As the Polish residential market moves from volatility toward a more balanced phase, developers are recalibrating supply, financing strategies and product positioning. In this interview, Carlos de León, General Manager at Acciona Nieruchomości, explains why 2026 could mark a period of mature stabilisation rather than rapid growth, which segments and locations are set to outperform, and how sustainability, financing discipline and regulatory reform will shape the next phase of residential development in Poland.
Once seen primarily as a regulatory requirement, accessibility is now increasingly recognised as a driver of value in the real estate market. Balázs Berecz, Founder and CEO of Access4you, who himself has been a wheelchair user since 2005, explains how accessibility is moving beyond compliance to become a competitive advantage, influencing ESG scores, boosting occupancy, and shaping investment decisions.
Bogdan Nicoară, CEO of Bright Spaces, talked to Property Forum about the startup's plan to operate in eight markets by year-end and the diversification of its digitalisation platform for real estate companies. He also mentions some of the main trends shaping the proptech industry.
Romania has significant potential for renewable energy, with regions like Dobrogea attracting investments in wind energy projects due to high-intensity winds.
As the global imperative for sustainable business practices continues to intensify, companies worldwide are facing the challenge of adapting to this evolving landscape.
JTI Romania follows the group's strategy to improve its environmental footprint, says Gilda Lazăr, Director of Corporate Affairs & Communications at JTI Romania, Moldova & Bulgaria.
Diageo has set a complex 10-year ESG action plan called “Society 2030: Spirit of Progress” which outlines its commitments and actions for a more sustainable future, says Gergely Abraham, Corporate Relations Director Eastern Europe at Diageo.
Sustainability in office design should be considered as an integral and systemic approach, rather than a series of isolated actions, says Horatiu Didea, Managing Partner of Workspace Studio.
UPS cares about sustainability and aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 globally, says Daniela Constantinescu, UPS Country Manager for Hungary, Greece, Romania, and Slovenia.
Orange Romania is aligned with Orange Group's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040 and is implementing measures to monitor and optimize energy consumption while simultaneously increasing the use of electricity from renewable sources, says Teodora Toma – CSR Programs Coordinator, Orange Romania. She talked to Green Forum about the ESG objectives of Orange Romania and its commitment to a cleaner environment. She says that operating more sustainably has resulted in a reduction of approximately 4 GWh in the company's energy consumption in 2022. The company has collected approximately 395.000 old phones and many others in its Recycling boxes, a part of which being Refurbished. Orange Romania aims to have up to 20% refurbished phones in its offer by 2025.
Heineken is building on a solid foundation in all the 3 main areas in its sustainability strategy, in every market where it operates, says Ana Crivăț, Director of Corporate Affairs, Heineken Romania. She talked to Green Forum about the company's sustainability goals for 2030 and about Heineken's responsible drinking campaigns.
The total amount of sustainable loans granted by Raiffeisen Bank last year exceeded €500 million and the entire portfolio of green products for corporate customers reached €435 million, says Laura Mihăilă, Director of Marketing, Communication & CX at Raiffeisen Bank Romania. She talked to Green Forum about Raiffeisen Bank Romania's ESG strategy and the measures the bank is implementing to reduce the negative environmental impact.
Lidl Romania proposes to use more and more renewable energy sources, says Maria Mihai, Head of Corporate Communication and CSR. She talked to Green Forum about what ESG means for Lidl Romania, the company's current sustainability targets, and the measures that the company has taken regarding care for the environment, and reduced water and energy consumption.
The future of thermal heating relies on heat pumps and boilers running on hydrogen mixed with gas, says Cătălin Drăguleanu, Senior Director at Ariston Romania. He talked to Green Forum about the consumer expectations in Romania compared to those in other parts of Europe and the priorities of Ariston in terms of sustainability investments.
BRD has strengthened its involvement in financing the transition to sustainability with the total volume of new sustainable financing reaching over RON 1.2 billion (€240 million) in the first half of 2023, says Flavia Popa, Secretary General, BRD Groupe Société Générale. She talked to the Green Forum about the target regarding the reduction of water and energy consumption in the BRD offices and also about the social projects that the bank supports.
At Romania's Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, priorities and challenges change from day to day, depending on events and issues, says Mircea Fechet, Minister of the Environment, Waters and Forests. He talked to Green Forum about the environmental infringements that Romania currently has about the plastic pollution in rivers and about the plans for accessing PNRR funds.
A sustainable building, whatever its destination, can be 15-20% more expensive than an ordinary one, says Marian Ciupitu, General Manager of Terano Construct. He talked to Green Forum about the company's ESG strategy and about the advantages of a sustainable building. He also says that Romania is continually improving its position regarding environmentally friendly constructions, but compared to Western European countries, Romania is still far from being a role model in this aspect. Marian Ciupitu specifies that the company strives to develop sustainable buildings that reduce the impact on the environment, improve the lives of communities, and promote high standards of ethics and transparency in all operational aspects.
BAT aims to be carbon neutral across its own operations by 2030, says Ileana Dumitru, Legal, and External Affairs Director for the South Eastern Europe Area at BAT. She talked to Green Forum about the role of ESG in BAT`s global strategy and about the company`s most ambitious sustainability targets.
Microsoft has achieved its goal of matching 100% of its annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy, reaching the milestone five years ahead of its 2025 target. The achievement supports the company's commitment to become carbon negative by 2030.
The recent weakening of the CSRD may have some real estate developers cheering the compliance rollbacks, but the consequences could be complicated. A new research survey examines how EU real estate firms are navigating changes to the CSRD, and what that could mean for upcoming SFDR revisions.
Waldevar Energy has begun construction on two utility-scale photovoltaic parks for Doral Energy in Tudor Vladimirescu (Brăila County) and Ștefan Vodă (Călărași County), Romania. The projects will deliver 14 MWp of installed capacity using around 25,000 photovoltaic panels.
Lidl Romania has published its eighth sustainability report for the 2024 financial year, announcing accelerated progress in reducing environmental impact. The retailer has achieved its international 2030 target for transitioning to natural refrigerants, with these now used in 100% of logistics centres and 81.7% of stores, compared to the original goal of 100% of logistics centres and 40% of stores. The company has also increased its green energy usage to 80% of total consumption.
The European Union has reached a provisional agreement to reduce the scope and stringency of two major ESG regulatory frameworks: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
