Even though the volume of commercial real estate delivered to the market in 2024 was below average, the Czech market did not freeze and maintained its activity. This was mainly thanks to the Czech capital, according to Colliers' experts, and this trend will continue in 2025.

Which is better to meet ESG goals? Greenfield investments or conversion of existing buildings? Wise people say: it depends. Although a lot of top experts took part in a panel at the first CEE ESG Forum organised by Property Forum and Green Forum in Vienna last November, no clear answer emerged from the discussion.

Investors view the logistics sector with optimism and, to a lesser extent, retail over the next 12 months, according to a Cushman & Wakefield Echinox study conducted among the most important investors and developers in Romania.

The demand for industrial spaces in CEE is moderating after a record year, with vacancy rates having slightly increased but still at a healthy level. The shift in demand patterns has included larger deals and tenant diversification. Despite challenges, logistics is an attractive asset class with yields comparable to offices and retail, revealed the discussion at CEE Property Forum 2024 in Vienna, chaired by Martin Polák, Managing Director CEE at GARBE Industrial Real Estate.

Like other real estate segments, retail has always been adapting to changes in customer behaviour. This evolution thus is a subject of constant investment and innovation, based on the quality and uniqueness of locations. CEE Property Forum 2024 in Vienna has explored financing challenges together with the importance of data-based decisions in the discussion panel focused on retail.

Investors across Europe will continue to focus on sectors with strong structural tailwinds, such as living and logistics, according to a Knight Frank report. 

Răzvan Nica, Managing Partner BuildGreen, talked to Property Forum about the building certification trends and the company’s development of the CarbonTool platform, which helps property players meet their decarbonisation objectives.

Real estate investment decisions in CEE are currently made considering various challenges, such as difficulty in predicting five-year exit strategies for investments, liquidity in the region, and concerns about the impact of ESG regulations on building compliance and financing, to name a few. CEE Property Forum 2024 in Vienna has taken a closer look at European investment trends in the panel chaired by Tim Wilkinson, MRICS, Head of European Acquisitions at Indotek Group.

In total, 121,000 sqm of office premises in 6 A-class office buildings that form a significant part of the Investika real estate fund´s portfolio in Poland has achieved international environmental BREEAM certification. Four properties have been certified at the “Excellent” level, while two have obtained the “Very Good” level. Successful BREEAM certification, one of the two most widely recognized international sustainability standards for buildings, is part of Investika real estate fund´s ESG strategy.    

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has released a new edition of its Global Red Book, which features several crucial updates on AI use in valuation and the mandatory implementation of ESG principles.