How green leases support sustainable property management

The Green Lease Agreement for Germany 

The environmental footprint is being taken into account in an increasing number of business decisions. The buildings used by the company also play a central role in this. On the one hand, attention is paid to resource-efficient operation, whilst at the same time growing demands regarding health and well-being must be taken into account. In response to climate change and the rising demand for sustainable solutions, ‘green leases’ are becoming increasingly important in the property sector.

Green Leases in practice: Uniform standards for greater sustainability

In an international context, numerous ‘green’ regulatory requirements for leases already exist. In France, for example, a green annex to commercial leases has been mandatory since 2013. Whilst in other European countries standards were defined by legislation, in Germany it was left to the industry associations of the property sector to fill this gap. Against this backdrop, establishing a definition of green leases applicable in Germany has been the aim of various market initiatives over the past decade.

The German Property Federation (ZIA) has provided a recognised definition for this purpose:

The summary by the German Property Federation (ZIA) aptly describes the aim of a green lease as the synergy between the tenant’s sustainable use of the property and the landlord’s sustainable management – thereby creating measurable added value for both parties.

Green Leases at Deka Immobilien: Sustainability in Asset Management

To ensure the long-term quality of our property portfolio, Deka Immobilien regards the widespread use of ‘green’ lease clauses as an integral part of its asset management activities. To this end, Deka Immobilien has developed provisions that align with our overarching sustainability strategy whilst also aiming to ensure a higher standard of quality for our tenants within our buildings.
Building on an active dialogue with our tenants regarding building consumption, we jointly develop improvement measures. This process also ensures the availability of data for the tenants’ corporate reporting relating to the building. Through regulations on the choice of materials for new builds and refurbishments, as well as on the selection of cleaning products, we support our tenants in creating healthy workspaces for their employees. 
Only by working together can we achieve our goals – to preserve our livelihoods and economic foundations and to protect the climate, for the sake of future generations as well.