominous than the spectre of regulations and taxes for a small majority of commercial real estate leaders responding to REALPAC’s recent survey of their expectations for the next decade.

Ivanhoé Cambridge has embraced innovative financing to advance its quest for a carbon-neutral commercial real estate portfolio by 2040.

Canadian participants accounted for less than 3 per cent of the entire GRESB database in 2021, but make up nearly 5 per cent of the 5-star cohort, which achieved the top 20 per cent of scores through the assessment.

Women are somewhat more conspicuous in commercial real estate’s executive suites and boardrooms than is the average for Canadian companies that disclose such information to regulators and unit/shareholders.

Orange is the designated colour to show support and build awareness within commercial and institutional buildings as Canada prepares to mark its first official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The 2021 GRESB real estate results, slated to be released later this fall, will draw from a database of 1,520 entities collectively reporting on 117,000 assets valued at USD $5.7 trillion.

Anna Murray has been promoted to managing director and appointed to the newly created role of global head of ESG with SLC Management.

Securities regulators wish to confirm that the representations registrants are making about the incorporation of ESG principles in their investment decision-making processes are consistent with their actual policies and procedures.

COVID-19 has intensified pressure to support physical, social and emotional well-being within the built environment, but many investors, owners and managers were already embracing healthy building principles ahead of pandemic-triggered challenges.

Canadian commercial real estate assets are comparatively less exposed to the dire physical threats that extreme weather poses or has already served up in other global regions.

Proceeds from this and future green offerings will be applied to financing or refinancing four categories of assets to be known as eligible green projects.

The global benchmark for ESG performance of commercial real estate portfolios and infrastructure investments has reacquired its independence and established a non-profit foundation to oversee standards development.

Biogen is embarking on a 20-year journey to eliminate fossil fuel emissions across its global operations and promote health equity.

Mark Carney, the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance, has joined Brookfield Asset Management as vice chair and head of ESG and impact fund investing.

Participation in the global benchmarking exercise increased 18 per cent from 2019 and represents more than USD $5.3 trillion worth of assets under management.

Canada once again places in the top tier of “highly transparent” nations in the newly released 2020 edition of the JLL/LaSalle Global Real Estate Transparency Index.