GreenPlaces, a property developer and asset manager specialized in sustainable, multi-let light industrial estates, is substantially growing its German footprint.
The company plans to invest approximately €100 mln over the next three years to develop new locations in the country.
GreenPlaces builds its estates using timber construction modules, offering flexible, affordable space for small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups in accessible locations. The two to three-storey modules, each measuring around 170 m2, can be rented individually or combined into larger units.
Founded in Lausanne in 2017, GreenPlaces currently manages ten sites in Switzerland and has five completed sites in Germany. GreenPlaces aims to expand its portfolio of multi-let industrial estates to approximately 50 by 2030.
Fabrice Bezençon, CEO of the GreenPlaces Group, said: ‘The concept of GreenPlaces is still unique in Germany and matches with strong demand. Rooms of high quality while being affordable and flexible due to the modular design lend themselves to various types of use. Our tenants include, for instance, small production plants, artists, gyms and wellness studios, or architectural offices. The use of timber as building material implies active CO2 storage. Roof-mounted photovoltaic systems supply cheap electricity for internal consumption while heat pumps cover the heating needs.’
Sven Koch, responsible for business development, at GreenPlaces Deutschland Asset Management, added: ‘As we expand our business, we are looking for plots with easy access to motorways or federal routes in the catchment area of major cities mainly in Baden-Württemberg as well as in southern Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The idea is to put our tenants—most of them tradesmen and service providers—within a 20-minute drive of their customers. For the municipalities, we are a reliable partner, because we built to a set standard and for the purpose of retaining the properties in our own portfolio.’
