The Propcast
The Propcast, by Louisa Dickins, Co-founder of LMRE the leading Global Built Environment Recruitment Consultancy. The aim of the show is to introduce you to a PropTech innovator and discuss how their work has created a shift in focus when it comes to digitising the built environment. If you are interested in finding out more about PropTech, or applying for a job in this space or keen to know who the big players are that are moving and shaking the RE industry? We have you covered and will be bringing you an episode each week to connect you to the VCs, PropTech start-ups and real estate professionals from around the globe.
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Navigating Venture Success: Insights on Returns and Strategic Funds
02/14/2024
Navigating Venture Success: Insights on Returns and Strategic Funds
In the final episode of season 12 of The Propcast, Louisa is joined by , General Partner at Camber Creek, where they discuss how to set yourself on a path for the potential to create venture return, Camber Creek’s investment thesis, portfolio, their approach to investment and JB’s predictions for 2024. Jeffrey dives into the importance of a ‘less is more approach’ when it comes to investment, and how Camber Creek’s investment strategy is based around a ‘need to have’, rather than a ‘nice to have’ method, providing examples like Flex and Built whose products provide solutions to the challenges that tenants and landlords are facing in the US. Tune in to this episode to hear more about what 2024 has in store for the real estate technology space, as well as what JB’s ‘walking out’ song would be if he were to headline Coachella… Companies mentioned Shoutouts Episode Highlights We invest in exceptional entrepreneurs who are building companies that are changing how we interact with the built world – Jeffrey The way we always thought about fund size was we looked backwards. Not forwards. – Jeffrey We have this massive group of strategic limited partners, over 300 around the globe, whose reading points become the foundation layer of ‘these are the types of companies we need to look at’ – Jeffrey Key Takeaways How Camber Creek has created its investment theses from an initial investment hypothesis, and how they continue to utilise that to invest in the best companies within the real estate technology sphere. The two main questions that sparked Camber Creek’s investment thesis idea Camber Creek’s different funds, including its opportunity fund Jeffrey shares with us a bit more about some of their fastest growing companies, like Flex and the mission behind it The massive opportunity set for climate tech and carbon tech About our guests Jeffrey Berman Jeffrey Berman is a General Partner at Camber Creek. Jeffrey participates in all aspects of Camber Creek’s operations and portfolio management and serves on the boards of numerous Camber Creek portfolio companies. He has more than two decades of executive management experience and deeply rooted relationships in the startup, real estate, and venture capital ecosystems. Prior to Camber Creek, he was a Principal at one of the Washington, DC area’s largest privately held real estate development and management companies. Jeffrey has also been an active early-stage investor, backing more than three dozen startups, including Jackpocket, Kindbody, and Rappi. Camber Creek Camber Creek is a venture capital firm providing strategic value and capital to operating technology companies focused on the real estate market. Camber Creek contributes in a direct and significant way to the success of its portfolio companies by leveraging the real estate expertise, operating experience and portfolio of assets of its partners, investors, and advisors. Our investment team has investing, operating, and technology experience and expertise across a range of real estate businesses, including construction, property management, development, and leasing. Our investors own, operate and manage billions of square feet of real estate in the U.S., giving us a unique competitive advantage as an investor and value-added partner in the real estate technology space. The firm has ~$1bln AUM. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Climate Solutions in Real Estate: Tackling Risk, Affordability, and Insurance
02/06/2024
Climate Solutions in Real Estate: Tackling Risk, Affordability, and Insurance
In this episode of the Propcast, Louisa is joined by John Rogers, Chief Innovation Officer for CoreLogic and Kirby Brendsel, Flagstar Bank’s VP, Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Director, where they discuss all things climate and housing affordability, and the solutions that are out there to help solve the issues! John and Kirby explained the importance of providing data and analytics around climate risk to allow companies to measure the financial impact of climate change up to the year 2050, thus helping companies, cities, and governments to put in place mitigation plans. Tune into this episode to hear more about how climate solutions can help with mitigation, housing affordability and insurance, and how our guest’s collaboration create a rising tide that lifts all ships. Companies mentioned Episode Highlights My big advice for anyone would be that if you're passionate; follow your passion, go for the things that you want to do, or things that you can make a difference on, even on a small scale related to sustainability. – Kirby We provided something called ‘climate risk analytics’ which is an insight that allows companies to measure model and mitigate the financial impact of climate change – John It’s all about using data, improving your data, and capturing your data to make sound strategic decisions that helps you drive things forward – Kirby The chef scientist of NASA said to us that he’d never expected to get to this level of granularity in his lifetime – John Key Takeaways How Flagstar and CoreLogic are working together to help address the issue of climate change and housing affordability John explains the ‘average annual loss’ which CoreLogic provides that is a ratio of a building’s risk in terms of reconstruction costs, allowing companies to understand their financial risk Kirby explains how important the use of data is in making strategic decisions around climate and sustainability The opportunity in cities that have a high climate risk to use CoreLogic’s analytics platform The guests discuss the importance of educating people on the long term impact of climate change John discusses how the needs of CoreLogic’s customers change and how they accommodate for this About our guests John Rogers John Rogers holds the role of Chief Innovation Officer for CoreLogic and is responsible for the R&D. From driving new solutions that understand the impacts to the real estate economy due to climate change, to ground-breaking models that identify suitable land for affordable housing development, the R&D group tackles major housing issues and works with many clients across the housing industry to drive growth and mitigate risk on their book of business. Prior to joining CoreLogic, John was a Partner with IBM Global Business Services where he focused on the delivery of large multi-million transformational programs for the financial sector both in the United Kingdom and Australia. Prior to this, John worked as a consultant for Itim Consulting, a boutique management firm based in London. John’s primary role was as a program manager on a number of assignments delivering global solutions within retail, pharmaceuticals, logistics and information services industries. John earned a bachelor’s degree from University of Glasgow, United Kingdom in Aerospace Engineering. Company Summary: CoreLogic CoreLogic is a leading provider of property insights and innovative solutions, working to transform the property industry by putting people first. Using its network, scale, connectivity and technology, CoreLogic delivers faster, smarter, more human-centered experiences, that build better relationships, strengthen businesses, and create a more resilient societ y. For more information, please visit . Kirby Brendsel Kirby Brendsel is Flagstar Bank’s VP, Environmental, Social, & Governance (ESG) and Sustainability Director, where he leads Flagstar's strategic sustainability and initiatives and the company's goal to be a recognized global sustainability leader. He is coming from Welltower Inc.’s (a real estate investment trust) where he headed their award-winning strategic sustainability and ESG initiatives. Prior to joining Welltower in 2019, Mr. Brendsel worked at Nuveen as a Director of Responsible Investing. Before Nuveen, he served as Associate Director of Sustainability for Starwood Hotel & Resorts Worldwide, where he supported the strategy, integration and management of Starwood’s sustainability program and worked collaboratively with the community programs/Starwood Foundation team on CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategy and reporting. Previously, Mr. Brendsel consulted for Deloitte where he assisted in the creation of Deloitte’s Federal Sustainability practice and Diversity & Inclusion program. Mr. Brendsel’s other past roles include active-duty service as a Military Intelligence Corps Major in the U.S. Army. Mr. Brendsel graduated with distinction and honors from the College of William and Mary with a B.A. in Business and the Jones Graduate School of Management at Rice University with an M.B.A. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI), U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Green Associate (GA), and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. Mr. Brendsel was recently recognized as an Honoree for 2020 by Environment + Energy Leader’s annual "best of" list of environment and energy professionals - the E+E 100. Mr. Brendsel is active in his local community, where he has served on the Board of Directors of the Aspetuck Land Trust and Lachat Town Farm Commission as well as on the Town of Weston’s Sustainability Committee, Historical Society, and Conservation and Parks & Recreation Commissions. Company Summary: Flagstar New York Community Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York with regional headquarters in Troy, Michigan. At June 30, 2023, the Company had $118.8 billion of assets, $84.9 billion of loans, deposits of $88.5 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $11.1 billion. Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates 436 branches, including strong footholds in the Northeast and Midwest and exposure to high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast. Flagstar Mortgage operates nationally through a wholesale network of approximately 3,000 third-party mortgage originators. In addition, the Bank has 132 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses. New York Community Bancorp, Inc. has market-leading positions in several national businesses, including multi-family lending, mortgage origination and servicing, and warehouse lending. The Company is the 2nd largest multi-family portfolio lender in the country and the leading multi-family portfolio lender in the New York City market area, where it specializes in rent-regulated, non-luxury apartment buildings. Flagstar Mortgage is the 8th largest bank originator of residential mortgages for the 12-months ending June 30, 2023, while we are the industry's 5th largest sub-servicer of mortgage loans nationwide, servicing 1.6 million accounts with $426 billion in unpaid principal balances. Additionally, the Company is the 2nd largest mortgage warehouse lender nationally based on total commitments. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Renovation to Regulation: Charting a Course for Sustainable Innovation
11/14/2023
Renovation to Regulation: Charting a Course for Sustainable Innovation
In this week’s episode of the Propcast, Louisa is joined by , CEO and Founder of , and , GP and Founding Partner of where they discuss all things renovation, regulation and innovation. With 40% of emissions being used on buildings and 20% on materials, the guests delve into the short- and long-term costs of going carbon neutral and whether it is a realistic goal with today’s current economic climate. The guests discuss how an increase in sustainability pressure, paired with geopolitical instability and labour scarcity are a handful of the challenges that accompany reaching net zero targets. Emanuel shares how the EcoWork’s product can help tackle key issues around scarcity of labour and materials from factories, whilst Mauricio discusses the trends he has seen with his portfolio companies in terms of increasing their sales. Companies mentioned Shoutouts , Previous episodes mentioned Episode Highlights Regulation is actually pushing for a lot of technology adoption in terms of higher requirements, and these requirements just make the processes much more complex, right? - Mauricio So they really tackle the 80 percent renewable energy goal for 2030 and they really decarbonize the heating system with good and aggressive regulations. - Emanuel The construction sector invests 1 percent in R&D and the housing sector 0.1%. So, they will not bring any transformation towards affordability and decarbonization. - Emanuel You do need regulators – to start pointing the marketing to the right direction, but you also want to keep competitiveness and ensure a free environment and a secure environment to make investments and to see the return of these investments. - Mauricio Investors and a lot of stakeholders are questioning whether this is the right moment to be investing in technologies or an economic turn that will potentially slow down the piece of adoption for technology - Mauricio Previous episodes mentioned Key Takeaways The use of circular building materials in helping companies reach net zero targets The need for common standards across Europe, as well as the challenges that this would bring due to difference in buildings and needs for each country The need for regulators to be very close to investors in sharing short term and long-term goals of decarbonisation and technology adoption How to position certain aspects of ESG to pitch to create sustainable competitive advantage for that company without changing the core of your business Emmanuel shares some advice about the German market for founders looking to expand The lack of construction companies in Germany About our guests Emanuel Heisenberg Emanuel Heisenberg studied history and economics in Munich and Cambridge. He has over 15 years of experience in setting up and developing companies for renewable energies and ESCO and has contributed to more than 50 energy projects. His international network includes numerous funds, utility companies, IPPs, entrepreneurs, and research institutions. After founding a contracting and geothermal energy company, he established ecoworks in 2019, introducing the concept of serial renovation to Germany. An initial pilot project in Hameln proved challenging but was also a significant success. The renovated buildings there have demonstrably achieved NetZero levels. In addition to his role as CEO and founder, he is also active as a speaker and expert in energy and climate policy, advising the German federal government, companies, and private equity funds in the fields of heating and energy efficiency. In 2020, together with journalist Georg Diez, he co-wrote a book on the significance of technology in reinventing democracy (Power To The People: How We Reinvent Democracy with Technology). Ecoworks ecoworks develops end-to-end software and prefabricated elements to turn apartment buildings with significant renovation backlog into attractive and climate-neutral living spaces in just a few weeks. In this way, the company is making a significant contribution to rapidly reducing emissions in the building sector and the dependence on fossil fuels. ecoworks is an innovation leader in a market that will unleash enormous investment volumes in the wake of national and European legislative initiatives and rising energy and CO2 prices. Around 45 million residential units in Europe are located in buildings with the worst energy ratings. In addition to regulation, these will be particularly burdened by high CO2 prices, which will become mandatory for the building sector soon. Comparable regulations are already planned or in effect in parts of the US and Asia. The Berlin-based company developed the technology in Germany and is currently bringing it to the mass market with several projects. The company is considered one of the most innovative providers of Climate Tech in the building sector worldwide. Mauricio Weiss Mauricio is GP and Founding Partner of Zacua Ventures, a global Venture Capital fund focused in the construction industry. Mauricio works closely with entrepreneurs in the industry to support the adoption of new technologies and improve productivity and sustainability on construction projects. His background working in a large construction company first and at the CVC of Cemex later taught him what is needed for a successful implementation of technology and the right approach for startups engaging large corporates. Zacua Ventures Zacua Ventures is an early stage fund focused on the Built Environment. With three GPs based in San Francisco, Madrid and Singapore, the fund has a global focus and each of the founders come with a proven track record, having led 30+ investments in the corporate funds in Cemex Ventures and HILTI. The fund has raise over $55m USD, to invest in Pre-Seed to Series A startups that focus on 3 main areas in the construction industry: Sustainability, Enhanced Productivity & Safety and Urbanization Solutions. About Our Host is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Navigating the PropTech Landscape: Successes, Challenges, and Global Trends
11/07/2023
Navigating the PropTech Landscape: Successes, Challenges, and Global Trends
