Corporate Real Estate Incorporating Sustainability

Corporate real estate is now established as a significant component and contributor to major organisations; whether private, public or charity. However real estate also has a vital part to play in the creation of the ‘sustainable organisation’. CSR and sustainability management requires the full acknowledgement of and input from the real estate resource in order for real long term sustainability and resilience to be deliverable.The paper will present a conceptual model of how the three entities of real estate, corporate management and CSR can work in a synchronised manner that will bring about a real estate led sustainable portfolio strategy and support informed decisionsThere is little opportunity for organisations to make integrated property portfolio decisions as much of the sustainability focus is compartmentalised into the CSR unit of the organisation. The metrics of CSR are classically energy and water use, carbon and pollution emissions. It can be challenging for the CSR process to disaggregate real estate from other contributing factors.Business activities, property and types will be mapped against resource inputs and outputs. This will involve understanding the dynamics of property use. Ultimately, energy and resource use is heavily dependent on how people and goods interact with a range of properties. Systems mapping can establish where significant ‘flows’ are likely to occur; both endogenous and exogenous to the organisation.Systems science based and will allow corporate property decisions and scenarios to be modelled for overall environmental and social impacts. Systems modelling is used extensively in sustainable development research and is a useful frame-work to evaluate impact.The modelling would identify resource inputs and outputs. Ultimately, a whole system map will be produced and allow for effective dialogue across CSR, property and corporate management delivering a more sustainable real estate strategy.