Socially responsible investment 'could rise in the future'

Socially responsible investment in sustainable commercial properties is likely to increase in the future, an industry analyst has said.

Etienne Cadestin, sustainability consultant at real estate firm Knight Frank, claimed investors looking for longer-term returns will start to look at greener buildings in the coming years.

Many people have investments in less eco-friendly constructions at present due to the higher returns they generated in the last two years, he claimed.

But that could all change in the future, Mr Cadestin commented, as individuals start to look beyond short-term deals.

"If they want to invest in long-term investment and look at the economic benefits that they can get out of energy efficiency programmes, then it is a win-win situation," the expert stated.

Businesspeople can improve their corporate image and save money by investing in environmentally-friendly structures, he added.

Capital growth for more sustainable buildings was 1.2 per cent in the third quarter of this year compared with 0.9 per cent for those less sustainable, according to the latest figures from the Investment Property Databank. ADNFCR-2318-ID-800261966-ADNFCR