European living property

The strategy aims to access sustainable and growing income streams derived from a research-based approach to investment in the three European living sectors of Private Rented Residential  (including multi-family, single family rental and co-living), Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) and Senior Living through existing stock and development opportunities.

• Targeting residential in Europe’s primary and secondary cities which benefit from attractive demographics, employment opportunities, universities and living conditions.  Will also seek out “improver” markets, where city specifics offer high-growth qualities, diversification benefits and potential risk-adjusted value. 
• Seeks to take advantage of structural undersupply of housing in Europe (largely a consequence of an ongoing lack of development) alongside solid demand for good-quality rental accommodation. 
• Rising mortgage interest rates affecting buyers, coupled with higher construction costs affecting development viability for new schemes, is likely to fuel the imbalance alongside factors, such as rising student numbers, urbanisation and changing lifestyle and housing preferences. 
• Strategy to deliver high-quality accommodation in supply constrained markets.  Assets will be tailored to different lifestyle stages (e.g., students, families, senior living) offering a variety of amenities to meet tenant needs. Our aspiration is to reduce environmental impact, support the wellbeing of occupiers and encourage community engagement, such as shared electric vehicles, communal collaboration areas amongst other amenities.  

With a minimum proportion of 51% sustainable investments, the strategy seeks to promote environmental and social characteristics, including setting binding limits, as well as aspirational targets relating to reducing the impact of real assets on the environment, supporting the wellbeing of occupiers, and encouraging community engagement. This is monitored using performance indicators and external ESG benchmarks such as GRESB.

Case study: Project Platinum, Helsinki, Finland

A newly refurbished art nouveau property which comprises 124 high quality, modern private rented sector housing units, 64 residential apartments, 60 serviced apartments and 10 ground floor commercial units. The asset is located in the wealthy and desirable Katajanokka district of Helsinki, one of Europe’s primary cities benefitting from attractive demographics, employment opportunities and living conditions, alongside strengthening market liquidity. 

It features excellent amenities including concierge, roof-top winter garden, sauna facilities, terrace and underground parking with shared electric car and bicycle facilities, as well as first class ESG qualities including the largest concentration of solar panels covering ca. 17% of the property’s electricity consumption and the installation of a heat recovery system.  The asset has been awarded with 89 LEED points entitling a LEED Platinum certificate (LEED version 4 Building design and construction, New Construction category). This is the first LEED Platinum Living property in Finland with the highest score in Europe and the second highest in the world in the same category.