• Mace’s State of Sustainable Assets report surveyed more than 4,000 building portfolio and asset managers across the UK, UAE, USA and Hong Kong
  • While 97% of those surveyed feel able to keep pace with environmental regulations, only 20% are actively implementing sustainability strategies
  • 54% of respondents recognise that more sustainable assets are crucial to unlocking financing for their business
  • Globally, data and AI voted as the most important areas of investment to deliver sustainable portfolios
  • In the UAE, 69% of asset managers feel ‘very able’ to keep pace with regulations and reporting, compared to 57% globally

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – A new worldwide survey conducted by global delivery consultants and construction experts, Mace, reveals that while 97% of asset managers feel able to keep pace with environmental regulations and reporting requirements, only 20% are actively implementing sustainability strategies or thereby achieving sustainable outcomes.

Conducted by Censuswide, Mace’s State of Sustainable Assets report surveyed more than 4,000 building portfolio and asset managers across the UK, UAE, USA and Hong Kong. The survey, working across 14 sectors including architecture and engineering, residential real estate, retail and leisure, and infrastructure, was conducted to gain a better understanding of how asset managers are meeting the global climate challenge.

With recent developments all but confirming the world will exceed the Paris Climate Agreement’s 1.5-degree target, and the built environment accounting for 40% of global emissions, the study highlights there is much more that needs to be done.

The report details the broad value creation when it comes to sustainable assets, including strengthened resilience, competitive advantage, reduced operational costs, and increased asset value. But what seems incongruous is that 54% of respondents recognise that more sustainable assets are crucial to unlocking financing for their business and are becoming a standard mandate from outside investors.  

In the UAE, finance is a motivator that rises to 58% of asset managers, with the most important areas of investment to deliver sustainable portfolios being data and AI (52%), ahead of green skills and talent (17%), standardisation of reporting frameworks (16%), and decarbonisation technologies (14%).

On the reporting side, 69% of UAE asset managers feel ‘very able’ to keep pace with regulations and reporting, compared to 57% globally.

James Low, Global Head of Responsible Business at Mace, said: “It is imperative businesses have sustainable assets and with many making net zero carbon commitments for 2030 and 2050, asset managers have a crucial role to play in shaping the future of our growing urban environments.

“This study has found that sustainable solutions can combine environmental and financial advantages, however, most asset managers have only just started their journey when it comes to implementing their strategies. But with asset managers now able to keep pace with current environmental regulations and reporting requirements, it’s time to enact their strategies with tactics that can be implemented and measurement systems needed to get them off the mark.”

Tushant Suri, Middle East and Africa Responsible Business Lead at Mace, added: “As we accelerate towards a net-zero future, the report shows sustainable assets are no longer a niche – they are the foundation of resilient and future-ready infrastructure.

“At Mace, we believe the integration of sustainability into every stage of an asset’s lifecycle is essential to unlocking long-term value, creating a positive impact on environmental, societal and financial outcomes.”

While legislation is catalysing change and enabling businesses to meet requirements, the report references that in future organisations are likely to witness the adoption of global frameworks to rationalise reporting across geographies and encourage action.

To deliver measurable outcomes, the report highlights that asset managers should consider prioritising sustainable skills to tap into a digitally enabled approach, linking strategic thinking with technology to unlock the most far-reaching outcomes for greener portfolios.

While not enough strategies are yet to be successfully implemented, the positive news for optimists is that asset managers are in a unique position between tenants and owners to advocate for sustainability, and swift and bold action now will create a healthier built environment in the future.

The full report can be accessed here.