Greystar’s new-build focus enables tenant energy savings

Since the pandemic, residential-for-rent specialist Greystar’s strategy has evolved to focus on providing residential living environments that provide more than just a residential unit.

“We offer places as an extension to the individual home, like co-working spaces, very coolly designed outdoor spaces, things like that, which really makes that in-between space between working at home and working at the office,” explained Greystar central Europe MD Mark Kuijpers.

He said this has worked well and helped to maintain occupancy levels at around 99%.

Kuijpers explained that Greystar’s focus is on new build, in large part because the energy crisis in Europe, which has been lurking for some time before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has underlined the need for energy efficient buildings.

He said there will be a polarisation between new-build, super energy-efficient products on one hand and older stock on the other. “It’s not just their base rent that they will be looking at, but it’s the base rent plus their energy bill.”

“If we are able to build and create products that have low energy bills or even no energy bills, that is definitely value for the resident and also for our investors.”

Please click on the video above to watch the full interview or listen to the podcast below.