In this episode of the Propcast, is joined by , Founder & CEO at , , Director of Operational Technology at and , Head of Development in Singapore at . The guests help unravel the macro and micro trends, as well as the challenges that the industry is seeing in selecting and implementing technology. This episode provides a global view of PropTech from various perspectives, providing valuable insight into the opportunities as well as challenges that the industry currently faces. Arie discusses some of the successes as well as mistakes he made whilst expanding across 30 countries, Bayron explores the impact the pandemic had on the use of technology within buildings, and Richard dives into his role at Lendlease and what he has seen on the development side of the industry. Episode Highlights The importance of getting employees back to the office and how this can be done effectively The differences in markets based on geography The reasons why Europe is ahead of other regions in its adoption of technology The challenges in innovation and adoption of technology in the US versus the Asia-Pacific region Cybersecurity and the financial implications of data breaches Key Takeaways Our purpose is to be able to lease space out and do that effectively by providing our tenantes the best quality of technology we have available, but also the best experience - Bayron We’re looking to the future to make sure that we’re relevant, not just today, but 10 years from now. And that’s in our DNA – Arie The pandemic put us in a space where a lot of people went back and looked at the technology to try and figure out what is really needed – Bayron You have to think a lot in the future, and you have to predict where you think the future is going with technology - Richard About our guests Arie Barendrecht Arie is the founder and CEO of WiredScore, the pioneer behind the international WiredScore certification system that evaluates and distinguishes best-in-class Internet connectivity in commercial buildings. Prior to founding WiredScore, Arie worked as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in New York City where he focused on the technology and media industries. Arie holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA and BS in Business and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. WiredScore At WiredScore, our mission is to make the world's buildings smarter and better connected. We believe everyone should be empowered by technology, wherever they are. At WiredScore, our mission is to make the world's buildings smarter and better connected. A champion of cutting-edge technology in real estate, WiredScore defines and certifies digital connectivity and smart technology in homes and offices on a global scale, ensuring that buildings provide the best-in-class infrastructure that businesses and individuals require to thrive. Bayron Pineda Bayron Lopez Pineda is the Director of Operational Technology at Kilroy Realty responsible for managing and innovating smart buildings systems. He helps determine policies and processes from security, maintenance, and growth to increase building efficiency and tenant experience. He has over a decade in the Commercial Real Estate sector and is a Founding Fellow of the Control Systems Cyber Security Association International. He is also a Graduate Student at Georgetown University, School of Continuing Studies pursuing a Masters in Technology Management. Kilroy Realty Corporation With over 14 million square feet in our portfolio spanning five distinct regions, we have built deep experience within vibrant commercial real estate markets. We put our experience to service a range of dynamic industries over an ever-evolving business landscape. Our primary goal is to provide premium, adaptable, and productive work environments for a wide range of industries, including technology, media, life science, entertainment, and professional services. We create dynamic work environments that support our clients’ businesses, with standards that include indoor and outdoor common spaces, flexible floor plates and adaptable office plans, and of course, state-of-the-art infrastructure and amenities. Our approach is centered around our clients’ successes, and we focus on the features that increase productivity and employee retention. Richard Paine Richard has worked in the property industry for over 36 years and across multiple property sectors, geographies and in multiple functional roles. Richard has had leadership positions in Construction, Property Development and in Property Operation and Funds management. Richard currently leads the Lendlease development business in Singapore overseeing $5bn worth of property developments. He is passionate about creating globally significant assets and specifically about sustainability, placemaking, health & wellbeing, digitisation and moving the industry forward. Lendlease Lendlease is a globally integrated real estate group with operations in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States. Lendlease is renowned for world class developments and creating places where communities thrive. Lendlease is a developer, an investment manager, and a builder. The combination of these three segments provides it with a sustainable competitive advantage in delivering innovative integrated solutions for our customers. About Our Host is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Special Edition: Blueprint 2023 - Building a Digital Future in Construction
10/24/2023
Special Edition: Blueprint 2023 - Building a Digital Future in Construction
In this bonus episode of the Propcast, is at Blueprint in Las Vegas, where she is joined by , Managing Partner and Founder at , where they explore why the construction space has been slow to adopt technology, the startups that are leading the way in digitalisation, and Julieta dives into the community. Women in Construction Tech is dedicated to empowering female founders, investors, and adopters to help create opportunities, and develop relationships for women driving innovation in the construction industry. Julieta explains some of the DEI trends she predicts to take full flow in the next 18 months and how she hopes to see more and more women coming into the construction space. Companies mentioned Shoutouts Episode Highlights Julieta talks us through her journey into the construction space They discuss why the construction industry is so under-digitalised compared to that of other sectors. The lack of adoption of technology past Series B Julieta’s experience in the VC space The ‘missing middle’ that is the biggest barrier to technology adoption in construction The Women in ConTech platform and their mission Key Takeaways That's when I realized that in order for you to actually be able to adopt technology in the space, you need to have a catalytic pilot project – Julieta It's one of the largest markets in the world in terms of its value, yet least digitized. – Julieta But I think what's going to be even more interesting is solutions that are integrating together and bringing a lot of these point solutions together – Julieta About our guest Julieta Moradei Julieta is the Managing Partner of the recently launched Overlay Capital Build. Overlay Build is part of the asset manager, Overlay Capital. Overlay Build is a consultancy working to accelerate adoption of critical digital transformation technologies in the built environment by connecting innovative technologies with adopters. We specialize in advising technology adopters with significant real estate holdings like multinational corporates, contractors and real estate developers in need of innovative digital technology solutions. We can help you identify solutions that can address their project needs, develop adoption and implementation strategies at an organizational and project level, and track financial and impact ROI of technologies. Julieta is a structural engineer and architect, turned social entrepreneur, and venture capitalist investing in early-stage startups mitigating the biggest barriers in the built environment. Her unique path from technical design to VC, has led her to hyperfocus on innovation in the construction industry, and empowering entrepreneurs through catalytic partnerships for the past decade. Her career path ranges from technical engineering to venture capital: from structural engineering at Disney and Arup, to creating an R&D team to mitigate the biggest barriers in the housing crisis, to then launching and managing a venture capital firm investing in construction technology. As a founding member and former Partner of Hometeam Ventures, Julieta launched, fundraised, and managed operations of the venture fund investing in early-stage start-ups bringing breakthrough technology to the world's largest - but least innovative - industries: construction and housing. This was a spin-off from New Story Homes (YCombinator) where she kickstarted and led as Head of R&D. New Story Homes built over 3,000 homes across Latin America, and in 2018, invested in ICON and built the world's first 3D printed housing technology; in 2022, ICON raised its Series B with a $2B valuation and has partnerships with NASA, HUD, etc. Her passion is to pursue impact-driven projects through innovation and entrepreneurship to digitize the built environment. She has an M.S. in structural engineering from UC Berkeley, a bachelor’s in structural engineering and architecture, and a research assistant in Boston, Berkeley, and Switzerland. Her academic and industry research in AEC is focused on circular economy, virtual reality, automated drone inspection, resiliency, and sustainability. Julieta is passionate about bridging the gap between architecture, engineering, and construction through collaborative design to maximize innovation for social impact and climate change. If you would like to learn more, feel free to send me a message or email me at . Overlay Capital Overlay Capital is an US-based asset manager investing in venture and private equity across the sustainable technology spectrum from innovation to infrastructure, with a focus on overlooked and hard-to-access opportunities. We seek to capture the opportunity driving the mega-trend toward sustainable technologies that will reshape industries and propel our economy for decades to come, with a commitment to superior risk-adjusted returns. For more information, please visit us at . About our host Tabitha Francis Tabitha spearheads all multifamily and residential related recruitment across North America at LMRE which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy. Tabitha has worked with clients from pre-seed to Post IPO, on searches from entry level to C Suite. Since she started 2.5 years ago, the North American Client base has gone from 25 to 100+ and they now have a successful series of 'Built Environment Bulletins' showcasing growing businesses and innovative products and platforms in the space
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How Contech & PropTech is revolutionising MENA real estate and allowing economic diversification
10/17/2023
How Contech & PropTech is revolutionising MENA real estate and allowing economic diversification
A recent Deloitte report cited the Middle East real estate market is projected to expand by up to 111% in the next five years. In this episode of the Propcast, Louisa was joined by Anas Bataw and Prakash Senghani, Co-Founder and CEO at Navatech Group. They discuss the vast opportunities for innovation and growth through technology in the Middle East, the geographical advantage that has put the MENA region at the forefront of smart technology adoption and urban development, and the huge appetite for digitalisation that the guests have seen in the last few years. Tune in to hear about examples of some of the technologies being used in the Middle East that are leading the way in revolutionising MENA real estate, as well as some of the challenges that come alongside this diversification. If you are interested in learning more about how construction technology and PropTech is revolutionising MENA real estate, this episode is not one to miss! Companies Mentioned Episode Highlights The huge appetite for digitalisation in the middle east Prakash’s journey from the corporate world into building his own start-up Anas’ experience in the COP28 committee and the push to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions The growth areas that Prakash has seen within construction over the past five years and what we should be watching out for in the future Prakash talks us through some of the stand-out technologies being used in the Middle East The Middle East’s geographical advantage and its wide talent pool Anas explains how having a clear strategy is so important Key Takeaways The pros are that you’re involved in large projects and that there’s a push towards technologies and innovations, and people really want to challenge the current status of what we have – Anas I wanted to use artificial intelligence and particularly chatbots to help do things in construction, and one of those things was safety – Prakash The complexion of the people working in the construction industry is going to change massively – Anas Changing something is always more difficult than planning for the way that you want it in the first place - Prakash About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Exploring the Value of Drones: Eyes in the Sky
10/03/2023
Exploring the Value of Drones: Eyes in the Sky
In this episode of the Propcast, host explores the value of drones with , CEO and co-founder of , and , Director of Operational Excellence at . They explore how drones have become widely accessible in recent years, providing a bird's eye view of job sites and delivering structured, detailed data to enhance safety and efficiency. Mike shares how DroneDeploy has gained over 5,000 customers worldwide, revolutionising the way businesses operate in sectors like oil, gas, and construction. David emphasizes the importance of finding the right technology solution to maximize efficiency and productivity. Despite market challenges and budget cuts, this episode highlights how businesses who are embracing forward-thinking technology will thrive in the future. Tune in to hear how drones are shaping the digital future of smart buildings and beyond. Companies mentionned Episode Highlights The benefits of using drones for aerial data capture The use of drones in various industries, including construction, oil, gas and solar energy The growth and success of DroneDeploy, with over 5,000 customers worldwide David’s experience using DroneDeploy's technology to improve construction processes and identify potential issues early on The importance of finding the right technology solutions and being open-minded to adopting new technologies in the construction industry The future of automation in the drone industry, and the future of DroneDeploy Key Takeaways While technology investments may seem expensive at first, the value lies in the ability to catch and resolve problems early, saving time and money in the long run. - David Already we have a vision that every job site should be digitized. And if we can do that, we will enable all the workers to really understand what's going on and help them do their job more safely and more effectively. - Mike The use of technology, such as drones and 3D scanners, allows for accurate verification of construction elements like sleeves in concrete, reducing the risk of costly mistakes and schedule delays. - David The adoption of technology in the construction industry is receptive, with companies like Stiles Construction being open to exploring new tools and solutions to improve efficiency and mitigate risks. - Mike Stiles Construction values trust and reliability in technology providers, and they have found DroneDeploy to be a great partner in bringing new tools and solutions to the table. - David The future of drones in the construction industry is promising, with the expectation that every major job site will have a drone in the next five years. - Mike About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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How to future proof your portfolio & your culture
09/26/2023
How to future proof your portfolio & your culture
In this episode of the Propcast, host discusses how to future proof your portfolio and nurture a robust company culture with , co-founder of , and , SVP and Chief Digital Strategy Officer of . They explore how a change in people and culture can help address the pace of innovation and, ultimately, impact profitability, efficiency and sustainability. Edi shares how a small building operating system can transform the way real estate is managed and experienced. Ilene dives deep into how two very different types of businesses can facilitate a healthy, inclusive, and innovative culture, as well as a strong partnership. The episode highlights the importance of collaboration, agility, and diversity in driving change and successfully navigating the evolving landscape of the real estate industry. Tune in to hear innovative strategies for future-proofing real estate portfolios and cultivating a dynamic company culture. Shout outs , Executive Director - Global CIO Office at PGIM Real Estate , Head of Client Delivery for Europe, Asia Pacific & Latin America at PGIM Real Estate Episode Highlights Edi and Ilene’s common mission of driving change and innovation in the real estate industry How KODE Labs and Hines have created a successful partnership A cloud-based smart building operating system, and the significance of data in driving efficiency and innovation How flexible and diverse cultures foster innovation and collaboration The importance of a listen-first mentality, cultural contribution and diversity of thought What the future holds for KODE Labs, Hines and the wider real estate industry Key Takeaways The real estate space functions completely differently from anything else around us. Our view is that it needed to get on par with everybody else with all the other industries. - Edi One of the reasons that did away with the word ‘innovation’ is because the mindset of Hines is that we're constantly innovating. - Ilene We're big believers that if automotive companies can make autonomous moving vehicles, then standing buildings can be autonomous as well. - Edi We have an aging industry of people at buildings that are going to retire. You have to meet the people where they're at. You need to think to yourself, what am I doing differently in the real estate industry to attract some of these people? - Ilene What we've done over the last six years is that we're now in thousands of buildings, and what we'll do over the next six years, is that we’ll be hopefully in hundreds of thousands of buildings. – Edi About Our Host - Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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The Future of Work: Smart Buildings and Designing for Diversity
09/20/2023
The Future of Work: Smart Buildings and Designing for Diversity
Did you know that office temperatures can affect cognitive performance? This episode of the Propcast explores the concept of creating smart and empathetic buildings, addressing crucial topics like gender bias, neurodiversity, and office space design. Host Louisa Dickins speaks with two pioneers developing innovative solutions for workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction, , Chief Product Officer at , and , CEO of , who share insights into their companies' growth and trends in the smart building space. The conversation extended to the evolving preferences of the modern workforce, with Ken emphasizing the value of offering options like warmer zones or quiet spaces to create a more inclusive and productive environment, and Dan sharing how Smart Spaces uses data-driven design to address these challenges, giving people the flexibility they need while avoiding tokenism. Tune in for an exciting discussion on smart buildings, inclusive workplaces, and the evolving needs of today's workforce. Shoutouts , Author of The Healthy Office Revolution Episode Highlights Ken’s journey from consulting in energy and sustainability to working in the field of smart buildings The evolution of Smart Spaces from providing meeting room booking software to offering smart building solutions "Hotelification" of offices, where offices aim to provide amenities and experiences better than home to attract employees back to the office Why personalization in office environments is crucial to cater to different needs, preferences, and neurodiversity The evolving workforce, including the great resignation and changing employee expectations The growth of PropTech in the Nordic region The importance of educating end-users about energy consumption to achieve sustainability goals Key Takeaways Our purpose at Smart Spaces is optimizing environments for the people and the planet. - Dan We allow the organization to create beautiful spaces, communicate that they exist, and measure if it's popular enough. - Ken It's about offering people personalization. You want to create the future workplace where everyone wants to work. - Dan Yes, there is a gender bias. There's a brilliant article called Battle for the Thermostat that really talks about how female employees in office buildings would prefer maybe two degrees warmer. – Ken About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the Co-Founder of , which has rapidly become the market-leading global built environment recruitment platform and search consultancy, specializing in finding the best strategic talent for the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe, Asia-Pacific and MENA. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast ‘The Propcast’ where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation.
