Almost half (47%) of UK commercial landlords believe the office market is lagging behind other areas of the property sector when it comes to implementing environmental policies, revealed the latest study from InfinitSpace and Instant Group.
The research — based on a survey of 250 commercial landlords with offices in the UK conducted by Censuswide — also highlighted a significant knowledge gap in the capabilities of office landlords to shape environmental policies, with 47% of respondents saying they need help to do this.
Overall, the state of occupancy across UK offices is fairly poor, as 84% of survey participants reported occupancy as less than 70%, and 53% said their offices were half empty or less.
However, the research uncovered a correlation between occupancy and level of sustainable practice — of the landlords with the most robust set of environmental policies implemented, 56% had offices with an occupancy greater than 70%.
Wybo Wijnbergen, CEO at InfinitSpace, said: “As a sector, the office market is a large emitter of carbon and its transition to net zero will be essential in reaching the sustainable future the planet so desperately needs.
“However, success will be dependent upon understanding and mitigating the challenges landlords face in improving the operations of their buildings.
“The research partnership we have unveiled today will go a long way to shedding a light on these challenges and where the sector must act — expect much more to come; the first few results we have released so far barely scratch the surface.
“The real estate sector can play a significant role in safeguarding the future of our planet, and now is the time to execute.”
Sam Pickering, executive director of sustainability at Incendium (part of the Instant Group), added: “The corporate sustainability landscape is rapidly changing due to the urgency of the climate crisis, stakeholder pressure, expanding regulations and consumer-driven transparency.
“The research partnership between The Instant Group and InfinitSpace is a step forward for the commercial real estate sector to identify where key stakeholders can start to make a difference.
“Businesses must adapt – starting with landlords and asset owners; a genuine sustainability strategy requires data transparency in order to influence decision makers that can have a true impact on reducing carbon emissions.
“Our intention with research initiatives, such as this one, is to forge a strong foundation for sustainable outcomes for all.”
