It has been a busy year for the European Commission’s corporate accountability initiatives, including updates to the EU Sustainable Finance portfolio. These policy changes, reflecting the Commission’s focus on improving the energy performance of the EU building stock, are consequential for EU real estate investors and developers.  New sustainability-linked financing models and Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) ratings standardisation complement the European Green Deal by directing financing to real estate construction and renovation that maximises energy performance. These programs enable EU real estate investors and builders to collaboratively reduce energy use and meet the EU Climate Law’s 2030 goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by fifty-five percent. Strategic policy and research consultant Lisa Chase has summarised the policy framework for Property Forum.

1.2 billion sqm of space is required globally in the next decade to satisfy the growing demand for the top three ‘alternative’ property sectors, providing a major opportunity for investors, says Savills.

The mixed-use property development Liberty by Hungarian developer Wing has reached a major milestone. The office area in the south wing has received its use permit, and the first tenants have already moved in. At the same time, a sports store is now open on the ground floor.

Archicom has absorbed the residential development projects, the team of employees and the land bank of Echo Investment. The General Meetings of Shareholders of both companies have given their approval for the consolidation of their residential business. Following the completion of the transaction, Archicom is positioned as one of the largest residential developers in Poland, while Echo Investment is focused on commercial real estate, apartments for rent and mixed-use "destinations" projects. The company's share in Archicom's capital will total 89.30%.

The completion of the industrial park in Choroszcz, a Białystok district, has been announced. The Czech investor made its debut in the region in 2018 with an investment in an industrial park in Białystok. Currently, Accolade owns facilities totalling approximately 80,000 sqm in the Białystok region. Both Park Białystok I and the nearby Park Białystok II in Choroszcz remain fully leased. All the parks in Accolade's portfolio are BREEAM certified and aligned with the specifics of each region.

Cushman & Wakefield has released a summary of retail market conditions in Poland. At the end of Q2 2023, there was close to 500,000 sqm of retail space under construction, seven international brands debuted on the Polish market in the three months to June while the expansion of retail parks continued apace. On the other hand, both retail tenants and landlords continued to face high inflation which impacted their real turnover levels.

According to a report published by Newmark Polska, occupier activity in Poland’s regional city office markets remains stable, but tenants are increasingly shifting their focus towards making efficient use of office space and looking for better quality offices.

Bulgaria is witnessing a continuous decline in residential real estate transactions for the fourth consecutive quarter. According to data from the Registry Agency, property purchases across the country have decreased by 15% during Q2 2023, reaching  54,371 transactions in total.

Industrial developer WDP has become the owner of a warehouse in Mioveni, near Pitești, following a sale-and-lease-back deal with SFC Solutions Automotive Romania, a producer of rubber profiles for the automotive sector.  

Adi Steiner, Managing Partner of STC Partners spoke to Property Forum about the developer’s new residential project in Bucharest and new investment opportunities being explored nationwide, as well as the increasingly sophisticated requirements of home buyers, with a focus on sustainability.