Some of the largest cities in Romania, including the capital, have some of the newest office stocks in CEE that have certifications, according to CBRE research.
The cities analysed in Romania are among the top of those included in the CBRE study with an average share of over 70% of certified office stock: Iași (60%), Cluj-Napoca (70%), Bucharest (75%) and Timișoara (80%). From the CEE region, only Warsaw is making its place in this top with almost 70% certified stock.
Valeriu Toma, Head of Property Management at CBRE România, said in Europe there is growing evidence of a flight to quality.
”The aggregated certified office take-up figures presented in this report have confirmed the trend that leasing and investment activity is increasingly focused on certified buildings,” said Toma.
The report shows that the office market will still remain under the impact of sustainability.
Certified office take-up has grown in all cities from the 19 countries analysed, on average, from 31% in 2019 to 34% in H1 2023, underlining the importance of sustainability in building selection.
In Romania, rents for certified office space are 10% higher in Bucharest, almost 15% higher in Cluj-Napoca, 25% higher in Brașov, and slightly over 35% higher in Timișoara.
“The constant growth of related assessments required by our clients - from energy assessments, net zero carbon pathway analysis, to physical climate change risk assessments or mapping regulations and incentives clearly confirms this trend for us,” stated Alina Bordei, Account Director Property Management at CBRE România.
According to CBRE’s experts, ESG remains just one of the factors that are relevant for decision-making, as occupier preferences towards buildings that offer high amenities and user experience extend well beyond ESG priorities.
