Manage-to-green: Sustainable opportunities in European logistics

Opting to renovate existing real estate logistics assets can help accelerate the decarbonization pathway of a real estate portfolio while improving risk-adjusted returns potential. Through our manage-to-green approach, we highlight how Fidelity International’s pan-European climate impact logistics strategy is tapping into this compelling opportunity.

Written by Adrian Benedict, Head of Real Estate Solutions, Fidelity International.
Marketing communication. Important information is available at the end of this page.

Key points

  • Green-certified buildings have become the norm for commercial tenants, who now expect to pay less rent for facilities that fall short of their environmental standards.
  • Compared to constructing new green buildings, renovating buildings to reduce their operational and embodied carbon footprint can be more cost effective while increasing risk-adjusted returns potential. This also avoids emissions involved with demolishing and constructing new buildings.
  • Recent acquisitions within Fidelity International’s pan-European climate impact logistics strategy align with our manage-to-green approach, offering strong market fundamentals, excellent specifications and significant potential for sustainability improvements.
  • As sustainability has become more important for occupiers, the carbon footprint of their real estate facilities have naturally come to the fore. Reducing the environmental impact of buildings to meet upcoming ESG regulation and to increase asset value is now among the most important considerations for real estate investors.

    This is particularly true for logistics firms, in which transport and real estate account for a large proportion of the carbon footprints. Occupiers now expect to pay less rent for buildings that are not green-certified facilities, according to the CBRE European Logistics Occupier Survey 2024 (see Figure 1). In short, tenants want buildings that are set up to operate at net zero and as efficiently as possible to save on running costs and to meet sustainability goals.

    Figure 1: Rent premium over market rent for a green-certified facility
    Figure 1: Rent premium over market rent for a green certified facility Grouped bar chart showing rent premium over market rent for a green certified facility in 2024 compared to 2023 - results based on a CBRE European Logistics Occupier Survey 2024.   59% of respondents are unwilling to pay a rent premium for green certified facilities. This is a significant increase from 2023, where less than a third of respondents selected these options. The response this year presents challenges, given that nearly two-thirds of respondents say they plan to be net zero before or during 2030.
    Source: CBRE and Analytiqa (European Logistics Occupier Survey 2024), July 2024.

    Additionally, European regulatory initiatives such as the EU Taxonomy and the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR) will likely exert more pressure on investors, tenants and developers to prioritize sustainability. Given the demand for greener buildings, we believe a program of refurbishments that are already available from brown to green is essential to reduce the operational and embodied carbon footprint of the sector. Fidelity International’s strategy aims to capitalize on this compelling opportunity by investing in the logistics sector across core Western European markets.

    Since the pandemic and the domination of onshoring and reshoring trends in supply chains, the lack of available warehouse space has pushed rental returns ever higher, notwithstanding the uncertain macro backdrop. This rental growth and the yields on offer brought investors flocking to logistics in recent years, helping to make warehouses one of the asset types that has emerged as a winner in the bifurcated fortunes of the real estate market. Over the past few years, logistics vacancy levels – already close to record lows – are expected to fall further, supporting a continuation of that trend.

    Climate impact of the logistics sector

    Our manage-to-green approach (see Figure 2) is focused on acquiring existing assets with the intention of retrofitting and transforming them so they can be operated with net zero emissions to meet growing occupiers’ sustainability targets. This is done by focusing on, for example, enhancing energy efficiency, optimizing the heating, cooling and lighting systems and installing photovoltaic (PV) panels.

    Figure 2: Manage-to-green approach to decarbonize buildings
    Image showing the 4 segments of delivering a lasting and holistic impact within the EU taxonomy alignment: optimizing climate change, sustainable supply chain, sustainable building operation and positive societal impact.  optimizing climate change includes accelerated delivery of decarbonized buildings well ahead of 2025 targets, measurable energy efficiency improvements focused on primary energy demand and commitment to achieve green building certificates. Sustainable building operation includes detailed ESG assessment of all future tenants undertaken, new leases contain lease clauses and metrics to promote and track efficient energy, water usage and waste management. Sustainable supply chain includes commitment to recycle/ re-use of less than 70% of construction waste, only work with contractors with minimum ESG ratings, aligned to our sustainable metrics and minimum labour standards and human right protections apply. Positive societal impact include promote occupier health and wellness, commit to local environmental and community beautification, grow surrounding economy with commitment to local procurement, promote to biodiversity by protecting wildlife, adding green roofs, etc.
    For illustrative purposes only. Source: Fidelity International, September 2024. The underlying climate impact metrics represent a portfolio construction goal. Not all metrics represent a binding obligation. For a detailed breakdown of binding and nonbinding commitments, please refer to the fund’s official documentation, including the complete Fidelity Sustainable Investing Framework (FSIF) and its Real Estate Adaptations: https://fidelityinternational.com/sustainableinvesting-framework/ and also the Fidelity Climate Impact Strategies Metrics table.

    Strategy overview

    • Refurbishing existing buildings to be operated at net zero carbon (NZC), accelerating their NZC pathway.
    • Delivering measurable and transparent impact: 21 metrics across the building, occupier and supplier chains.
    • Aligned to SFDR Article 9 and the EU Taxonomy; seeking a reduction in primary energy demand of at least 30% for each asset.