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Season 12 Of The Propcast Is Finally Here!
09/14/2023
Season 12 Of The Propcast Is Finally Here!
Following yet another fantastic response for our ConTech-focused 11th season, we are thrilled to unveil what we have planned for the upcoming season! As the demand for secure, energy-efficient developments continues to soar, the number of smart buildings worldwide is projected to climb from 45 million to 115 million by 2026. This is why for season 12 of the Propcast we are focusing on all things ‘smart’, where I will be joined by some of the leading Smart Building companies in the space, featuring the likes of Kode Labs, Haltian, Drone Deploy, Smart Spaces, and many, many more! Make sure to subscribe to the Propcast and leave us a 5* rating for this season - you’ll not want to miss it! About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America, MENA and Asia-Pacific.
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The Construction Industry Is Ready. Are You?
04/18/2023
The Construction Industry Is Ready. Are You?
In the tenth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , CEO and Co-Founder of and , Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Episode Highlights: • The founding story of Versatile and their vision • What Turner Construction are trying to achieve for the industry and the synergies they have with Versatile • Key challenges with innovation adoption within the sector • The work they are doing to empower people working in construction • Where Meirav has seen the biggest growth in their product • Pressing issues in construction that James wants to try and resolve • How robotics can be implemented into the industry • Making the industry appealing to the future workforce • How they work on making products that will make people’s jobs and change management easier • The different partnerships Turner Construction have and the reasons behind them • The Entrepreneur and Residence Program that Turner Construction have set up Resources: • • • • • Key Takeaways: • We put the data that we believe is most critical in the hands of the people who build. - Meirav • Productivity is everything to us in construction. We're trying to get more work in place with fewer people and that's how you drive schedules, that's how you drive cost savings. That's how you improve. - James • Evaluating and deploying solutions is working at the pace of change that people are comfortable with. - James • We're facing a huge issue with a lack of skilled labour. We have an ageing workforce that’s retiring and it's not being replaced. - James • When Venture capitalists told me that the industry is laggard and antiquated and simply not a good investment, because it's not going to adapt fast enough, I said, it's the second largest industry in the world. It's right for innovation, it needs it. - Meirav • I think the worst thing you can have is incredibly bright, talented people wasting 2, 3, 4, 5 years of their life producing a solution that nobody wants. It's probably the greatest waste of human talent you can imagine. So that's why the whole program was born. - James About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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The New Technologies Working To Address Key Climate & Housing Challenges
04/11/2023
The New Technologies Working To Address Key Climate & Housing Challenges
In the ninth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by Investment Manager at , , Co-Founder & CEO at and , CEO at . Episode Highlights: • The work that each of the businesses do and how they collaborate • The work HiiROC are doing to try and make hydrogen more affordable • The main issues currently facing the construction industry and the work being undertaken to try and find solutions • How these issues can impair innovation and make the industry quite risk averse • The work Modulous are doing on ESG • The challenge with bringing new talent into the industry who can help drive innovation and technology adoption Why it can take longer to see the rollout of new technologies within the space The different speed of innovation adoption across the industry and the frustrations this can cause • The investments CEMEX are making in companies working on green construction • The issues with supply/ delivery of materials and the work CEMEX are doing to try and resolve this • The future they all see for construction Resources: • • • • • • • • • Key Takeaways: • CEMEX have been amazing for us through this process because they're thought leaders in their space. They have great views on how the industry can be changed and that's something that we're very keen to help facilitate. Our vision is to help solve the housing crisis while protecting the planet. - Chris • We are rolling out the production of hydrogen, but we're working with partners like CEMEX to say how do we use it in the right setting? So how do you use it to produce cement? How do you use it to produce steel or for transport? - Tim • We can only tackle the challenges our industry are facing, and I want to emphasise on that, if we industry players collaborate to build a better future. - Mateo • We're continually looking at both the physical product and the carbon content of that product. And until you understand the carbon content, it's very difficult to drive change, to improve that, or to be able to track it and understand exactly what level of carbon is, in our instance being put in our buildings. - Chris • It’s a very tight margin business. Therefore, when you look at cement or steel and the like to suddenly introduce a much higher energy cost because you're using hydrogen, not natural gas or whatever else is nigh on impossible. So we as technology providers have to provide the solution that makes it affordable. - Tim • I think the paces are also a little bit different. There's obviously a lot of innovations in terms of materials that are happening, but not necessarily there is an adoption on the job site right on construction. - Mateo • It's very inefficient and obviously materials are a large part of the construction budget. So from 40 to 60% depending on the country and it's highly inefficient. It's actually one of the biggest reasons for delays in construction. - Mateo About Our Guests: Mateo Zimmermann Mateo Zimmermann is Investment Manager at CEMEX Ventures, responsible for the Corporate Venture Capital Investments in startups in the Construction technology space. Before joining CEMEX Ventures, Mateo worked at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) from 2013 to 2017 as a Management Consultant, where he promoted to Project Leader. He previously worked at StepOne as an Advisor for startups and corporates in their Digital Strategies. Before that he worked as an Investment Analyst in Private Equity and Corporate Debt at the Asset Management division of Arcano. He also worked for UBS and Electrolux Group. Mateo has a double degree in Engineering and Management. He graduated as MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management at Technische Universität Berlin (Germany) and obtained a Master in Management at ESCP Europe (Paris, France). He was born in Madrid (Spain) and has both the Spanish and German citizenship. CEMEX Ventures The global economy has endured a tough 2022. With decades-high inflation sapping post-lockdown spending and pushing central banks to hike borrowing costs at an unprecedented clip to bring it under control. Yet despite poor projections and an overall decline in VC funding, 2023 represents an optimistic year for startups in the ConTech sector. Predictions point to trailblazing new technologies and business models entering the industry to improve sustainability and reduce the global carbon footprint. That’s why CEMEX Ventures, the corporate venture capital and open innovation unit of CEMEX, goes beyond simply investing. Since 2017, CEMEX Ventures develops relationships between entrepreneurs, investors, CEMEX, and other corporations in order to revolutionize the construction industry as we know it today. Chris Bone Chris is CEO and co-founder of Modulous, the construction technology company that was formed to address the global housing crisis while reducing the climate impact of real estate development. Chris has 25 years’ experience in the construction industry, having managed businesses across consulting, manufacturing, and construction. At Modulous he is responsible for all aspects of the company’s growth and development in the UK, Europe, and the USA. Modulous Modulous was founded in 2018 by a team of construction, technology, and manufacturing specialists to create an asset-light model for the design and delivery of sustainable homes. Its integrated digital and physical product suite is designed to make the whole construction cycle - from feasibility right through to delivery on site - more efficient and effective. Its software platform generates optimised schemes based on a Kit of Parts, which is manufactured within the supply chain, removing the need for dedicated factories. The Kit of Parts is a standardised set of assemblies providing a high-performance net-zero modular housing system, delivered in half the time of traditional housebuilding, with 70% less waste and 60% lower embodied carbon. Modulous has offices in London and Seattle and is the first globally scalable technology solution to address both the worldwide housing crisis and escalating climate emergency. Tim Davies Tim has held Chief Executive & Board roles across a variety of sectors including green-tech, retail & service-providers working with both corporates and start-ups. He has a proven track record of identifying and delivering new business opportunities and considerable value creation including 20 years’ experience working for PE & VC-backed businesses. Now, as CEO of HiiROC, Tim and his team have developed a technology with a potentially transformational impact on Climate Change. HiiROC A transformational new technology for affordable, clean hydrogen production using world leading proprietary plasma technology. HiiROC's Thermal Plasma Electrolysis (TPE) uses renewable (or grid) electricity to split hydrocarbons (biomethane, flare gas, natural gas, propane, etc) into zero-emission Hydrogen and inert solid Carbon Black (i.e. without producing CO2). TPE works at a fraction of the cost of Water Electrolysis, without the CO2 emissions of Steam Methane Reforming and is scalable from micro onsite (saving transport & storage costs) to industrial scale. The highly versatile technology is being piloted globally in 2023 across the hydrogen sectors from industrial decarbonisation to transport to grid blending and power management whilst also being used for flare gas mitigation and CO2 reduction using biomethane. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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Can New Technology Help The Construction Industry Stay Profitable?
04/04/2023
Can New Technology Help The Construction Industry Stay Profitable?
In the eighth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , CEO & Founder of and , President at Episode Highlights: • What was behind the creation of Kojo and the issues they believed they could resolve • What Kojo stands for • Common questions clients of Kojo want to have answered • The reasons why Dan’s company became customers of Kojo and the benefits they get from it • How Dan found introducing a new technology solution into the business that had been running since the 50’s • The impact the increase in the cost of materials is having on profitability • The different product changes that have occurred for Kojo and their future plans • What drives the development of different products and their roadmap • Other products Kojo integrates with • Trends Maria is seeing within the industry Resources: • • • • • Key Takeaways: • When we started Kojo back in 2018, the question that we were really obsessed with was how could we make the built environment faster, more efficient and less error prone to build? - Maria • In the last three years, with an extremely volatile supply chain and volatile material prices, the difference between being profitable and unprofitable can really come down to one project going well or going badly. - Maria • A big thing is pricing. We’ve seen huge savings. Because back in the day, my purchaser would've taken an order and called our favourite vendor and ordered the materials. Now we're sending it out if it's a smaller order, to three to four vendors and I can see on my dashboard the amount of savings between if we would've just gone with the one vendor. - Dan • So we take baby steps on anything we do, because people in construction are a little behind on, I'd say technology, but we don't want to be, not all of us. - Dan • We just had a customer who got an invoice for $12,000 that should have been $120 because the unit of measurement was off. And they said, that's the kind of thing that we could have just paid because we're getting thousands of invoices a month, and it's impossible for us to know that each one is being meticulously checked. - Maria About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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The Skills Gap: The Urgent Global Need For A Larger Skilled Workforce To Decarbonise Its Commercial Buildings
03/28/2023
The Skills Gap: The Urgent Global Need For A Larger Skilled Workforce To Decarbonise Its Commercial Buildings
In the seventh episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by Senior Policy and Programme Manager at and , Chief of Staff at Episode Highlights: • What the ‘Skills for Sustainable Skyline Taskforce’ is and the work they are doing • Why it is unusual to have a Chief of Staff role in the construction industry • The trends that Hannah has seen within the sector over the last few years • The workforce engagement campaign that Chris is helping to run to ensure they have the right people in key roles • Why we need a more joined up approach to engage schools when looking to bring the future workforce in • The misconceptions on what a career in the build environment is like • Creating a clearer path both into the industry and being able to retrain within the industry • The importance of addressing the skills gap • The current innovation trends within the sector Resources: • • • • • • • Shout outs: • • Key Takeaways: • I began my career as a primary school teacher, which gave me a real interest in how we can best equip our young people for the careers of tomorrow. - Chris • We're encouraging the existing workforce for the full project lifecycle of sustainable buildings to upskill, to reskill with those green skills that we've identified in the research, and also to attract a large cohort of diverse new entrants from untapped pools of talent, particularly looking at women, more young people, people from ethnic minority backgrounds into the build environment. - Chris • One of the first trends that I came across was how much our productivity improved during covid. - Hannah • We are the second highest paying sector in the UK. So if you think about people having lifelong careers and retraining, you could potentially retrain and come into construction, but still be as well paid or better paid than you might be in another sector. - Hannah • I think how we tap into those pools of talent, we need to look at developing a more flexible approach to work as well, which in practice is probably offering hybrid work. - Chris • We're going to need people who can work to those requirements, who can understand what that means for the construction process. So if you like it's not a hard sell. It's a sort of requirement to be able to function as a business going forward. So that's why for us, it's so important. - Hannah About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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How Can We Improve Project Efficiency And Accountability Within Construction?
03/21/2023
How Can We Improve Project Efficiency And Accountability Within Construction?
