As ESG expectations move from aspiration to obligation, real estate leaders are being forced to confront how sustainability directly affects asset value, financing and long-term resilience. Chaired by ESG Partner Tjidsger Wierda of Walvius Partners, the sustainability session at CEE Property Forum 2025 brought together a range of expertise and pragmatic perspectives on the evolving role of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) in commercial real estate.

Andrei Ianculescu, Head of Project & Development Services at Cushman & Wakefield Echinox, talked to Property Forum about the expansion of design and ESG advisory services, the industrial and logistics sector's growth post-Schengen, and the importance of independent project management for tenant fit-outs. Ianculescu also emphasised the potential in secondary cities and the increasing relevance of aligning projects with sustainability standards.

Law firm CMS advised Prologis in Poland on its entry into a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Engie. This agreement combines the long-term purchase of electric energy from renewable energy sources with flexible market mechanisms, setting a new benchmark for the commercial property market in Poland.

Garbe has started construction of a new 55,000 sqm hall at Garbe Park Klášterec nad Ohří II, with global consumer goods company Reckitt becoming the anchor tenant. The British multinational has leased 35,000 sqm of industrial space under a ten-year agreement and will move in during the Q2 2026.

M Core has inaugurated M Park Orăștie, a retail park designed to strengthen the group's presence in regional markets and expand its national portfolio of convenience-led retail assets. Located on a 23,000 sqm land plot, the project delivers a built area of approximately 5,500 sqm.

Crestpoint Project Partners has launched a new project management and advisory platform to support developers, investors and construction companies across the real estate sector.

Older buildings usually consume more energy in operation than new construction. That is not only a cost issue. It also affects how an asset performs against market standards like BREEAM, EU Taxonomy, and CRREM, as well as regulations such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the rules for Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS). Many owners assume the only way to close the gap is a major refurbishment. Better insulation and new equipment certainly help, but they are expensive and disruptive. Investments in deep fabric and equipment upgrades can reach one to five percent of the asset value.

Property Forum recently spoke with a prominent player in the Romanian property market, who asked to remain anonymous, about the systemic challenges facing development in the capital, which risks seeing billions of euros in new investments lost due to prolonged administrative blockages.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, revealing a slowdown in global demand growth for sustainable buildings and concerning lack of progress in carbon measurement across construction projects. The report, based on insight from more than 3,500 real estate and construction professionals across 36 countries, warns that momentum behind sustainable development risks stalling without stronger policy intervention and skills development.

Andrei Radu, Group Development Director at NEPI Rockcastle, talked about the developer’s focus on net zero with a €100 million investment in clean energy production. With the recent launch of a 54 MW solar park in Romania, the group expects to cover almost 50% of its total CEE electricity needs by 2026, offering cost control and doing the "heavy lifting" for tenants.