Under the Lens: Five Ideas From EXPO REAL 2024

Five take-away ideas about the future of real estate from five industry professionals and stakeholders

EXPO REAL is a hard-to-miss real estate tradition. Every October, this conference welcomes 40,0000 participants from 75 countries to Munich, not for Octoberfest, but to delve into the current state of affairs of the real estate sector and how we can grasp trends to better shape its future. In this Under the Lens, we turn to five different real estate perspectives to get some of their take-away ideas from the event.

1. Susanne Eickermann-Riepe FRICS, Chair of the European World Regional Board RICS
Tough terrain to crystalise a new kind of business and new priorities

“Lots of conversations, few deals. It is a challenging time for the industry, but the reality of the necessary transformation has been accepted. This helps to identify opportunities and risks and to develop new solutions. It is very clear that climate change requires new strategies and products, that social issues must be integrated, and that innovation and new technologies must be promoted and that nature-based solutions will also play a role.

Of course, there are complaints about the expense of new standards and obligations, but without a purpose and transparency, it will be difficult to convince financiers, investors and tenants. Those who have already set out on this path will very quickly recognise the business advantages.”

2. Filip Kozák, Director Corporate Real Estate CEE for DHL
Carbon neutral buildings: no-longer a novelty but a recognised and valued solution

“I’m pleased to see that, for the first time, the broader real estate community is not only recognising the importance of having carbon-neutral buildings in their portfolios but also understanding the tangible benefits this brings to tenants. In the past, while landlords, funds, and banks would praise ESG initiatives and carbon neutrality, they often shifted the costs of these upgrades onto tenants.

Now, this has changed. There is a growing recognition that ESG upgrades provide clear financial benefits, and the significant costs involved should be shared more equitably across the entire community. Personally, I have spent the last two years advocating for this very point, explaining the importance of a collaborative approach to sustainability. It’s encouraging to finally see this shift in mindset, with the industry beginning to understand the long-term value of shared responsibility in pursuing ESG goals.”

Read more about DHL’s journey to carbon-neutral operations in Czechia

3. Karel Stransky, CTP Business Development Director
To rent or to own? More occupiers choosing to rent, enabling better market agility

“At EXPO, I spoke with several of CTP’s occupiers and listened to the ‘SWOTs’ they’re currently confronted with and how CTP can help them react. What we heard from clients, particularly in the retail area, is they’re preparing for an uptake in 2025-2026, therefore they need to scale up their footprint. This in turn has a ripple effect on their 3PL partners and more of CTP’s clients.

To scale-up and better focus on their business, occupiers are shifting away from ownership to leasing. This gives them more flexibility and ability to act fast. This also frees up their capital and in the same stride, they can lean on us, to help meet growing needs for smarter, more holistic real estate solutions to meet ESG pressures and help optimise utility consumptions. This was also the case with a German client I talked with, which is a region that has especially traditionally been focused on owning their space.”

4. Adela Hradilova, CEO of the Moravian-Silesian Innovation Centre Ostrava/ MSIC – Moravskoslezské inovační centrum
Regional development and innovative transformation: it must have many facets

“Participation in Expo Real provided the Moravian-Silesian region with great opportunities to present how successfully the region has been undergoing transformation, elaborate on success stories and challenges in business-academia cooperation, and, last but not least, to emphasise the importance of the emerging start-up ecosystem.

Moreover, Expo Real represented a valuable chance to attract foreign investments, which in the past played a crucial role in the transformation of the Moravian-Silesian region to foster partnerships, and promote its real estate development projects on an international stage. The connections made at Expo Real could be crucial in driving future growth and ensuring the region’s competitiveness in the coming years.”

5. Thomas Gooßens, Energy Project Manager for CTP Deutschland & CTP Austria 
You can no longer spell real estate without energy

“Unstable costs, energy supply security, and the need to reduce CO2 emissions are driving occupiers to reassess their energy strategies more than ever before. In response, CTP is integrating energy solutions directly into our business model, positioning ourselves as not only developers and managers but also energy suppliers.

Our participation at EXPO presented a valuable opportunity to move this effort forward and engage with both new and existing EPC partners in key areas such as photovoltaic systems, charging infrastructure, and battery storage solutions. We also held meaningful discussions with partners regarding the marketing of our renewable energy and explored potential collaborations for the management of our metering points. Our priority remains building long-term partnerships and establishing strategic frameworks that enable our clients to meet both their short- and long-term goals.”

Read more our CTP’s Under the Lens series:

• Under the Lens: Industrial Construction Innovation with Piotr Flugel, Managing Director CTP Poland
• Under the Lens: Community Building with Petra Pivovarová, Head of Community Management CTP Czech Republic
• Under the Lens: Energy Utilisation Optimisation with Peter Janko, Head of Property Management CTP Slovakia
• Under the Lens: Leasing Vs. Owning with Ivan Pastier, Head of Business Development CTP Slovakia
• Under the Lens: Brownfields with Alex Hund, Managing Director CTP Germany