In the sixth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , VP Product Management and , Product Director who both work at Episode Highlights: How Geoffrey got involved in the PropTech sector from investment banking and a failed startup How the construction industry beginning to utilise new technologies sparked Tiffany’s desire to work in the sector and further train people to continue this adoption The trends they have seen with the growth of innovation The challenges with the increased adoption of technology with the construction industry and how they are working to overcome them Why Procore merged with Honest Buildings and the impact it had on business The value Procore brings to its customers The main differences they have found between working with general contractors and property owners The partnerships they are forming with other software providers and what they are trying to achieve with this The investment Procore is making into the pre-construction space and how this ties in with ESG Resources: Shout outs: Key Takeaways: So we really have seen over the 20 - 30 years that I've been in this industry, an evolution to utilise technology within construction. - Tiffany If they get in there and it's too hard to use or too hard to configure, they're just gonna throw up their hands and go back to Excel. - Geoffrey There's so many things we're seeing and utilising at Procore in terms of AI and ML and really driving data insights to owners. They're starting to see the value of utilising it across the platform because then they can make decisions on future projects based on how the last project went. - Tiffany The one thing I would say for founders out there, you know companies are bought, not sold. Procore's got to really want to purchase Honest buildings. You can't just go to them and say, hey, we're for sale, that's not gonna be something that gets a deal done. - Geoffrey Historically the tools have been built for these general contractors who are doing all the work and very much need software. But the owners who are holding all the risk, I think haven't necessarily availed themselves with the right tools to be able to really effectively manage that risk. - Geoffrey What's interesting is a lot of our most used integrations are things that are used across every industry, not just construction. - Tiffany About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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Reality Capture, AI & Analytics In Construction Technology
03/14/2023
Reality Capture, AI & Analytics In Construction Technology
In the fifth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , CEO at and , Vice President of Platform at . Episode Highlights: OpenSpace’s founding story How Jeevan and Parker initially met and started working together The concept behind Suffolk Technologies and the companies they invest into Open Space’s two products and the difference between them How OpenSpace overcame the challenges when scaling their products The broad challenges Parker sees startups facing with new products How product trends change based on geographical locations Parker’s investment predictions for 2023-24 Current macro trends and what this will mean for those ready to innovate and be tech forward The firms involved in the Suffolk Boost Accelerator Program Companies that are creating innovative solutions for sustainability What steps Open Space are taking to reduce the ‘eight waste’ on construction sites Resources: Shout outs: Key Takeaways: They started a company and sold it, and sure enough, they were working on a capture technology with these new 360 cameras. When I heard about it, I was like, you know, who could really use this? Building. - Jeevan Suffolk has trialled over 180 different tech solutions. We pride ourselves in being a very forward thinking general contractor who has a deep desire to innovate within the construction space. - Parker We’re building more and more stuff upon that. It all works because we have a simple capture product and I think we've captured something like 12 billion square feet, some big number. So it's a lot of data that allows us to make the system smarter and more useful for our customers. - Jeevan I think today we see a lot of companies that come in and maybe are naive or maybe just a bit out of touch with what some of the tech solutions in construction in particular would charge. And that can be a showstopper immediately, because the folks that you're selling to are still very focused on price and schedule, right? Those are the two main drivers in the construction industry. - Parker For us we're really focused on making sure that the founders feel comfortable at the valuation that they're at and not necessarily pumping it up just for the sake of having a larger valuation. - Parker We're at an innovate or die kind of portion of the life cycle right now where folks who are tech forward and are looking to see how they can do things better, faster, cheaper, safer, you know, those folks will emerge as the industry leaders, as a general contractor. - Parker We really prioritise reliability and speed and efficiency with our technology and we hope that allows our builder customers to do the same. - Jeevan About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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The Evolution Of Global Construction Technologies
03/07/2023
The Evolution Of Global Construction Technologies
In the fourth episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Director of Hilti Technology Office at and , GB and Founding Partner at , an early stage global VC specialised in investing in the Built Environment sector. Episode Highlights: How Antonia and Vivin both met whilst working at Hilti The Women in Construction Tech Group that Antonia has co-founded The events and chapters WCT are running How Zacua Ventures started and where the idea came from Vivin’s advice to founders looking to scale towards an exit The evolution Vivin believes early startups need to go through in order to be successful The challenges around digitising construction and how Antonia suggests these are addressed The importance of understanding what it’s actually like to work in construction when trying to build a solution Where Antonia and Vivin expect to see investment being made in 2023 The difference in investments between early stage and late stage The reasons why interest in Series B is quieter in terms of investment How construction technologies are helping with sustainability The technologies being developed to address prefabrication and modular construction Resources: Shout outs: Key Takeaways: And this is where the seeds of Zacua Ventures were sewn, right? We had built a network, we'd seen how hard corporate innovation is for a lot of corporates, and we are also invested in funds. - Vivin So a startup needs to be mindful of the exit options that they have. They shouldn't be driven by the exit itself. - Vivin I find that founders that spend a lot of time with customers in the field and in the office come up with the best solutions. Because they are observing workflows, testing solutions on the job site and otherwise learning how their solution can best serve their customers. - Antonia So women in construction tech, it's dedicated to creating opportunities and developing relationships for women driving innovation in the construction industry. We envision a construction industry where women are well networked, support each other, efforts to improve and advance in the space and otherwise. - Antonia We did a survey of 80 contact focused VCs and corporate VCs a couple of weeks back. Just a little bit of the industry, I would say, and it's positive. We do see more investment happening in this space. Pretty much 70% of the VCs we spoke to said they're going to increase their investment rather than decrease in this space. - Vivin I think everybody has a good view of how the market could look in the next 6, 12, 18 months. Even if it's not rosy, it's still more predictable than it was five months back. And therefore the deal flow should pick up slowly and the deal making should also pick up accordingly. - Vivin About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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How Is The Landscape Of Contech Investment Changing?
02/28/2023
How Is The Landscape Of Contech Investment Changing?
In the third episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Partner at , who invest in companies reshaping the way we design, build, operate and experience our built environment and , Vice President of Dawson Ventures at , whose goal is to advance early-stage technologies and offerings and support innovative startups. Episode Highlights: How Gregg as part of the Hilti Group invested in Building Ventures first funding round How they have now launched Fund 2 and the different strategic partners this will bring onboard The growth they have seen in the market and what it means for their organisation The synergies between Building Ventures and McKinstry and why they started working together as strategic partners The tagline that McKinstry work by and how that benefits their clients Why Dawson Ventures was created The stage and ticket size that both companies invest in and trends they follow The different areas of growth they are seeing, despite the economic situation The importance of having a go to market plan in the construction and proptech space Gregg and Matt’s ideas for generating more innovation and adoption within the industry Their view on the best ways to attract new talent into construction technologies The battle the industry has between efficiencies and innovation Resources: Shout outs: Key Takeaways: We appreciated as Hilti the ecosystem that Building Ventures brought, so we made an investment in mid 2018, alongside a whole number of strategic investors as part of Building Ventures first fund, which launched in 2018 as $53 million and placed 16 startup portfolio companies. - Gregg That's what we also represent as Building Ventures, looking at how do we create a fundamentally better built world? Not the transaction side of buying and selling and dividing buildings into crypto coins, but really creating a fundamentally better built world, connecting the historically disparate phases of the building lifecycle. - Gregg What that does for us here and certainly for our clients is it brings a suite of thinking and offering to drive that desire to how do we remove the waste and climate harm out of the environment through innovation, so that it has 60 years of operation. - Matt We believe by keeping really close to the industry, we can be very supportive. At the early seed stage, getting to know founders, making introductions, helping them think through strategically the problems. - Gregg This is not a one-time transaction. This is the start of a five to 10 year relationship through all of its ups and downs that we want to support our portfolio company. - Gregg So do we see a slowdown? Not at all. Are we continuing to invest in our own startups? Absolutely. - Matt About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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How To Reduce Risk & Plan, Bid & Build More Efficiently Through The Use Of Technology?
02/21/2023
How To Reduce Risk & Plan, Bid & Build More Efficiently Through The Use Of Technology?
In the second episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , the Founder and CEO of , the world’s first construction optioneering platform and , President of , a management consulting firm providing project controls and program management services. Episode Highlights: The founding story behind ALICE Technologies and the problems it was designed to solve The difference between the two products, ‘Alice Pre-Construction’ and ‘Alice Manage’ and their capabilities How Rene and Shane met and how they started working together How to use data to make better informed decisions The hesitancies the construction industry have around technology The issues they face and potential missed opportunities if they are brought in part way through a project, rather than the beginning Early innovators in the space and their impact on implementation and integration The biggest changes they have seen within the industry and what they predict over the next 20 years The importance of finding the right tool when trying to digitalise data to increase productivity Where they believe the skill gaps currently are in construction tech ALICE’s sustainability pledge Resources: Key Takeaways: What resources do you need to build to perform those tasks? That's the kind of information you give the system, and then the system generates 6 million different ways of building the project for you. - Rene I noticed that was one of the things that wasn't being leveraged; how can we use this data to make better informed decisions? -Shane A lot of times you're already 20 plus percent complete with a project, and there's a certain point where you can always minimise risk, minimise costs on a project, but as you progress on a project, the further you progress, you lose out on that opportunity. - Shane What's happening in construction today is what happened to manufacturing in the seventies and eighties. It's really becoming digitised. It's becoming integrated across the supply chain. - Rene I think that's one of the reasons why construction projects were plagued with delays, for decades and decades. It's because how do we fix that problem of being able to translate accurate data in its schedule, maintain it, and so ALICE takes care of that. - Shane The way that I perceive it is that one of the major skill gaps is that construction is getting converted into algorithmic terms. And so that's something that's relatively new. - Rene McKinsey article: over the last 20 years the industry as a whole has only only increased 1% in productivity. And the construction spending is about 13% of the world's GDP. And so you think about that, it's over 1.3 trillion in opportunity to try to leverage. - Shane About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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60-70% Of Construction Sites Are Still Using Pen & Paper! What Else Needs To Be Done?
02/14/2023
60-70% Of Construction Sites Are Still Using Pen & Paper! What Else Needs To Be Done?
In the first episode of Season 11 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , and , joint Co-Founders and Group CEO’s of . PlanRadar is a digital platform for construction documentation, task management and communication. It is currently used in over 65 markets and has 120,000 construction professionals as users. Ibrahim and Sander met at University and prior to PlanRadar founded other technology businesses together. Episode Highlights: Why they launched PlanRadar and the industry issues they were trying to solve Why they believe the construction industry is so under digitalised What helped them to achieve such rapid growth The decision making process behind why they move into certain regions How word of mouth is one of their most powerful business drivers How customer feedback dictates the development of the product Misunderstandings that can arise from conventional paper and pen usage Overcoming people’s hesitations with new technology Their aim to make the construction industry more ESG compliant The need for diversification within the industry to continue to drive growth and innovation Their future aspirations for PlanRadar Resources: Shout Outs: Key Takeaways: We decided to get on that mission to try to improve the lives of all the people out there on the construction sites and in the real estate projects. - Sander We have around 20,000 customers, which is a lot. But when you realise that there are around 2.5 million potential customers just in Europe, then it's nothing. - Sander But what PlanRadar has figured out throughout the last few years is to make the customisation level that every organisation requires, to really meet their own processes. - Ibrahim We hired last quarter, I think 134 new people. We plan to hire this quarter, 82 new people. So we're still growing. - Sander PlanRadar is a tool that everybody can now download from the App store or the Play store and just instantly use it and start adding value to their corporations. - Ibrahim The main lesson is if you want to build a successful company, it's all about the people that you hire. Because a good team can deliver good results. Simple as that. - Ibrahim About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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Season 11 Of The Propcast Is Finally Here!
02/08/2023
Season 11 Of The Propcast Is Finally Here!
We had an incredible response to the last season where we focused on ESG within Proptech. We wanted to follow up with something equally as exciting and we’re happy to announce a brand new focus for this season of the Propcast. This season we’ll be taking a deep dive into the exciting vertical of ConTech. Our host Louisa Dickens will be speaking with some brilliant leaders in the ConTech space over the next 10 episodes, sharing their industry insights on the trends in the market and their predictions for the future of Construction Technology. Make sure to subscribe to the Propcast and leave us a 5* rating for this season - you’ll not want to miss it! About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific.
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Strategy & Consulting Around Sustainability in ESG with Daniel Stephens & Farzana Huysman
11/15/2022
Strategy & Consulting Around Sustainability in ESG with Daniel Stephens & Farzana Huysman
Summary: In the final episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Senior Partner and , Junior Engagement Manager at . Daniel and Farzana share what their roles at McKinsey & Company involve and the risks and strategies they’re spending most of their time on. The guests discuss the common themes and questions they get asked by clients - including finance, real estate and insurance. In this episode you will hear about decarbonisation strategies McKinsey and Company have been focusing on and how their efforts compare to other organisations in the space. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: We’re shifting to a regime where insights into sustainability topics are shifting from voluntary to mandated - Daniel Hiring new talent is of course extremely important, but I believe that in a couple of years time everyone is going to need some level of proficiency on climate - Farzana The landscape is moving so fast and that's not something we’re used to in the real estate industry, therefore a different skill set is required to understand the technical solutions and how they can monetise - Daniel About Our Guests: Daniel Stephens: Daniel Stephens is a Senior Partner in McKinsey & Company’s Washington, D.C., office. He is the Global Co-leader of McKinsey’s Climate and ESG Finance Practice and serves financial institutions in North America and around the world on topics relating to credit risk, regulatory compliance, disclosures, reputational risk, and business building with respect to climate and ESG topics. Dan’s recent work includes standing up the climate risk program at a global trillionaire bank; conducting climate stress testing at a major North American bank; working with multiple banks on ESG and climate regulatory response; and building an ESG-led business model for a large global bank. Outside of ESG and climate, Dan serves a broad range of clients across the commercial financial services space, as well as several public finance entities, including financial regulators, government lending programs, and government distribution programs. Dan holds an A.B. in History from Princeton University and a J.D. with honours from Harvard Law School. He is a founding board member of Foster America, a not-for-profit that serves at-risk youth and child welfare agencies. Farzana Huysman: Farzana Huysman is a project manager in McKinsey & Company’s London office, where she focuses on serving financial institutions on sustainability, covering topics such as financing of decarbonisation and new green businesses, assessment and adaptation to physical climate risk, and de-risking the energy transition. Farzana’s recent work includes scaling transition finance capabilities at an emerging markets bank; supporting growth and innovation of climate solutions for a global insurance broker; and assessing implications of physical climate risk for a European property insurer. Beyond financial institutions, Farzana has supported strategy and digital transformation efforts for clients in life sciences and shipping. Farzana’s background is in engineering, with an MEng in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Cambridge, and previous work in building engineering. She co-leads the London office’s pro-bono support for a UK charity tackling global poverty. About McKinsey & Company: McKinsey & Company is a global management consulting firm. They are the trusted advisor to the world's leading businesses, governments, and institutions. They work with leading organisations across the private, public and social sectors. Their scale, scope, and knowledge allow them to address problems that no one else can. They have deep functional and industry expertise as well as breadth of geographical reach. They are passionate about taking on immense challenges that matter to their clients and, often, to the world. They work with their clients as they do with their colleagues. They build their capabilities and leadership skills at every level and every opportunity. They do this to help build internal support, get to real issues, and reach practical recommendations. They bring out the capabilities of clients to fully participate in the process and lead the ongoing work. