Simplifying sustainability

Sustainability, explained

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Cutting through the noise

Sustainability is now a fundamental consideration for everyone involved in the real estate sector. From investors, developers and occupiers to lenders and asset managers, the industry is navigating an increasingly complex landscape of regulations, targets, and reporting requirements.

With so much information available and ever evolving terminology, sustainability terms can be difficult to follow at times. Definitions can be unclear, technical, or used differently by different organisations, making it tricky to cut through the noise and focus on what matters.

Through our Simplifying Sustainability campaign, we aim to make sustainability easier to understand. Working with industry experts, clients and colleagues from across our firm, we break down key sustainability concepts into clear, practical explanations designed for the real estate market.

Whether you are looking to understand concepts such as net zero, green loans, natural capital or emerging regulatory requirements, our aim is simple: to provide clear, concise, and practical guidance that helps make sustainability easier to understand and discuss.

Together we’re helping to simplify sustainability, one term at a time.

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Sustainability is now a core consideration across the UK real estate market. Discover how Forsters can support your sustainability journey.

Real estate sustainability

Sustainability, explained

Browse our latest videos and articles below, featuring perspectives from sustainability professionals, industry leaders and Forsters’ specialists across a range of disciplines.

Play video: What is a PPA?

What is a PPA? A power purchase agreement is a contract for the sale and purchase of electricity between an ‘offtaker’ (often an occupier of a building) and a power producer (often a third party solar funder/developer). The PPA will govern the ‘power price’ payable for electricity (typically well below Grid prices) and set expectations around minimum consumption levels as well as the buyout cost for terminating the PPA ‘early’, i.e. before the expiry of the contractual term which is typically 15-20+ years.

  1. What is a PPA? Ian Mason, Push Power Duration 1:03
  2. What is a BESS? Ian Mason, Push Power Duration 0:47
  3. What is a B-rent? Patrick Gifford, Cushman & Wakefield Duration 0:48
  4. What is behind-the-meter vs front-of-the-meter? Patrick Gifford, Cushman & Wakefield Duration 0:59

Want to explore the topic further?

This video was recorded at the launch of “From opportunity to infrastructure: Scaling rooftop solar in commercial real estate”, a report exploring the current state of rooftop solar PV deployment across the UK commercial real estate sector. The report explores why rooftop solar is becoming a core part of real estate strategy, identifies the barriers preventing wider adoption, and sets out recommendations to unlock up to 60GW of untapped rooftop solar potential across the UK commercial real estate sector.