    Recent acquisitions

    Late last year, we announced the purchase of three assets for the strategy. These are located in the Netherlands and Spain and are highly suitable for an “impact” type of renovation, improving the buildings’ sustainability standards and NZC capability. With the buildings being bought at an attractive discount, we believe they can deliver attractive risk-adjusted return potential over the coming years.

    As demand from occupiers for prime location properties grows rapidly – while supply of quality logistics assets is constrained – we see strong rental growth potential for well-located green warehouses. Given this, we have recently moved to expand the portfolio through further acquisitions in Germany, Spain and France, with additional details outlined below.

    1. Combs-la-Ville, France

    Our first acquisition in France is strategically located in Combs-la-Ville at the heart of the Sénart logistics hub, a key area in the French national supply chain with only about 3% vacancy and limited future development opportunities.

    One of the most well-established logistics markets in France, Sénart is located between two major production sites (Essonne and Seine-et-Marne), offering excellent transportation links, including the A5 motorway, which connects Paris to the southern cities of France, and the Francilienne, a partial ring road around the Parisian region Île-de-France. Additionally, easy access to Orly Airport further helps establish the region’s dominance as a logistics hub, offering long-term, stable income potential.

    The 42,000-sqm property itself sits on a land plot of approximately 90,000 sqm and was built in 1998, before being extensively renovated in 2010. It has been vacant since July 2024, previously occupied by major logistics companies. Acquired as part of an off-market portfolio transaction, the vacant possession allows for swift execution of the business plan.

    We have an ambitious capex plan to renovate the asset and significantly enhance its ESG and sustainability standards. Key renovations include the following:

    • office refurbishments
    • air conditioning unit replacement 
    • roof replacement
    • PV installation on roof and/or car parking canopies
    • replacement of gas-powered mechanical and electrical (M&E) systems and installation of air source heat pump
    • LED installation
    • facade and loading bay refurbishments
    • outdoor area improvements
    • tank excavation
    • fire safety updates

    In this context, the project perfectly aligns with our strategy, offering strong market fundamentals, excellent specifications and significant potential for sustainability improvements.

    2. Nuremberg, Germany

    This logistics property in Nuremberg is a high-quality asset in a strategic location with potential for energy optimization and sustainability improvements. It features market-standard, modern logistics specifications and comprises almost 19,000 sqm of rental area on a plot of nearly 33,000 sqm.

    The property offers superb infrastructure connections to multiple superregional highways and benefits from being in proximity to a harbour and an airport. It was completed in 2010 and is fully let to the third-party logistics service provider Elsen Logistik GmbH.

    3. Wustermark, Germany

    This 25,400-sqm logistics property was built in two phases in 1997 and 2017. It is located in the Wustermark commercial area west of Berlin, providing strong transportation connections. The property combines an established location and good third-party usability with energy modernization potential.

    The older part of the property is leased on a long-term basis to Schlau Großhandels GmbH & Co. KG, with the newer part set to be available for leasing from mid-2025 after the implementation of our planned manage-to-green strategy.

    4. Madrid and Barcelona, Spain

    The acquisition of three logistics assets in Getafe, Coslada (both around Madrid) and Polinya (Barcelona) in early 2025 brings the portfolio’s assets across the Spanish market to a total of 120,000 sqm (see Figure 3).

    • Getafe. This last-mile logistics asset is strategically located in the first ring of Madrid. Integrated in the southern corridor, it offers direct access to highways and is about 20 minutes by road from the centre of Madrid and its airport. Built in 1994 and refurbished in 2014, the asset is a 44,000-sqm site, offering modern logistics specifications to meet market standards. It is currently 90% leased, and we plan to renovate the asset and to upgrade sustainability aspects.
    • Coslada. This is a last-mile cross-dock logistics asset located in the first belt of Madrid in the coveted “Corredor del Henares,” which connects Madrid and Barcelona. It is only 20 minutes from the centre of Madrid and less than 10 minutes from Madrid Barajas airport, with an ideal location for regional and national distribution thanks to direct access to the highway. The 100% leased asset consists of a single building offering almost 7,000 sqm of leasable area on a 11,000-sqm site. It was completed in 1999 and offers modern, market-standard logistics specifications.
    • Polinya. This is strategically located in the first ring of Barcelona. It is 30 minutes by car from the city centre and 35 minutes from the airport, with an ideal location for regional and national distribution thanks to direct access to the highway. The 100% leased asset offers approximately 14,000 sqm of gross leasable area on a land plot of approximately 22,000 sqm.
    Figure 3: Locations of Fidelity International’s real estate logistics assets
    Map of Europe shows the cities in which there are Fidelity real estate logistics assets: Madrid and the surrounding areas, Barcelona, Paris, Rotterdam, Berlin and Munich.
    Source: Fidelity International, March 2025.

    In conclusion, refurbishing existing buildings into greener facilities is not only a regulatory necessity but also a strategic imperative for real estate investors. The combination of tenant demand, stricter sustainability rules and portfolio decarbonization priorities makes green retrofits an attractive option with more immediate, higher risk-adjusted returns potential compared to new construction projects.

    For investors seeking long-term income along with capital appreciation potential, an investment strategy to raise the environmental standards of existing logistics assets could provide a competitive performance edge while mitigating the effects of the climate crisis.