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:03] Daniel: Can you tell us more about what your role is? I run our climate sustainable finance practice and a huge part of that is real estate finance. We work with big real estate investors, insurance firms and asset managers helping them answer how sustainability is going to impact their financing business and what they can do about it. [3:07] Farzana: Can you tell us what led you to McKinsey and what is your role? My background is in mechanical engineering but within McKinsey I work at the intersection of financial institutions and sustainability. So, essentially working with banks and insurers looking at how the sector can help to unlock the net zero transition. [4:27] Daniel: Are risks always visible in a portfolio and how do you assess risk when it comes down to climate? I like to think about what the financial impacts are in properties today and how they may manifest. We’re interested in things like whether the expectation of future physical risk causes potential buyers to devalue this property now, therefore the need to anticipate future impacts. [7:29] Farzana: What do you spend most of your time doing? Essentially, the bulk of the work I am focusing on is working with, for example banks, that have set net zero commitments and are trying to reduce their finance emissions. They can do this by either divesting any high emitting assets or lending that they’re doing or we can support them in investing in technologies that help to reduce the emissions of their existing assets. [9:49] Daniel: What are the risks associated with transitioning to net-zero? A change in public policy is one of the largest risks and it is not always foreseeable as they rely on political processes. Public policy can cause certain goods or services to rise in price and therefore be consumed less. [12:07] Farzana: Would you like to add anything to the risks associated with transitioning to net-zero? One of the big things to highlight is data, in order for a bank to work out their finance emissions they need to have a view of what the emissions linked to every asset are, and this requires a huge amount of data tracking. Another risk is choosing which technology they should invest in, this can vary from country to country and certain technologies are more advanced in certain markets. [15:34] Daniel: What strategies are clients going for when trying to balance rising energy prices, maintaining a profit and pushing forward to net-zero? There are firms across industries who haven't made sustainability commitments yet as they are waiting for regulatory landscapes to be more clear. Some may seem to not be doing much on the surface but they’re collecting all the data, identifying opportunities and becoming much smarter behind the scenes. [17:27] Daniel: What are the major trends and changes you’ve seen within ESG and real estate since working at McKinsey? The shift in the quality of data is a big trend that is happening. Another inflection point is that increasingly investors are looking to understand ESG more and in particular what part of ESG may have a financial impact on the business. We have been in an era that has been about the construction of new green buildings, we are now shifting to a phase where we’re dealing with much harder topics such as in aviation and transforming current real estate stock to make it more efficient. [20:03] Farzana: What trends have you seen in ESG and the finance and insurance sectors? I see the leaders as those who can convene partnership across the entire value chain of these technologies. You see a number of these partnerships emerging and they will be able to meet targets in sustainability much quicker than smaller set-ups. [24:35] Daniel: What are the key questions that clients in real estate should be asking? It is very early days, there is certainly a theme around energy efficiency and in some markets that’s going to be about regulations and others it's going to be because it improves the value of a property. The most interesting thing happening is the blocking and tackling in the engine room, a lot of firms don’t have the data to understand their portfolio in detail. [27:33] Daniel: Do you think there is a skill gap at the moment that needs to change? The landscape is moving so fast and that's not something we’re used to in the real estate industry. A different skill set is required to understand the technical solutions and how they can monetise. [29:21] Farzana: What are the two most important questions you can ask as a business owner when trying to make your business more sustainable? Number one is “What do I focus on?” There is so much out there in terms of climate solutions that you could tackle, and businesses need to make a decision on the breadth and the depth of these solutions to inform the capabilities and the resources they need to build up. Number two is “How do I get the skills in?” Hiring new talent is really important but I also believe that everyone is going to need some level of proficiency in climate. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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How To Integrate ESG Into Your Portfolio Effectively. with Eric Duchon & John Fitzpatrick
11/10/2022
How To Integrate ESG Into Your Portfolio Effectively. with Eric Duchon & John Fitzpatrick
Summary: In the ninth episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Global Head of ESG for Real Estate and , Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology at , the world’s largest alternative asset manager. John featured previously in of The Propcast. Eric and John share where Blackstone is on ESG and why they are seen as one of the leaders in this space. They talk about what Blackstone is focusing on as a business when it comes down to strategy, investment and innovation across their diverse and global portfolio. In this episode you will hear how Blackstone ensures attractive returns for their investors whilst making a positive impact on the communities in which they invest. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: We believe that ESG is a real source of value and a way to mitigate risk in our portfolio - Eric What drove me into this space is the use of passion to drive change, whilst driving value - Eric We do need the technologies that help us automate and optimise our buildings but this also requires the people that know what they’re doing - Eric Technology is important, but having a clear strategy is the starting place that people should have if they want to achieve their ESG targets - John About Our Guests: Eric Duchon: Eric Duchon is Global Head of ESG for Blackstone Real Estate. As part of the Real Estate Asset Management team, he partners with the firm’s central ESG team and Portfolio Operations to initiate, manage, implement and report ESG initiatives across the global Real Estate portfolio. Prior to joining Blackstone in November 2020, Mr. Duchon was at LaSalle Investment Management where he was a Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainability. Prior to LaSalle, Mr. Duchon spent over 9 years at Cushman & Wakefield as the Director of Sustainability Strategies. Mr. Duchon received a BBA from Emory University – Goizueta Business School and a Masters in Real Estate Development Degree from New York University Schack Institute of Real Estate. John Fitzpatrick: John Fitzpatrick is Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology at Blackstone. He handles all aspects of technology across Blackstone’s Real Estate and Private Equity businesses and assists our portfolio companies with managing their technology programs and strategy. He is also involved in the firm’s balance sheet investments in targeted, early stage, technology-related opportunities. Prior to his current role, Mr. Fitzpatrick oversaw various initiatives across the entire Technology and Innovations group. Before joining Blackstone in 2011, Mr. Fitzpatrick worked at Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor’s, for seven years where he was most recently the Head of Product. He received a BS in Finance from St. John’s University and currently serves on the Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s Leadership Council. About Blackstone: Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $941 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:06] Eric: What is your role at Blackstone? I lead ESG for Blackstone Real Estate globally, this means myself and my team work with all the departments at Blackstone to ensure we are implementing our ESG priorities as they are aligned with our fiduciary duty to add value to our portfolio and deliver great returns to our investors. We are finding ways to continue delivering value and ensuring that we are improving the environmental, social and governance performance of our companies and our assets. [4:44] John: What are your responsibilities in your role at Blackstone and how have they changed? My responsibility is alternative asset management technology, this involves everything under our private equity and real estate umbrellas, it’s more than half of the AUM at Blackstone and really fits within ESG. [5:35] Eric: What does ESG mean to Blackstone and how has it changed since you joined in 2020? There were great initiatives happening across Blackstone when I joined with regards to ESG however, the firm needed a more programmatic approach which is what we have done over the last 2 years. We’re focused on 3 main areas; diversity, decarbonisation and good governance. This guides everything that our ESG teams do and how we continue to integrate this more programmatic approach into our portfolio. [7:40] John: How does your team assist with the ESG part of Blackstone? If you want to hit targets and goals then you need to be able to get the data and track it to see your progress over an extended period of time. It's our job to collect that data in the most streamlined fashion so we can process that content in real time to ensure we are driving towards those targets [9:05] John: Are there any more climate focused ESG investments across your portfolio that you could share with us? The data and insights that we have got from have helped us improve and learn in this space and helped our ESG technical ecosystem. [9:42] Eric: How do these investments assist with your portfolios? We worked to develop a framework which sets out Blackstone Real Estates ESG priorities across 6 pillars, these set the tone for how we engage with the portfolio companies in order for them to develop their 3 year strategic ESG roadmaps. [13:31] John: How do you tackle the technology gaps in businesses across your portfolio? We use our data initiatives to help them implore technology and try to make the transition as seamless as possible. We can then analyse and track their data and help them achieve their targets. We tend to make investments in solutions that have a competitive advantage or a unique data set like . [17:11] Eric: What are the main barriers when it comes down to reducing carbon across your portfolios? A couple of years ago the social aspect of ESG was focused around health, wellness and community engagement. Today, it is more focused on diversity, equity and inclusion. When we look at PropTech solutions for ESG one of the main barriers is being able to identify what the strengths and weaknesses are. There are some really good processes in place but humans are still necessary to ensure the quality data flows through. We need to ensure that we have the right people that understand the technologies and can drive action from it. [20:45] John: Is there anything you would like to mention that you have seen in terms of barriers? Technology is important but having a clear strategy is the starting place that people should have if they want to achieve their ESG targets. [23:00] Eric: What is the balance between automation and optimisation, and reducing carbon footprint? We need the technologies that help us automate and optimise our buildings but this also requires the people that know what they’re doing. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career within this space? Eric: You need to stay nimble in everything that you do, different things come at you everyday and you need to be able to take them in your stride. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. John: President at Blackstone, he is committed to ESG and doing it the right way. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in ESG? Eric: Whether you're reducing carbon emissions, whether you're ensuring that folks from under-resourced communities are getting better opportunities working with our portfolio companies. That to me is what drove me into the space connecting the passion to drive change. E - What are you excited about in the future of the ESG space? John: The innovation that is coming down the pipe, some of the best and brightest minds are in this space that are really passionate about this topic so the landscape in a few years time is going to look vastly different. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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What Makes A Smart Sustainable Technology? with Sonu Panda & Becca Rushin
10/25/2022
What Makes A Smart Sustainable Technology? with Sonu Panda & Becca Rushin
Summary: In the eighth episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , the CEO of and , the Director of ESG at . Becca and Sonu discuss challenges in the industry including the impact of the current geopolitical climate and whether this will slow down the journey to net zero. Becca and Sonu share their career journeys to ESG and technology. In this episode you’ll hear Sonu explain more about script data and how it improves sustainability in buildings. Becca talks about Jamestown’s sustainability and social responsibility initiatives and shares information on their green program and charitable foundation. The key takeaway from this episode is that people want to work in healthy buildings and environments, however, achieving carbon neutrality through offsets is not enough. Instead, true science based approaches are what’s needed to tackle the bigger issue of climate change. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: So much of what we do is a function of the deep thoughts that our customers have and the feedback that we receive. - Sonu I think the holy grail for a tech company is to find some sort of portfolio deployment that works for every single asset, everyone wants that package deal. - Becca I see a more widespread recognition that climate change is real, that achieving carbon neutrality through offsets is not enough, and that true science based approaches are what’s called for - Sonu One thing that is really important about our portfolio is that it is very diverse, we don’t own glass office towers, we have a lot of special snowflakes. - Becca People want to work in healthy buildings and environments, these are the things that people are paying attention to, it's the new employee value proposition. - Louisa About Our Guests: Sonu Panda: is the CEO of , a privately-held SaaS company focused on the intersection of the Internet of Things, big data, and machine learning as applied to built environments of all types. Sonu develops and executes Prescriptive Data’s business and technology strategy, and oversees all functions within the company, including sales, business development, marketing, customer onboarding and success, engineering, talent management, finance and administrative operations. Prior to Prescriptive Data, Panda most recently served as the co-founder and COO of H.Bloom, a B2B marketplace company, where he developed the company’s operational model, established both product/technology development and process engineering efforts and managed day-to-day business operations. Becca Rushin: the Director of ESG at . She leads environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives through the Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Jamestown in 2012, Ms Rushin worked as a local government consultant for Clark Patterson Lee, where she served as Community Development Coordinator and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison for the City of Dunwoody. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and holds a LEED AP O+M credential. Ms Rushin is an active volunteer with the Urban Land Institute, the US Green Building Council, and Community Farmers Markets. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Environmental Policy from Sewanee: the University of the South and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development: Environmental Policy and Management from Utrecht University. About Jamestown: is a global, design-focused real estate investment and management firm with a 38-year track record and mission to create places that inspire. Since its founding in 1983, Jamestown has executed transactions in excess of $35 billion. As of June 30, 2022, Jamestown has assets under management of $13.1 billion and a portfolio spanning key markets throughout the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. Jamestown employs more than 400 people worldwide with headquarters in Atlanta and Cologne, and offices in Amsterdam, Bogotá, Boston, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Milan, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. Current and previous projects include One Times Square and Chelsea Market in New York, Industry City in Brooklyn, Ponce City Market in Atlanta, Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, the Innovation and Design Building in Boston, and Groot Handelsgebouw in Rotterdam. For more information, visit . About Prescriptive Data: is the creator of Nantum OS, an award-winning platform optimising building’s operational performance while saving energy, reducing carbon emissions, and lowering costs without sacrificing occupant health or comfort. Combining historical data with predictive analysis and real-time occupancy, Nantum OS enables buildings to hit their ESG goals. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:43] Becca: How did you get to become in the ESG space at Jamestown and how do you know Sonu? I learnt about sustainability whilst I was studying environmental policy, from there I decided to go to the Netherlands to study sustainable development. Over the last ten years I have focused on putting systems into place that have evolved from the benchmarking of monthly utility performance to more robust energy management platforms. I first heard about Prescriptive Data through a friend of mine that worked there. I then sat on a panel with Sonu and listened to John Gilbert from Rudin talk about the evolution of the Nantum platform. [5:41] Sonu: How did you become CEO of Prescriptive Data and can you tell us more about the product? I have always been in the enterprise software business, when I had my son I started thinking about how I can work in a field that is fundamentally important to the world and what will have an impact, this led me to meeting Rudin Management. Prescriptive Data started as a project within the Rudin Management portfolio, we are now entirely independent. Our original premise was the idea that commercial offices exist to provide productive and comfortable workplaces, a big part of that is indoor air quality and thermal comfort. We used occupancy sensors so we could learn the rhythms of the building and correlate with the technology controlling the air quality in the buildings. This was the beginning of the Nantum OS. [12:33] Becca: Can you talk us through Jamestown’s initiatives, what your strategy is and what you’re working on at the moment? The Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation are ultimately about our efforts to reduce Jamestown’s impact on the environment and support the communities where we own property and where we operate. The Charitable Foundation was established to help host community events that benefit nonprofits. We invest in metropolitan centres and then support the nonprofits that make those cities more desirable places to work. The Jamestown Green program is for sustainability efforts. We look to find management practices and initiatives that help increase our net operating income, drive financial performance at our assets and make our assets more valuable [16:45] Becca: Are there any other companies that you are piloting on the portfolio that are helping to reduce emissions more specific to ESG? I’ve been focused on first just having a system in place, and over the last couple of years focusing more on the quality of the platform and matching specific tech solutions and providers with a specific type of asset. We have partnered with a company called Carbon Lighthouse, they identify energy saving products that the team then implements. They help back up those projections with their energy models and monitor the projects so they stay in place over the long term. [19:22] Sonu: What is the main challenge you face in the industry? Everybody is worried about the geopolitical situation, however I try not to think about it, largely because there is so much momentum around sustainability. I see a more widespread recognition that climate change is real, that achieving carbon neutrality through offsets is not enough and that true science based approaches are what’s called for. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Sonu - The RHINO principle, keep your eye on the prize, there is an impact to be made, we are doing really important work and we must stay focused on it. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Becca - I think that part of the reason that I’ve been successful is because I've been relentless about networking and finding partnerships. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in PropTech? Sonu: The fact that we are working on something that is a shared concern and if we resolve it will be a shared benefit. E - What are you excited about in the future of PropTech? Sonu answered earlier in the show: I’m excited about the transition towards net zero I’ve witnessed in the last six months. I think it’s a great opportunity because people have realised something needs to be done. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. 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An Investment Managers Plan For Our Planet. with Peter Epping & Kathryn Scheckel
