For years, sustainability in real estate was treated as a compliance issue, a box to tick rather than a source of value. That mindset is outdated. Today, sustainability is not just part of the business: it is the business model, and the foundation of long-term commercial success.

Standards such as EPC ratings and BREEAM certifications are now expected. They no longer set a development apart, but rather serve as the baseline. What has changed is the driver: it is no longer just regulation, but rather occupiers and investors demanding more. They want buildings that perform, that are resilient, and that reflect their own sustainability commitments.

The need for sustainability is now standard, but the delivery is where the opportunity lies. At Thavies Inn House, for example, we have integrated opening windows behind a vine-covered façade. This provides natural air filtration and reduces energy demand. At MIRA Tech Park, we are exploring a district heat network powered by wastewater in partnership with Severn Trent, turning waste into a resource.

These aren’t just design features. They are strategic choices that attract pioneering tenants: companies developing rare-earth-free speaker systems, AI-designed recyclable components, and advanced water filtration technologies. Our developments don’t just house these innovators. They help accelerate these innovators’ progress.

By clustering like-minded businesses, we compress logistics, shorten supply chains, and reduce time to market. This is capital-efficient, commercially smart, and environmentally necessary. It is sustainability in action.

The wider industry must now adopt systems thinking. For example, in the automobile sector, replacing internal combustion engines with batteries is only the beginning. Increased vehicle weight affects tyre wear, which impacts water quality through road runoff. So we are not just thinking about energy. We are thinking about materials, water systems, and the entire environmental chain. That is the power of a connected cluster like MIRA Tech Park – holistic solutions, not isolated fixes.

Sustainability is no longer a trend or a tick-box. It is the lens through which we invest in and develop real estate. Equally, it is what our tenants do, and how we help them accelerate it. For us, sustainability isn’t an add-on. It is the business.