German asset manager Warburg-HIH Invest Real Estate has appointed operating-costs specialist Westbridge to install intelligent metering systems across its portfolio in Germany, as part of its sustainability strategy.
The smart meter roll-outs will be carried out at the electricity and gas supply points of 139 properties in total. The portfolio is mainly comprised of commercial properties with a gross lettable space of more than one million square metres and a volume of €6 bn.
'Our aim is to manage our real estate portfolios in the most resource and energy efficient manner possible. We ensure the strict adherence to design options that optimise environmental impact as well as always taking social components into account,' said Söhnke Erichsen, head of corporate management and head of ESG at Warburg-HIH Invest.
Other sustainability protocols the firm has introduced include mandatory environmental due diligence throughout the purchasing process, sustainable energy purchasing and the inclusion of sustainability clauses in the lease agreements – known as green leases.
In addition to the introduction of smart meters, Warburg-HIH Invest is also gradually converting its portfolio to green electricity and gas supply.
As part of its mandate, Westbridge will be supporting the entire process and implementing a digital energy management system for all 139 properties. Going forward, this will allow Warburg-HIH Invest to monitor the properties’ energy consumption in detail and in real time, enabling the direct identification of unexpected excess consumption.
'Following a portfolio analysis, we were able to collect all relevant data on energy supply and uncover potential savings. Our job now is to implement tailor-made measures to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the properties,' said Rüdiger Salzmann, managing director of Westbridge.
Smart metering represents a central element in the digitalisation of German meter infrastructure, according to Warburg-HIH Invest, with the government aiming to replace existing meters with intelligent measuring devices in all German households by the year 2032.
Some 1.9 million end users will be affected by the mandatory replacement of the mechanical meters.
'We see the comprehensive optimisation of our properties’ energy consumption and the collection of exhaustive building data as an important step towards the successful implementation of our ESG strategy,' said Alexander Eggert, managing director of Warburg-HIH Invest.