10/18/2022
An Investment Managers Plan For Our Planet. with Peter Epping & Kathryn Scheckel
Summary: In the seventh episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Global Head of ESG and , Global Head of Innovation at . Peter and Kathryn will share how their careers led them to ESG and innovation. The guests discuss Hines’ target to reach net zero by 2040 and the strategy they are going to use to get there. They talk about their key focus to bring down the emissions of their current buildings. In this episode you will hear about how Hines are going to reduce energy demand in their vast portfolio using both a customer centric approach and a variety of tools and technologies that can help create more positive outcomes for their communities and buildings. You’ll also hear how different countries around the world are leading the charge towards net zero by using innovation in building technology and renewable energy. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: In our view, innovation and ESG cannot operate one without the other - Kathryn If you pick the best expertise from different places around the world you will arrive at a product that is better for everyone - Peter The world is changing quickly so having curiosity and staying open to knowing what you don't know is crucial - Kathryn We need to solve this collectively to change our systems, the spirit of having realised that and everyone being willing to collaborate is really, in the literal sense, energising - Peter Millennials applying for jobs are going to be much more conscious about the health of the building they’re going to be working in, and whether the business they’re going to be working for is making an impact - Louisa About Our Guests: Peter Epping: is Global Head of ESG, responsible for developing and implementing the firm’s ESG strategy in close coordination with the firm’s leadership, as well as its regional and key functional groups. He previously served as Fund Manager in Hines’ European Investment Management Team. He joined the firm in 2001 and until 2006 worked in various development roles with Hines Germany and the Hines European Development Fund. In 2006, he became a portfolio manager in the investment management team and starting 2013, he took on the role of fund manager of the Hines European Core Fund. From 2014 until 2021 he was also responsible for building three separate account portfolios investing across the risk spectrum and asset classes in major European cities. Epping holds a degree of economics business administration from University of Mannheim as Diplom-Kaufmann and an MBA from Union College in Schenectady. Kathryn Scheckel: leads the Strategic Project Office in delivering firm-wide strategies for complex, multi-stakeholder projects involving internal and external parties, reporting to the Office of the CEO. Additionally, she currently serves as the Interim Head, Office of Innovation, reporting to the Global CIO. In these capacities, Ms. Scheckel oversees the progress and implementation of cross-functional initiatives at Hines that help push the business forward. Prior to joining Hines, Ms. Scheckel’s career includes strategic roles at McKinsey & Company in New York, focusing on organisational strategy & commercial real estate; and at Arizona State University serving in a variety of roles including as a senior director in the Office of the President, building & launching novel strategic partnerships, including the Starbucks College Achievement Plan. Ms. Scheckel is inspired to connect and foster female talent in commercial real estate. Since joining Hines in 2019, Kathryn has initiated the global relaunch of OneHines Women’s Network, which strengthens and empowers diversity, equity, and inclusion amongst women at Hines. Ms. Scheckel received her Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biosciences & Biotechnology, Bachelor of Arts in Piano Performance, and Masters in Public Policy from Arizona State University. Aside from dividing her time between Houston Headquarters and her home in New York City, Kathryn takes joy in spending time with her family and travelling extensively. About Hines: is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 285 cities in 28 countries. Hines oversees investment assets under management valued at approximately $90 billion. In addition, Hines provides third-party property-level services to 373 properties totalling 114.2 million square feet. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,530 properties, totalling over 511 million square feet. The firm currently has more than 198 developments underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a foundational commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organisations in the world. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:35] Kathryn: How did you become the leader of Hines’ innovation platform? Working at Arizona State University was the foundational underpinning that drove my interest for innovation, unique ecosystems and enterprises that drive different types of solutions. Following this, whilst working at I was exposed to the global challenges the built environment faces. I joined Hines’ investment management platform in 2019, at the time they were working to tackle and solve these challenges. From there I started a team with the intention to help cross-functional initiatives within the firm and our overall governance. I am now named our innovation lead in driving forward a reimagined way of approaching innovation. [4:25] Peter: How did your role in ESG come about? I joined Hines after university, working on development projects around Europe. When the first rules and regulations came up on energy performance in Europe we felt that there was a lot more we could do as a company. We started collecting significant amounts of data and measuring our performance. We wanted to achieve the highest level of efficiency and make our office and residential buildings as healthy as possible for their occupiers. This created a positive feedback loop with our investors that saw that our outcomes were significantly better. Subsequently, I saw a huge opportunity for Hines in ESG given that we were so technically integrated and we had such willingness to innovate. [8:30] Kathryn: How closely do yours and Peter’s teams work together? We work extremely closely together, I think ESG and innovation will become even closer in the future. We also have a close collaboration with our operations and engineering personnel, who are the execution and implementation arm of so many of the different strategies and innovations. [10:28] Peter: What is Hines’ plan for our planet? The target for us is for operational energy, everything we do around our existing buildings we are looking at setting a target for the embodied carbon, which as a developer is a huge exposure. The target we’re setting for operational emissions in 2040 is without offsets and will be aligned with the science based targets initiative. We’re investing in furthering energy efficiency in our buildings. The key focus for us is that we’re bringing down the actual emissions of our buildings. [13:54] Kathryn: Are there any technologies that you are looking at investing in or are currently piloting? We’re taking a truly customer centric approach within the innovation platform to solve some of the challenges within ESG. All types of solutions, tools and technologies can help support carbon tracking, carbon mitigation and create more positive outcomes for our communities and buildings. Hines already has a tremendous playbook and history of innovation, but we are managing processes to think about more obstacles in innovation that may be on the horizon. [17:53] Peter: What are the major trends you’ve observed across different geographies within innovation, digital transformation and ESG? In the Nordics we have seen great expertise in the area of heat pumps and renewable energy, they have decided much earlier than the rest of the world that they want to stop using fossil fuels. They have a very open mindset to innovation which is extremely refreshing. We have a new development in Manhattan where we are applying the same concepts that people use in Nordic countries and the result is an all electric building which not only will eventually be net-zero but is comfortable for the tenants. If you pick the best expertise from different places around the world you will arrive at a product that is better for everyone. [21:23] Kathryn: What trends have refocused you to work on the innovation side at Hines? What we’re seeing across geographies is the concept of flexibility and what our tenants are really demanding, especially in the post COVID world. One particular venture that I can share with you is a software play called Halo. It supports broader flexibility options in the office domain as well as what the tenants are wanting. We also have a flexible workspace product called the Square which is a hardware that offers more flexible types of office spaces. Another trend we are seeing is the concept of data, the data coming out of our building systems can help solve other pain points for our clients. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Kathryn: There is no single person in a team. The power and the force of networks and partnerships is crucial. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Peter - My colleagues who are running the European Core Fund at Hines are managing to implement what we want to do across the whole firm in such a consistent and coherent way. I also want to shout out to the leaders in this industry who are being very open and collaborative, this mindset is extremely refreshing. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in the innovation side of real estate? Kathryn: The evermore converging of our product types, our industry and the built environment. E - What are you excited about in the future of Proptech? Peter: I'm excited about seeing how much opportunity there is and how this will work financially, as this will be the biggest catalyst for making this happen. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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Is There Really An Appetite For Energy Efficiency Within Commercial Real Estate? with Zachary Denning & Jerremy Spillman
10/11/2022
Is There Really An Appetite For Energy Efficiency Within Commercial Real Estate? with Zachary Denning & Jerremy Spillman
Summary: In the sixth episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by and , co-founders of . ’s recently acquired AI-powered virtual engineering platform for buildings. Zach and Jerremy share how Hank is helping the commercial real estate world reduce emissions and assist clients in their transition to net zero. The guests discuss the geographical differences surrounding the adoption and consensus of technology that they have noticed since Hank successfully expanded to Europe. In this episode you’ll hear about the ever changing appetite for efficiency within commercial real estate, how technology can help real estate meet its sustainability goals and what the future holds for Hank. Resources: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: You could put a Ferrari engine into a building, but if you don't know how to drive it you're not going to get anything out of it - Jerremy If you’re not able to satisfy both the ownership and the investor level as well as the property level, you’re never going to have a successful product - Jerremy We’re driving a culture of execution, everybody on the team is on the same mission to drive revenue, if we’re not driving revenue then we’re stagnant - Zachary I figured out that smart buildings aren’t so smart, machine learning is the future of this industry - Zachary Why not be inside the largest, most progressive property management ownership firm in the world? There's no more strategic partnership than that - Zachary About Our Guests: Zachary Denning: earned his degree in mechanical engineering and has always had a strong aptitude for software development. In his +10 years in the smart buildings industry, he was able to identify and solve core building engineering challenges using applied machine-learning and AI – Eventually leading to the development of a new market, virtual engineering. Zach has grown the Hank virtual engineering team to over 50 members under JLL and together they’re pushing the boundaries of machine-learning in building operations to maximise client value. Jerremy Spillman: Over the last 12 years has worked in the clean tech space ranging from utility DSM program management to battery powered electric vehicle charging stations. Most recently Jerremy co-founded Hank, an A.I. powered HVAC management tool for commercial office buildings. Hank was recently acquired by JLL Technologies as a key tool to meet their aggressive sustainability goals. About Hank: Recently acquired by , is a virtual engineering platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that autonomously optimises the management systems of commercial buildings to deliver increased comfort, air quality and energy savings. Hank’s system applies machine learning and AI to solve many of the commercial real estate (CRE) industry’s largest operational challenges, including HVAC programming inconsistencies and energy and equipment performance inefficiencies. Its cloud-based platform optimises energy efficiency, air quality, maintenance costs and tenant comfort - ultimately delivering increased net operating income (NOI) to real estate investors. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:04] Zach: Can you tell us about your career journey to founding Hank and also how you know Jerremy? I started out as a mechanical engineer in the smart building industry. I learnt that the owners of buildings rarely know which control systems are in their buildings despite these softwares generating savings. I taught myself machine learning and realised that it has the ability to solve these problems in a long term capacity. I won a grant and spent time developing a software that proved that machine learning could drive substantial savings in buildings and we can generate huge economics for clients. I went out fundraising through several channels and that’s when I met Jerremy and pulled him in as co-founder and CRO, and this carried us to JLL. [4:15] Zach: How long did it take you to develop the software? The first year I spent developing a solid foundation for the software so I had a product that I could test the market with. I received a grant in year 2 and by testing the market, proved that it had improved the comfort within buildings dramatically. By the end of year 3, we had viable proof of the product and concept and therefore the ability to go out and fundraise. [6:02] Jerremy: What has it been like since your introduction to Zach? I started my career in sales so since meeting Zach it has been really exciting understanding the new market that there is for technology and quickly picking up the nuances in the industry. This completely new way of managing the largest energy consumer and cost driver in a building has made me really passionate about what we’re doing with Hank. [7:47] Zach: Can you explain a little bit about what Hank is? The Hank product itself is a true machine learning virtual engineer, we don’t do any physical work in buildings or have an onsite team. Hank enables engineers in buildings to do their job more effectively and not have to worry about changing setpoints, tuning systems in or working with a variety of different stakeholders to solve their problems. We work alongside existing smart building systems that are already in place, we drive a saving on energy of at least 15% and sometimes as much as 50%. [11:50] Jerremy: How does Hank help investors meet their sustainability goals? Hank is a Software-as-a-Service, so there is no replacing of controllers, we just drive what is already in place to its highest efficiency and that allows them to build their sustainability plan for the future. If you’re not able to satisfy both the ownership and the investor level as well as the property level, you’re never going to have a successful product. We have utilised the data and found that we can fix comfort without sacrificing energy and we can save energy without sacrificing comfort. [16:06] Jerremy: How did your acquisition by JLL Technologies come about and what does it mean for your business? We align well with JLL because our number one priority for meeting sustainability is carbon reduction which JLL succeeds in with all of their vendors. Adding JLL’s property management team to our virtual team adds an additional level of expertise and differentiates us from other management services. Zachary: For us to be primed to grow, the most strategic partnership we can use is to be inside the largest and most progressive property management firm in the world. [22:05] Zachary: What core values do you have in your business? We’re driving a culture of execution, everybody on the team is on the same mission to drive revenue, if we’re not driving revenue then we’re stagnant. We have a very transparent approach, we have a mentality that we’re building this together and all have an equal voice. When we bring people on board they can individually see the impact they’re making and that drives them towards our common goal of producing revenue and growing as a business. [24:49] Jerremy: Now you have expanded to EMEA, what are the differences you have seen between the US and Europe? Europe is far more advanced and focused on emission reduction which has helped us fit in straight away. They have helped us learn what property teams and investors are doing to push sustainability efforts and what the US needs to do to progress. Buildings in Europe already have the infrastructure in place with other smart technologies that we can integrate into, to feed our machine learning models and produce more data. The market in EMEA is ready for a solution like Hank, whereas in North America we’re having to get the market ready. [28:02] Zachary: What is next for Hank? We’re in the midst of a complete redesign of a new user interface, we want to give our customers a new evolution of what building automation can be without an additional cost. We want to push forward on evolving this product whilst proving everything to our customers comes under one subscription with no additional fees, we want them to know that this is just an inherent part of our service that we will continue to improve. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Jerremy: As long as you have got hard work and dedication you are always going to push things forward. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Zachary: , he was an internal JLL employee that gravitated towards our team, he was a project manager and now he is involved in everything, he has been phenomenal to work with. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in PropTech? Zachary: Watching this product come to fruition and having Jerremy’s team and our operations team execute it successfully. E - What are you excited about in the future of Proptech? Jerremy: I’m excited for Proptech and sustainability to become the norm in the real estate industry. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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What Are The Costs and Benefits of Innovation Within ESG? with Jonathan Flaherty & Philippe Le Fort
