Global real estate - one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions - should become net-zero in less than three decades. With as much as 80% of the predicted building stock for 2050 already in existence today, this best illustrates the scale of the challenge. Meanwhile, the commercial real estate market has not, as yet, officially acknowledged either the costs of necessary property upgrades or the costs of delaying or not taking any action. At the same time, due to a lack of market standards, benchmarks and a system of data collection, valuers can hardly factor ESG risks in property valuations. This impasse has significantly increased the risk of a carbon bubble, says Cushman & Wakefield. 

Almost 60 hectares of land plots suitable for the development of real estate projects were transacted in the Bucharest – Ilfov region in the H2 2022 – H1 2023 period, with former industrial platforms accounting for some of the largest transactions, according to a report by Cushman & Wakefield Echinox.

The first phase of the Le Jardin residential park has secured a BREEAM 'Very Good' certification. This is the first such project to get this type of certification in Hungary.

Romanian developer Redport Capital will start this fall the construction of the third phase of The Level Apartments complex in northern Bucharest. The company says it has already pre-sold 40% of the apartments in the new phase that will be completed following an €12 million investment. 

Radisson Hotel Group was selected to be the operator of the hotel component in the Central District Lagoon City, developed in Bucharest by Forty Management. The Radisson Lagoon Hotel Bucharest is planned as the first of several such branded co-operations across the globe. 

SES is refurbishing the King Cross shopping centre in Zagreb, Croatia which it has owned and managed since 2018. Construction work to completely refurbish the centre will begin in 2024 following an investment of approximately €40 million. Completion is scheduled for autumn 2025.

Marcin Malka, President of the Management Board of Real Management talked to Property Forum about competing with bigger players, the situation on the investment market in Poland and the lack of plots for new projects.

České dráhy (ČD) sold the remaining part of the land at the Smíchov railway station in Prague for just under CZK 2 billion (€82 million). Over 126,000 sqm of land will be bought by the Sekyra Group. According to the Czech news agency (ČTK) Czech Railways said that it had received a total of CZK 2.4 billion (almost €98.6 million) for the Smíchov land. A new district of Smíchov City is to be built on the land.

Shape Corp. started production in a new 36,400 sqm hall in Pilsen. The industrial complex, built by Panattoni, was created on the brownfield site of the coal mines. Shape Corp. moved here from the Borská pole site to expand its production capacity. Up to 700 employees will work in the new facility. 

State-owned Czech Post (Česká pošta) has sold three unneeded properties in Prague's Krč district in an electronic auction. Together they will fetch almost CZK 400 million (€16.4 million). The winner must pay the price within 30 days, writes E15.cz.