It doesn't work without sustainable values
Reorientation of shopping centers
In an era where e-commerce continues to change the shopping landscape, the importance of shopping centers needs to be reconsidered. The ability to order goods conveniently and inexpensively from the comfort of your sofa has changed the traditional role of shopping centers. They are no longer just simple "shopping machines", but must prove themselves to be sustainable and versatile community centers. Because classic "shopping" has become a leisure activity in which fun and experience are the main focus. Shopping centers must offer other functions, offers and amenities - in addition to the retail offer - in order to attract more visitors. This also means that different uses must be harmoniously brought together under one roof in order to generate greater frequency and increase the competitiveness of a shopping center. In addition to retail offers, restaurants, leisure and entertainment offers, offices, health services, municipal facilities and even apartments or hotels are playing an increasingly important role. This versatile offer not only attracts more people, but also helps to diversify and spread the risk of rental income.
“Shopping” becomes a leisure activity
However, the path to a successful shopping center requires more than just a more extensive usage structure. A contemporary design that meets the needs of visitors is crucial. The mall, i.e. the "public space" in the shopping center, must be attractively designed and invite people to linger in order to establish shopping centers as social meeting places. Furthermore, a sustainable and comprehensive approach is required today to take ecological, social and corporate governance aspects into account. The repositioning of shopping centers while taking ESG criteria (environment, social, corporate governance) into account also offers an opportunity to create sustainable values. These values range from environmentally friendly architectural concepts that also promote the well-being of visitors to social initiatives and campaigns.
Positive changes at all levels
However, numerous aspects must be taken into account before planned restructuring. This ranges from technical and structural challenges to legal regulations and official approvals. When establishing leisure and entertainment concepts, safety, fire protection and other factors must also be taken into account. The aforementioned compliance with ESG criteria is also becoming increasingly relevant in the real estate industry. For investors, social responsibility and environmental awareness are equally relevant in real estate projects - in addition to economic success. The path to repositioning a shopping center according to ESG criteria is complex, but at the same time it opens up the opportunity to achieve positive changes at all levels. This requires a deep understanding of the specific challenges and opportunities of each project and the determination to put these values into practice. HBB not only looks at the commercial aspects, but also pays attention to social and environmental concerns. Our approach is based on a holistic analysis to understand the unique needs of a location and to develop a tailor-made "Unique Place Strategy". This includes the careful selection of tenants and the creation of a sustainable and attractive environment. The recipe for success: no standardized approach, but individual solutions for each property and each location.
Our aim is to bring our comprehensive expertise in the field of "revitalization of shopping centers" into symbiosis with the ESG criteria. In doing so, we set high standards of quality and pursue innovative approaches so that shopping centers become modern, sustainable and socially integrated living spaces. Our goal is to implement projects that are forward-looking and sustainable. HBB will soon begin the next repositioning of a shopping center, taking ESG criteria into account. Our commitment extends across all phases of a real estate project - from planning and implementation to operation and management. When certifying our properties, we rely on renowned standards such as those of the German Sustainable Building Council (DGNB) and the British Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). We are currently subjecting the Forum Hanau and an office property in Dreieich is undergoing recertification.
An example of the implementation of ESG measures is the smart metering method, which is Forum Hanau Here we have chosen an innovative approach to increase energy efficiency and minimize consumption. This is achieved by applying the smart metering method. By implementing smart metering technologies, the Forum Hanau monitor energy consumption in the entire building complex in real time. This continuous data collection and analysis is extremely valuable as it helps to precisely track and understand energy consumption. Based on this information and with the help of AI, the center management can take targeted steps to further reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. The permanent monitoring of consumption data enables HBB to identify trends and patterns that indicate opportunities for reducing consumption. This allows the Forum Hanau not only reduce costs, but also make an important contribution to environmental protection. In order to obtain a clear overview of the ecological status of our properties, we became a member of initiatives such as ECORE at an early stage. We are also a member of QUANTREFY, a platform that not only compares various assessment models such as GRESB, but also offers recommendations for action to improve the environmental score. With the help of these initiatives, we can sustainably optimize our properties year after year.
We are also consistently driving forward digitalization at headquarters and center offices. This not only affects our work platforms, but also includes a modern data management system, internal project management and a digital accounting and bookkeeping system. These steps enable us to work almost paperlessly and thus also help to reduce resource consumption.