10/04/2022
What Are The Costs and Benefits of Innovation Within ESG? with Jonathan Flaherty & Philippe Le Fort
Summary: In the fifth episode of season 10 of The Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Global Head of Sustainability and Building Technology Innovation at and , leader of Ambio, a smart buildings SaaS platform by . Jonathan and Philippe talk to Louisa about their journeys into ESG and elaborate on the technologies they believe will help real estate reach net zero. They discuss the differences in innovation adoption across geographies and the long term benefits and cost of innovation on the asset, the tenant and on our built environment. Philippe talks about how he’s been leading PATRIZIA’s very own smart building SaaS platform, Ambio, and both guests share their thoughts on whether full digitalisation is actually possible. Resources: Key Insights From This Episode: I don’t think one particular technology is going to drive us to low carbon buildings, it’s going to be a combination of everything working together to get that outcome. - Jonathan People will go back to offices in the future but people need to have a reason to do so, and the traditional office product is going to have to change.The buildings that don't make that change are going to become obsolete. - Jonathan Customer experience is really significant to the focus of companies such as Amazon and Apple. Real estate has not paid much attention to that up until now, however technology is now coming to change the way people operate and the way people use buildings every day. - Philippe I think we're living in one of those moments where all these mega trends are converging together and really accelerating how we have to adapt as an industry. - Philippe Is any of this digitalisation really possible within a brick and mortar business, which is so large, slow moving and slightly archaic? - Louis About Our Guests: Jonathan Flaherty: is the Global Head- Sustainability and Building Technology Innovation at . Mr. Flaherty joined Tishman Speyer in 2007 as part of the Leadership Development Program and has held various roles with the company, including in asset management and portfolio management for New York. He transitioned to the Sustainability department in 2010, becoming the Director of Sustainability, and most recently the Global Head – Sustainability and Building Technology Innovation. In this role, he manages the firm's evolving sustainability strategy: property and fund sustainability certifications, communication with current and future investors, worldwide performance tracking, energy procurement strategy, building technology innovation, diligence in alternative green investments, and execution of the firm's commitment to Net Zero by 2050. Prior to joining the firm, he worked as a legislative aide for Senator Schumer in Washington, DC. Mr. Flaherty is the chair of the board of directors for the Building Energy Exchange, the co-chair of the REBNY Sustainability Committee and is on the board of the New York Energy Consumers Council. He holds a BA in political science from Kenyon College, and an MBA and MSUP from Columbia University. Philippe Le Fort: leads Ambio, a smart buildings Saas platform by . Philippe joined the company in 2020 and has been in charge of setting up a new business line from the ground up. Today he is leading its execution and responsible for deploying the technology at scale across the portfolio, advancing how buildings perform for businesses, people and the planet. Previously, Philippe was an Investment Director at Tishman Speyer London and started a proptech venture to democratise access to institutional grade real estate using blockchain technology. He has also advised early-stage companies in the U.S. Philippe has a MSc in architecture from EPFL and an MBA from London Business School. He lives in London. About Tishman Speyer: is a leading owner, developer, operator and investment manager of first-class real estate in 32 key markets across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. We develop, build and manage premier office, residential and retail spaces for industry-leading tenants, as well as state-of-the-art life science centres through our Breakthrough Properties venture. With global vision, on-the-ground expertise and a personalised approach, we are unparalleled in our ability to foster innovation, quickly adapt to global and local trends and proactively anticipate our customers’ evolving needs. By focusing on health and wellness, enlightened placemaking and customer-focused initiatives such as our tenant amenities platform, ZO., and our flexible space and co-working brand, Studio, we tend not just to our physical buildings, but to the people who inhabit them on a daily basis. Since our inception in 1978, Tishman Speyer has acquired, developed, and operated 512 properties, totalling 217 million square feet, with a combined value of over $126 billion (U.S.). Our current portfolio includes such iconic assets as Rockefeller Center in New York City, The Springs in Shanghai, TaunusTurm in Frankfurt and the Mission Rock neighbourhood currently being realised in San Francisco. About PATRIZIA: With operations around the world, has been offering investment opportunities in real estate and infrastructure assets for institutional, semi-professional and private investors for 38 years. PATRIZIA manages more than EUR 55 billion in assets and employs over 1,000 professionals at 28 locations worldwide. Through its PATRIZIA Foundation, PATRIZIA is committed to social responsibility. The Foundation has helped around 250,000 children in need worldwide gain access to education and thus, has given them the chance of a better life over the last 21 years. You can find further information at About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:10] Jonathan: Talk us through your role and journey into ESG and how you and Philippe first met each other? I have been at Tishman Speyer for 15 years this week. I started as an intern in the designing construction compartment before ending up in the sustainability department. Philippe was based in our London office and we ended up on a whole bunch of projects together. At the time when I joined the department in 2011 it was a much different world and sustainability was a much smaller corner of the universe. However, I thought it would be an increasingly important force in the future. [4:26] Philippe: Talk us through your role at PATRIZIA and how it has changed? Could you also give us an introduction to your SaaS solution product, Ambio? I joined PATRIZIA about 2 years ago in the tech innovation team with the mission to improve operations, reduce carbon footprint and improve experiences within buildings through technology. The topic has been accelerated over the last couple of years by the demand for ESG products and for better data throughout the industry We started from the fact that we needed to understand our buildings better, understand how good the tech infrastructure was and how good it needed to be. We soon realised that there was no such tool in the market that did that and we had to build one, that's how we started Ambio which we have just launched. Ambio involves doing health checks of buildings, identifying opportunities to add value by using technology to smarten things up and working with suppliers in the market to connect them to our investment managers so that we cover the entire spectrum of digital transformation and decarbonisation. [6:30] Jonathan: What is the major factor for pursuing ESG at Tishman Speyer? The biggest driver for Tishman Speyer has been the long term equity of the business, investors would like to know that 10 years from now the building they’re buying today will retain its resale value and will still be leasable after future regulations have come into place. When buying buildings now you need to be thinking about the owner after you and that owner is going to have it when all of the regulations related to decarbonisation and low energy are going to hit across the world. [11:20] Philippe: What’s the big focus of PATRIZIA in terms of pushing forward on smart buildings? On one hand you have more demanding capital, and on the other hand the increasing expectations from tenants which is moving the needle of what people want in terms of space. Customer experience is really significant to the focus of companies such as Amazon and Apple. Real estate has not paid much attention to that up until now, however technology is now coming to change the way people operate and the way people use buildings every day. All these mega trends are converging together and really accelerating how we have to adapt as an industry. Covid has been a very big booster and we’re still trying to figure out the implications of that, because there is a lot of elasticity in the market. [14:02] Jonathan: Can you explain what you mean by a haircut on exit and how this can be avoided? A building should be worth a particular number upon exit based on the rents that you're getting in that building, if the market is valuing your product below that then it is below the logical value that the market is assigning to other buildings. You need to predict what the market is going to look like in the future, most leases last for 10 years, so buying a building now you need to be thinking about the market and the regulations in 2032. [18:30] Philippe: Can you tell us more about the technologies PATRIZIA are utilising to help maximise an asset value? Heating and cooling a building is one of the biggest energy buckets in commercial buildings, so a technology that tracks the weather is really important. Another technology we are looking at is predictive maintenance in lifts, predicting when a lift is going to break saves money on lift management contracts. Since the pandemic, people are much more conscious of the air quality in buildings. Also, to help people that are coming back into offices be healthy and productive, we need to ensure the air quality is good with regards to the CO2 concentration affecting brain productivity. [22:11] Jonathan: Is there anything you would like to add in terms of which technologies Tishman Speyers are using? Indoor air quality has been a big focus and will continue to be, but if anything that's more monitoring than a technology and has been around for a while. I don't think one particular technology is going to drive us to low carbon buildings, it’s going to be a combination of everything working together to get that outcome. [23:59] Jonathan: what can we do to get these brick and mortar businesses on board with technology adoption and ESG? Our primary focus is office buildings, we don’t see the end of an office but that the office product needs to transform into something that is much more focused on digital, hospitality and low carbon. The changes in offices are very large and are coming at a rapid rate. People will go to offices in the future but people need to have a reason to do so and the traditional office product is going to have to change, the buildings that don't make that change are going to become obsolete. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Jonathan - You never know where your career is going to go, you have to be ready for twists and turns. There are so many opportunities out there so allow yourself to be flexible. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Philippe - I’d like to mention Ambio and the team who have worked really hard to launch the product. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working in PropTech? Jonathan - It is enormously rewarding working in PropTech and sustainability, it is full of fascinating people doing really interesting work around the world. E - What are you excited about in the future of sustainability and smart building? Philippe - I like it when things are not so straightforward, PropTech and ESG are creating dislocation and value add opportunities in our industry which is really exciting. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. 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Are Net Zero Developments the Future of Real Estate? with Sally Jones and Matt Webster
09/27/2022
Are Net Zero Developments the Future of Real Estate? with Sally Jones and Matt Webster
In the fourth episode of season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Head of Strategy, Digital and Technology at and , Head of Environmental Sustainability at . They share British Land’s strategy for sustainable developments and how they are going to achieve net zero by 2030. Sally shares how her role at British Land has changed since 2010 and shifted her focus towards strategy and technology. Matt talks about how their most recent sustainable projects, 100 Liverpool Street and Canada Water, have been designed to reduce both operational and embodied carbon in both the development and the running of the buildings. Sally and Matt discuss the advancement of technologies and successful utilisation of data and what this means for the future of sustainable real estate. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: I think the next few years will be challenging, but the more business that successfully deliver their strategies, the closer we will be to net zero - Louisa Technology is changing the shape of the property industry - Sally I’m confident as a sector that we’ve got the technologies, skill sets and the ambition to play our part in this, to come together and deliver - Matt The digitalisation of real estate will have a significant part to play in the decarbonisation of the built environment - Matt We have to figure out a cheaper way of delivering digital transformation, especially with the rising energy costs - Sally About Our Guests: Sally Jones, Head of Strategy, Digital and Technology: Sally joined British Land in February 2010 as Head of Investor Relations and took responsibility for Strategy alongside Investor Relations in January 2015. In May 2016, she was appointed Head of Strategy and Investments. Subsequently, she has expanded her role to include data and insights and the Group’s Smart technology initiatives. She joined the Executive Committee in 2015. Sally is also a Non-executive Director of Equiem, the leading tenant experience digital platform provider. Previous Experience: Before joining British Land Sally worked at Cadbury Schweppes where she held a variety of roles over ten years including Director of Investor Relations, Director of Communications and Finance Director Group Sales and Marketing. Prior to that she worked in the City. Matt Webster, Head of Environmental Sustainability As Head of Environmental Sustainability, Matt leads the environmental performance of British Land's standing portfolio and development pipeline, responsible for implementing our pathway to net zero carbon by 2030 and wider environmental sustainability agenda. Matt works across the business to ensure our assets are designed, built and operated to the highest environmental standards. Matt led British Land to a 55% reduction in its operational energy intensity achieved in 2019. He has held various roles across the business, including establishing our approach to wellbeing and most recently developing and implementing our approach to smart buildings and digital placemaking. Recent development projects include the delivery of British Land's first net zero development at 100 Liverpool Street and leading sustainability at Canada Water - a 53 acre mixed use regeneration project. Prior to joining British Land, Matt held various sustainability consulting and banking roles. Matt has a Master's degree from Forum for the Future. About British Land:Our portfolio of high quality UK commercial property is focused on London Campuses and Retail & Fulfilment assets throughout the UK. We own or manage a portfolio valued at £14.3bn (British Land share: £10.5bn) as at 31 March 2022 making us one of Europe’s largest listed real estate investment companies. We create Places People Prefer, delivering the best, most sustainable places for our customers and communities. Our strategy is to leverage our best in class platform and proven expertise in development, repositioning and active management, investing behind two key themes: Campuses and Retail & Fulfilment. Our three Campuses at Broadgate, Paddington Central and Regent’s Place are dynamic neighbourhoods, attracting growth customers and sectors, and offering some of the best connected, highest quality and most sustainable space in London. We are delivering our fourth Campus at Canada Water, where we have planning consent to deliver 5m sq ft of residential, commercial, retail and community space over 53 acres. Our Campuses account for 67% of our portfolio. Retail & Fulfilment accounts for 33% of the portfolio and is focused on retail parks which are aligned to the growth of convenience, online and last mile fulfilment. We are complementing this with urban logistics primarily in London, focused on development-led opportunities. Sustainability is embedded throughout our business. In 2020, we set out our sustainability strategy which focuses on two time-critical areas where British Land can create the most benefit: making our whole portfolio net zero carbon by 2030, and partnering to grow social value and wellbeing in the communities where we operate. Further details can be found on the British Land website at About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [2:10] Sally: How did you get into your strategy, technology and digital role? It has been so fascinating to be able to combine strategy with all things digital and technology and I am now in charge of building tech, insights and the whole technology stack. My interest in technology started when I realised how technology was changing the shape of the property industry. [3:50] Matt: Could you tell us what your role at British Land entails? I have been at British Land for a number of years now and worked in different sections around the business, but always with an angle on sustainability. I was retained to deliver the 55% energy target and we were very proud to be able to deliver that over a 10 year period from 2009 to 2019. We were early adopters of the idea that it was our responsibility to collaborate with customers to work towards understanding our carbon footprint and start utilising data and technologies. [5:35] Sally: Could you elaborate on your digital strategy? We started working on it in 2015 and created a smart team after realising that digitalising buildings was going to become a big thing. We wanted to create a strategy with a very focused approach on improving people's experience of our real estate, building greater understanding through data and driving greater efficiency. [6:58] Matt: How does the sustainability strategy fit into the digital strategy? Our latest strategy runs from 2019 to 2030 and is balanced between environmental and social issues. Our target is to reach net zero carbon by 2030, as an operator and developer of space our two big sources of carbon are embodied from the development of our assets and operational which is related to the energy from running our assets. We are aiming for a 50% reduction in our embodied carbon and a 75% reduction in our operational carbon. The digital plan will help us deliver these ambitious targets. [8:45] Matt: Tell us about your current development projects and how they’re helping socially and environmentally? 