Real Estate & Property Awards 2019

BUILD 2019 Real Estate & Property Awards 22 Town Hall Freiburg: © Drees & Sommer Leading Innovators in Sustainable Real Estate Services 2019 Climate change and the topic of environment affects every factor of our lives. There is nothing that will not be changed by how we act at this moment in time. The only way forward in the fight against climate change is to lead by example and take a stand. This is exactly what Drees & Sommer has decided to do, making palpable steps to protect our environment. We profiled them to find out more. ith close to 50 years of project delivery across Europe, and growing in the Middle East, Russia and China, you would be forgiven for thinking that Drees & Sommer would become somewhat set in their ways. Far from it, this multi-disciplinary real estate consultancy firm is as forward- thinking as it gets. No doubt this has played an important part in how they have managed to stay at the top of their game for so many years. Drees & Sommer could be considered a trendsetter in the areas of consulting, planning, construction and operation. The way in which their teams work to transform buildings and cities into places worth living for the generations to come- is no doubt why they are so determined to create sustainable solutions for all their property works. Searching for innovation and sustainability in construction, especially in connection with new digital solutions, has proved an effective engine for the way in which the company operates. The construction industry is believed to be one of the largest consumers of raw materials, Drees & Sommer consults on the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) design concept that advocates that the raw materials should be processed in a way that they can be broken down and reprocessed. This along with digital processes and methods such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) can make construction easier and future-proof. These initiatives play an essential role in ensuring that the real estate and construction industry reach its carbon-zero targets as they go forward. W Reflecting the way in which the construction and building industry is in a period of transition, Drees & Sommer has taken an active approach to the changing face of the industry. On a practical level, this has involved increasing initiatives in terms of sustainability and digitisation. Drees & Sommer is already using digital tools to simulate requirements for areas and looking to further develop Customised Smart Building projects to help optimize operating costs. These buildings incorporate the ‘Internet of Things’ and artificial intelligence, to monitor how buildings are used and learn from the data of the company, the users and the environment. It could then formulate suggestions for improvement. Like all services provided by Drees & Sommer, this development takes on board both ecological and economical concerns. This holistic approach is called ‘the blue way’ and plays a part in every aspect of a project’s development. It has guided the company for the past fifty years, leading the way in innovation and pioneering work. Drees & Sommer: Drees & Sommer booth at Expo Real 2019, inspired by the C2C design concept. © Christian Back experimenta, Heilbronn: © Drees & Sommer 23 2019 Real Estate & Property Awards BUILD Looking forward, the company hopes to continue this good practice. The key company principle: ‘good ideas have no limits’, creates an encouraging atmosphere of being allowed to fail, to test ideas and learn from these mistakes. The intention is to continue the legacy of delivering optimum solutions for clients. The future, the company will invest time, money and resources on execution models that focus on management, planning and implementation know-how from a single source, rather than on the interface. This business model is only possible because the company is a one-stop-shop for firms to consult on everything from concept to construction. It is also thinking on a global scale to reflect its clients. Already bringing German quality standards to 41 offices worldwide, opening new offices is of great interest to the company. Drees & Sommer is a pioneering company, pushing forward the advance of sustainable properties in an innovative way. Leading the way in the industry is not anything new to the company, but this time, there’s a growing pressure to get it right. Climate change is changing how everything works, but in the case of Drees & Sommer, it’s definitely for the better. Website: www.dreso.co.uk Cube Berlin: © CA Immo BBC Worldwide HQ London: © Drees & Sommer Deutsches Haus Vietnam: © Deutsches Haus Ho Chi Minh City