How can you find inspiration for sustainable real estate innovation?

1 Explore best practices

One of the easiest ways to find inspiration is to look at what others are doing well. You can learn from the successes and challenges of leading companies and organizations in the corporate real estate sector, as well as from other industries and sectors. For example, you can check out the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), which assesses and ranks the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of real estate portfolios. You can also follow the latest trends and innovations in green building design, smart technology, circular economy, and social impact.

2 Engage stakeholders

Another way to find inspiration is to involve your stakeholders in the innovation process. You can solicit feedback, ideas, and suggestions from your employees, tenants, customers, suppliers, investors, and community members. You can also collaborate with them on co-creating solutions that address their needs and expectations. For example, you can conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, workshops, or hackathons to generate and test ideas. You can also leverage online platforms and tools to crowdsource and share insights and best practices.

3 Experiment with prototypes

A third way to find inspiration is to test your ideas with prototypes. You can create low-fidelity or high-fidelity models or mock-ups of your concepts and see how they work in practice. You can also measure and evaluate their impact on your sustainability goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). For example, you can use digital tools such as building information modeling (BIM), virtual reality (VR), or augmented reality (AR) to simulate and visualize your ideas. You can also use physical tools such as sensors, meters, or dashboards to monitor and optimize your energy, water, and waste management.

4 Embrace learning

A fourth way to find inspiration is to embrace learning as a continuous and iterative process. You can learn from your own experiences and experiments, as well as from the feedback and data you collect from your stakeholders and prototypes. You can also learn from external sources such as research, publications, events, networks, or mentors. For example, you can read books, articles, blogs, or podcasts on sustainable real estate innovation. You can also attend webinars, conferences, courses, or programs on relevant topics and skills.

5 Expand your horizons

A fifth way to find inspiration is to expand your horizons and look beyond your own domain and comfort zone. You can explore different perspectives, cultures, disciplines, and sectors that can offer new insights and opportunities for sustainable real estate innovation. You can also challenge your assumptions, biases, and routines that can limit your creativity and potential. For example, you can travel to different places, visit different projects, or meet different people that can inspire you. You can also try new hobbies, activities, or experiences that can stimulate your curiosity and imagination.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?