Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate Why does ABN AMRO have a sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate? As a provider of financial services, ABN AMRO is strongly committed to being a value-adding partner to its clients in the Commercial Real Estate sector. Within this sector, sustainability is regarded as a strategically important topic in terms of risk and opportunity management. ABN AMRO believes that clients who pro-actively manage the sustainability aspects of their business are more successful in the longer term. Therefore, the bank s policy is to closely manage the sustainability aspects related to its Commercial Real Estate clients and to integrate these in the bank s appraisal and decision-making processes. As part of this policy, the bank has identified five crucial sustainability issues in the Commercial Real Estate sector: - Energy consumption & greenhouse gas emissions: buildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption, and 36% of the total CO2 emissions within the European Union (EU). Hence, improving the energy efficiency of buildings will contribute significantly to the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets of the EU. - Regulatory risk: our clients are faced with increasingly stringent regulation regarding the energy performance and energy efficiency of new and existing buildings. The most widely known regulation is the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive of the European Union, which prescribes that all new buildings have to be nearly zero energy buildings by 2021. - Vacancy levels: Vacancy rates in several segments of the Dutch commercial real estate market have risen sharply over the past year and are expected to rise even further, especially for offices and retail property. New developments in regions which are characterized by high vacancy rates can increase vacancy rates even further and put pressure on the value of real estate in that region. This can lead to financial and reputational risks. - Asset value: market research indicates that sustainability aspects have a significantly positive impact on occupancy rates, rent, and asset value of commercial real estate. - Innovation: ABN AMRO is committed to support innovation and believes innovation can spur the development of more sustainable buildings. As demand for increasingly sustainable buildings grows, innovations which improve the sustainability of new and existing real estate is a significant business opportunity.
Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate 2 6 What is the scope of this policy? The Sustainability Policy for Commercial Real Estate is one of the underlying policies of the Sustainability Risk Policy. The policy is aligned with the bank s core values and business principles, its sustainability risk appetite and the Three Lines of Defence Model. The Sustainability Policy for Commercial Real Estate applies to all Commercial Real Estate activities of ABN AMRO in The Netherlands. The policy applies to: general loans to clients in the Commercial Real Estate sector loans for a specific real estate asset, development, or portfolio With regard to loans for a specific real estate asset, development, or portfolio, the policy distinguishes between four asset classes : (1) offices, (2) retail property, (3) residential real estate, and (4) industrial real estate. What standards does ABN AMRO apply to this sector? The Sustainability Policy for Commercial Real Estate contains general sustainability standards for clients active in the commercial real estate sector. In case a loan is requested for a specific real estate asset, development, or portfolio, additional sustainability criteria are applicable. The additional criteria are specified for four asset classes : (1) offices, (2) retail property, (3) residential real estate, and (4) industrial real estate. Within these asset classes a further distinction is made between new build developments and existing buildings or portfolio s. 1) General sustainability standards for Commercial Real Estate Clients As minimum requirements, ABN AMRO expects all its clients in the Commercial Real Estate Sector to: Have a policy in place which addresses sustainability as part of its new build developments and/or a policy which addresses sustainability as part of its management of existing buildings. These policies should, at a minimum, describe how the company implements all applicable regulations regarding the energy performance and efficiency of new and existing buildings. Publish an annual sustainability report in line with the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines). Preferably the reporting is in line with the Construction and Real Estate Sector Supplement (CRESS) 1. In addition to the minimum requirements, ABN AMRO compares the sustainability performance of clients in the Commercial Real Estate Sector with best practices in order to benchmark their development and progress. The bank expects continuous improvement to be the outcome of the benchmarks for the entire client portfolio over time. The following benchmark criteria are applied: The client has incorporated environmental and social criteria in the selection of service providers and contractors. These criteria are also incorporated in the contracts with service providers and contractors, and are part of the monitoring and evaluation of their performance over time. The client has an Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) in place. The ESMS is in line with international standards (such as ISO:14001) and has clear objectives, targets and documented procedures to mitigate, monitor and measure the environmental and social impacts of its business activities. 1 Only applicable to listed companies.
Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate 3 6 The client is aware of its current level of Greenhouse Gas emissions and has a strategy to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions over time. The client regularly publishes publicly available information regarding its sustainability strategy and sustainability performance. Preferably in line with the GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and the corresponding Construction and Real Estate Sector Supplement (CRESS). The client is a member of relevant sustainability initiatives for the Commercial Real Estate Sector, such as: the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) and the Dutch Green Building Council (DGBC). In case the client is a member of GRESB, it should have insight in its GRESB score and how this score relates to the benchmark. 2) Sustainability standards for real estate assets, developments or portfolio The additional sustainability criteria for a specific real estate asset, development, or portfolio are all regarded as minimum requirements. A) Sustainability standards for offices Energy Performance Certificate Score (EPC Score) 0.8 Properties > 5000 square meter have a BREEAM Excellent or LEED Platinum certificate at the stage of completion (oplevercertificaat). Properties < 5000 square meter have an indicative BREEAM Excellent or LEED Platinum rating. A public transport hub of both bus and rail is available within 1000 meters. The property is suitable for multiple tenants, or can be easily adapted to suit multiple tenants. In case a property > 5000 square meter is developed in an area which has a vacancy rate above 10%, this must be compensated by redeveloping or deconstructing the exact amount of square meters which are to be added by the new build development from the existing stock of vacant buildings in the area. Existing offices: Energy index score 1,8 ( or existing <2015 energy label class minimum C) The property has an indicative BREEAM In-use Good rating on (1) asset, (2) building management, and (3) occupier management. A public transport hub of both bus and rail is available within 1000 meters. The property is suitable for multiple tenants, or can be easily adapted to suit multiple tenants. The CO2 footprint, energy usage, water usage are measured and managed, along with tenant (customer) satisfaction. Existing office portfolios: The portfolio has an indicative BREEAM In-use Good rating on (1) asset, (2) building management, and (3) occupier management.
Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate 4 6 B) Sustainability standards for retail property Energy Performance Certificate Score (EPC Score) 1.7 Properties > 5000 square meter have a BREEAM Very good or LEED Gold certificate at the stage of completion (oplevercertificaat). Properties < 5000 square meter have an indicative BREEAM Very good or LEED Gold rating. The property can be easily adapted to the needs of future tenants. In case a property > 5000 square meter is developed in an area which has a vacancy rate above 10%, this must be compensated by redeveloping or deconstructing the exact amount of square meters which are to be added by the new build development from the existing stock of vacant buildings in the area. Existing retail property: Energy index score 1,8 ( or existing <2015 energy label class minimum C) The property has an indicative BREEAM In-use Good rating on (1) asset, (2) building management, and (3) occupier management. The property can be easily adapted to the needs of future tenants. The CO2 footprint, energy usage, water usage are measured and managed, along with tenant (customer) satisfaction. Existing retail portfolios: C) Sustainability standards for residential real estate Energy Performance Certificate Score (EPC Score) 0.4 Existing residential portfolios:
Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate 5 6 D) Sustainability standards for industrial real estate Energy Performance Certificate Score (EPC Score) 1.7 Properties > 5000 square meter have a BREEAM Very good or LEED Gold certificate at the stage of completion (oplevercertificaat). Properties < 5000 square meter have an indicative BREEAM Very good or LEED Gold rating. The property is suitable for multiple tenants, or can be easily adapted to suit multiple tenants. Existing industrial real estate: Energy index score 1,8 ( or existing <2015 energy label class minimum C) The property can be easily adapted to the needs of future tenants (evidenced by obtaining a score of at least 60% on the BREEAM tool for flexibility (adaptief vermogen)). The CO2 footprint, energy usage, water usage are measured and managed, along with tenant (customer) satisfaction. Existing residential portfolios: How does ABN AMRO put its standards into practice? In accordance with its Sustainability Risk Policy for Lending ABN AMRO puts its sustainability standards into practice through the following four steps: (1) screening and risk determination, (2) assessment, (3) approval, and (4) monitoring. The first step consists of screening and risk determination. The client s activities are screened for embargoed matters on the bank s exclusion list. Following the standard procedure, the client is also screened on anti-corruption, tax, and good governance issues. Subsequently, the bank determines which sustainability standards are applicable to the client and transaction by means of its sector specific sustainability policies. The sustainability standards outlined in this policy summary are applicable to all clients in the Commercial Real Estate sector. The second step is the assessment of the client s sustainability performance by means of due diligence procedures and sustainability questionnaires based on this policy. The bank s standards described in this policy form the minimum requirements and benchmark criteria against which the client s sustainability performance is assessed. The purpose of this step is twofold: (1) to assess whether the sustainability aspects relevant for commercial real estate (on client and/or on real estate asset level) are adequately managed by the client and to identify any gaps that need to be addressed; and (2) to compare the sustainability performance of clients with best practices in their client group. The third step is the approval of the transaction from a sustainability risk management perspective. The outcome of the sustainability questionnaires will provide the basis for determining whether the client has the requisite commitment and capacity to adequately manage the sustainability aspects relevant for commercial
Sustainability policy for Commercial Real Estate 6 6 real estate (on client and/or on real estate asset level), and will be taken into account in our engagement and credit decisions. Where a client s approach to the management of sustainability aspects within its own company and/or real estate asset(s) does not yet meet the minimum requirements, ABN AMRO will view the client s commitment to sustainability and the client s willingness to make improvements, within a mutually acceptable time frame, as important elements of the final decision to proceed with the engagement. The fourth step is monitoring. ABN AMRO has standard procedures in place to monitor the client s sustainability performance. Special focus is placed on clients with a sustainability performance that is subject to improvement. ABN AMRO monitors the client s compliance with the bank s conditions and mutually agreed measures, for as long as the bank maintains a financial interest in the transaction.