100 Liverpool Street is our first net zero development, it has benefited from significant reuse of the previous structure of the building and we worked really hard to design without carbon throughout the process. A lot of thought has gone into how it is going to operate once it’s a live building. It’s our first building to deliver some of the things in our digital strategy as well. Canada Water is a really exciting project that we are embedding sustainability principles into. The building is implementing our smart building design guide which will help the building run more efficiently by retrieving useful data out of it during the design stage. [12:35] Sally: What technologies are working for British Land and how are you utilising them? Smart enabling a building makes it digitally capable, the key for that is to allow us to get data out of the building in such a way that we can surface it through a single platform. The data allows us to see what is working and manage the building more efficiently over time. Machine learning and AI helps us control the building to drive more efficiencies. We’re working with a company called Facilio, they have built this entire data platform for us which things like AI can sit on. The Equiem platform works alongside Facilio to see how and when rooms in buildings are being used. [16:08] Matt: Is there anything you would like to add to the data side of smart buildings? We have learnt a lot in the development and delivery of 100 Liverpool Street. Installing smart metre systems lets us know exactly where and when energy is consumed in a building. The system will also communicate the data to a wider platform, allowing us to take a software approach to the building. With this data we can apply it at a portfolio level rather than replicating it within each building. [19:29] Sally: What do we need to tackle in the future? We are now turning our attention to our old developments, ultimately we’re all going to have to think about retrofitting our old buildings. We have to figure out a way of delivering this digital transformation much more cheaply, especially with the rising energy costs. [22:15] Matt: What lies ahead in terms of environmental sustainability? People are finally listening to this issue and it is really important to make sure we’ve got the resources and skill sets to respond to it. We have been tackling operational carbon for a long time, we need more understanding and data surrounding embodied carbon so we have a more rapid process to help reduce it in the next few years. L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Sally: What stands out for me at companies that I have worked for is the culture value and leadership. British Land and Cadbury are the two places where I have enjoyed and achieved the most. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Matt: Our own internal digital placemaking team, they have been working really hard working on the vision and delivering 100 Liverpool Street. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working within the digitalisation space? Sally: Working with this small team at British Land, they’ve been brilliant at navigating their way through a very complex landscape in a cost effective way with an incredible set of products. E - What are you excited about in the future of environmental sustainability? Matt: I’m excited about the recognition that ESG is now gaining and the seriousness that people are starting to approach the subject with. Also, the digitalisation of real estate because that will have a significant part to play in the decarbonisation of the built environment. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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What Are The Key Data Points in ESG in Real Estate & How Are They Measured? with Aleksandra Njagulj & Simon Wallace
09/20/2022
What Are The Key Data Points in ESG in Real Estate & How Are They Measured? with Aleksandra Njagulj & Simon Wallace
In the third episode of season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , Managing Director and Global Head of Real Estate ESG at and , Global Head of Research and Strategy at . They discuss the key data points in ESG in real estate and how and why Aleksandra and Simon have risen to the top of the DWS Group and are focusing their careers within ESG. They share the products that DWS Group has found useful in their workplace and the regulation changes they have seen in the market. Lastly, they discuss how the current market may disadvantage or benefit investment in ESG. Resources: Key Insights From This Episode: ESG influences a lot of my work nowadays, it’s always been a factor but now ESG touches pretty much every part of the research and strategy that we do. - Simon Whether you believe in climate change or not, if the energy prices continue to rise, tenants are going to want more energy efficient buildings. - Aleksandra I think we are in a market environment in general where we will see less investment in real estate, we got the real capital analytics data for the second quarter for Europe today and year on year investments are down by about 20%. - Simon The current market is accelerating the focus on ESG in real estate, energy prices will favour buildings that are energy efficient. - Aleksandra You can do it because you want to look after the environment, but now you can do it because there is a financial incentive as well. - Louisa About Our Guests: Aleksandra Njagulj, Managing Director and Global Head of ESG, Real Estate at DWS Group: is the Managing Director, Global Head of ESG (environmental, social, and governance), Real Estate at DWS group. She is responsible for ESG integration across global real estate portfolios. Sasha is an accomplished ESG expert with over 20 years of practical experience in architectural design, design management and the sustainable built environment. In her previous role with CBRE Global Investors, she was Global Head of ESG with overall responsibility for developing and communicating global sustainability priorities and strategies across all business lines. Prior to this, Sasha was head of the Sustainability, R&D and Innovation department at Bouygues U.K. Throughout her career, Sasha has built a reputation both professionally and personally for championing the cause of responsible real estate investment. She received the UK-based edie 2020 Sustainability Leaders Award for Investor of the Year for an ESG programme she designed and delivered for CBRE. In addition, Sasha was awarded the global 2020 GRESB/BREEAM Individual Leadership Award, recognising strong leadership and commitment in the field of sustainable development. In 2021, she won the global Future Proof Real Estate Woman award as a leader in applying digitalisation, technology, open innovation and sustainability to create a better built environment. A qualified architect, Sasha holds a Master's degree in Architectural Design from the University of Belgrade; a Master's degree in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge. She is a BRE Academy fellow, sits on the INREV ESG Committee and ULI ESG Council, leads the IIGCC Real Estate Workstream and chairs the GRESB Foundation Real Estate Standards Committee. Simon Wallace, Head of Research, Real Estate at DWS Group. joined the Company in 2011. Prior to his current role, Simon served as Head of Europe Research and Strategy for Alternatives. Prior to joining, he served as an economist for real estate research at Hammerson. Previously, Simon worked as an economist at the Centre for Economics and Business Research BSc in Politics and Economics and MSc in Economics from University of Bristol; Investment Management Certificate (IMC) About DWS Group: (DWS) is one of the world's leading asset managers with EUR 902bn of assets under management (as of 31 March 2022). Building on more than 60 years of experience, it has a reputation for excellence in Germany, Europe, the Americas and Asia. DWS is recognized by clients globally as a trusted source for integrated investment solutions, stability and innovation across a full spectrum of investment disciplines. We offer individuals and institutions access to our strong investment capabilities across all major liquid and illiquid asset classes as well as solutions aligned to growth trends. Our diverse expertise in Active, Passive and Alternatives asset management – as well as our deep environmental, social and governance focus – complement each other when creating targeted solutions for our clients. Our expertise and on-the-ground knowledge of our economists, research analysts and investment professionals are brought together in one consistent global CIO View, giving strategic guidance to our investment approach. DWS wants to innovate and shape the future of investing. We understand that, both as a corporate as well as a trusted advisor to our clients, we have a crucial role in helping navigate the transition to a more sustainable future. With approximately 3,600 employees in offices all over the world, we are local while being one global team. We are committed to acting on behalf of our clients and investing with their best interests at heart so that they can reach their financial goals, no matter what the future holds. With our entrepreneurial, collaborative spirit, we work every day to deliver outstanding investment results, in both good and challenging times to build the best foundation for our clients’ financial future. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Timestamps: [1:44] Aleksandra: What initially sparked your interest in sustainability within real estate? Originally I was an architect so my primary expertise is in real estate, I know how it is designed, constructed and managed. I discovered the issue of sustainability when I was working as a design manager for the Building Schools for the Future Program. One of the requirements of the funding was that it had to achieve a sustainability certification to a certain level. I feel sustainability is a primary issue so if I can contribute to it using my primary expertise then I will. [3:54] Simon: How did you get into this role in ESG? I started off my career as an economist working for a very small economics consultancy in London and then moved to DWS Group 11 years ago. ESG influences a lot of my work nowadays, it’s always been a factor but now ESG touches pretty much every part of the research and strategy that we do. [7:47] Simon: Are there any key data points and trends you can show us from your research? We still struggle for data in this area and there is a lot of noise around it so it is important that the more data points we get, the better the analysis. I think we will be moving from a world of green premium to a world of brown discount. I think the industry will in time all have high levels of environmental credential sustainability and the buildings that don’t will be at a discount rather than the market average. [9:26] Aleksandra: How do you tie the live data into your strategy? The critical point is your due diligence when you’re making the acquisition decision and getting the actual performance data from the building. It is still not practised in the market to provide full information of how the asset performs to the potential buyer. Historically we used energy performance certificates which are not reflective of reality, they are a theoretical model which only looks at regulated energy. The live data for both the asset management and acquisition management process is incredibly important. The issue is that a huge number of assets have old meters, therefore smart solutions are really important to help digitise the data on those buildings. [13:10] Simon: Do you think the rising interest rates, inflation and geopolitical uncertainty will affect the investment and adoption of ESG? I think we are in a market environment in general where we will see less investment in real estate, we got the real capital analytics data for the second quarter for Europe today and year on year investments are down by about 20%. ESG strategies will not be fully immune to what is going on but the trend towards ESG based strategies will continue to grow and accelerate. I think there are some positives to be taken from the price correction going on. The buildings today that are of poor quality and low environmental standards are likely to reprice at more than the market average, allowing opportunities for repositioning and impact. [15:45] Aleksandra: In terms of rising interest rates, inflation and geopolitical uncertainty, what is affecting your strategy and investment decisions? Some of these aspects are actually accelerating the focus on energy usage. Energy prices rising will definitely favour buildings that are energy efficient and give tenants a financial incentive. These measures are payback to sustainable buildings either in low utility costs or higher tenant demand. Whether you believe in climate change or not, if the energy prices continue to rise, tenants are going to want more energy efficient buildings. [18:58] Simon: Have you got any data points about how much money people could save if they used a certain technology? Given the rise in gas, carbon and energy prices, those buildings with low energy ratings are susceptible to rental declines and rental underperformance. Looking at it from a risk perspective, if you come into conflict with regulation and you’re no longer able to lease that building because it is not meeting the standards then you have an obsolete building. [20:28] Aleksandra: What changes in regulations have you seen in your career and how do you collect data on it? We are assessing the risks accordingly, we use a tool called which is based on real life data to help assess stranding risks of these assets. That then directly has an impact on our investment and asset management decisions. Regulations will have to deal with existing building stock if we are to achieve net zero carbon goals. Therefore, some of the regulations that come in will need to regulate private house owners, not just commercial landlords. [25:25] Simon: What do you have to say about regulations? I think we should see regulations as a part of life not as a negative or a risk from an investor perspective.When regulations are well specified and known in advance then we can respond accordingly. In terms of collecting data on regulations, it is important to have people on the ground engaging with local bodies and the government, in order to understand how that regulation will impact upon your investment. [27:20] The ‘LMRE’ part, Louisa asks the guests to talk about; L – Touch on the main lessons you have learnt throughout your career. Aleksandra: Flexibility and being open for opportunities, if you want to be successful in your career then being flexible and open-minded is the best advice. M - Please give a mention to anyone / product / service. Aleksandra: IOT solutions and the geniuses that are coming up with them around the world are resolving real problems and issues within real estate. R – What has been the most rewarding aspect of working within the ESG space? Simon: Being a part of the solution on the quality of affordable housing, through ESG we can certainly make a positive difference. E - What are you excited about in the future of ESG? Aleksandra: ESG and sustainability as a whole is seen as added value, as something that should be embedded throughout the business to make it better. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. 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Why Are Global Real Estate Leaders Turning To Sustainable Investments To Reach Net-Zero? With Taylor Wescoatt & Guy Grainger
09/13/2022
Why Are Global Real Estate Leaders Turning To Sustainable Investments To Reach Net-Zero? With Taylor Wescoatt & Guy Grainger
Summary: On the 2nd episode of Season 10 of the Propcast, host Louisa Dickins is joined by , General Partner at and , Global Head of Sustainability Services and ESG at . They discuss why global real estate leaders are refocusing their investment strategy and turning to venture capital to help reach net zero. Taylor Wescoatt shares Concrete VC’s big plans with the sustainable fund and how they managed to get some huge real estate names to invest. Guy talks about JLL’s strategy around net zero and their involvement in the fund. Taylor and Guy share with Louisa how technology, both internally and externally, will help businesses reach their sustainability goals. Resources: Companies Mentioned: Shout Outs: Key Insights From This Episode: We're out recruiting and looking at how we can grow our capabilities in multiple countries to give clients the silver bullet of seamless integration of strategies across multiple geographies, which is really hard to do. - Guy There is a direct link between transitioning a building to net-zero, and creating economic value and we need to prove that much more clearly. - Guy We've created an investment platform that helps large real estate organisations see more clearly into the early stage tech space so they understand what will be creating and driving change in their industry. - Taylor As we see more consistent data coming out of the sector, new artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities will evolve. - Taylor According to a JLL report, the value of green certifications on buildings results in a rent premium of 6% and a sales premium of 8% - Louisa If we wait for the government to set the regulation it will be too late. - Guy About Our Guests: Taylor Wescoatt: Taylor’s career in technology product management spans 20 years of startups and larger pioneers like eBay and AOL. He started Concrete in 2016 with Starwood and JLL as founding partners out of a recognition that the coming wave of change in Real Estate would be primarily driven by technology. Concrete’s mission remains to help leading players in the Real Estate sector see better into the future by engaging with the most compelling and visionary founders in the technology sector to drive revenue, operational efficiency, and net-zero environmental goals. Guy Grainger: Guy Grainger is Global Head of Sustainability Services and ESG at NYSE-listed real estate services company JLL. He has overall responsibility for sustainability services, products and strategy, and for JLL's corporate sustainability program. Previously, Guy led the EMEA region since June 2016, also serving as a member of JLL’s Global Executive Board. Prior to that, he was CEO of the UK business between 2013 and 2016, having originally joined as a senior leader of the Churston Heard business acquired by JLL in 2008. Outside of JLL, Guy is Chair of the Circular Economy Taskforce at responsible business organisation Business in the Community and Vice President at the British Property Federation. An alumnus of the London Business School Senior Executive Programme, he is also an established media commentator on sustainability, the built and natural environment, and amateur triathlete in his spare time. About Concrete Ventures: Concrete Ventures is a venture capital investor working closely with leading global real estate partners to understand their key challenges and identify and invest in the technology startup founders delivering real impact. About JLL: We’re here to create rewarding opportunities and amazing spaces around the globe where people can achieve their ambitions. In doing so, we are building a better tomorrow for our clients, our people and our communities. We’re a world leader in real estate services, powered by an entrepreneurial spirit. We want the most ambitious clients to work with us, and the most ambitious people to work for us. It’s as simple as that. We buy, build, occupy and invest in a variety of assets including industrial, commercial, retail, residential and hotel real estate. From tech startups to global firms, our clients span industries including banking, energy, healthcare, law, life sciences, manufacturing and technology. About Our Host Louisa Dickins is the co-founder of LMRE, which has rapidly become the market leading global PropTech recruitment platform and search consultancy with operations across North America, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia-Pacific. To promote the industry she is so passionate about, Louisa set up the Global podcast where she hosts and invites guests from the built environment space to join her in conversation about innovation. About LMRE is globally recognised for leading the way in Real Estate Tech & Innovation talent management. From the outset our vision was to become a global provider of the very best strategic talent to the most innovative organisations in PropTech, ConTech, Smart Buildings, ESG, Sustainability and Strategic Consulting. At LMRE we are fully committed at all times to exceed the expectations of our candidates and clients by providing the very best advice and by unlocking exclusive opportunities across our global network in the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. Sponsors Launch Your Own Podcast is the leading podcast production and strategic content company for brands, organisations, institutions, individuals, and entrepreneurs. Our team sets you up with the right strategy, equipment, training, guidance and content to ensure you sound amazing while speaking to your niche audience and networking with your perfect clients. Get in touch
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