Real Estate and Property Awards 2026 Best Sustainable Commercial Property Developer 2026 – DACH The market for small-scale commercial spaces is at a turning point. As many major cities develop large innovation districts, there remains a shortage of affordable, flexible, climate-conscious premises, those usually inhabited by the likes of start-ups and small businesses, in regional centres and rural areas in particular. GreenPlaces looks to address this challenge, and, since 2016, has been developing modular business parks using a standardised construction timber construction system. Against a backdrop of local authorities seeking to create attractive business locations, safeguard their business tax base, and develop land efficiently with low carbon emissions, all whilst operating with limited administrative resources, GreenPlaces is helping to make access to suitable commercial spaces a non-issue for growth-hungry small enterprises. The flexible units it offers as part of its modular business parks range from approximately 120 to 170 square metres, and they are suitable for storage, production, office, or studio use. The nature of this solution also means that multiple units can be combined as a business expands. GreenPlaces thus targets these developments towards SMEs and start-ups, with the combination of locations in well-connected areas, fast delivery, and low operating and energy costs positioning them as a favourable solution amongst businesses. A typical unit will offer around 170 square metres of ground-floor space, including a sectional loading door with a separate entrance, a mezzanine level for storage or technical equipment, and an upper floor providing office or staff facilities. A smaller option, this sitting at around 120 square metres of space, is also available. Both solutions also offer a structural frame and building envelope constructed mainly out of timber and complemented by triple glazing, high-performance insulation, and resource-efficient materials. Thanks to a highly standardised prefabrication process, a business park consisting of 30 or so units can be delivered with a 12-month turnaround, this from construction commencing to operational readiness, with cost certainty and a consistently high construction quality achieved. These parks are intentionally designed to be collaborative, with clear site identity, shared infrastructure, and active site management all encouraging networking. Through these business parks, GreenPlaces’ aim is to establish a new type of commercial real estate, one that is comprehensively focused on ESG and scalable across a network of locations in both Germany and Switzerland. Its standardised design is at the heart of this approach, and elements including timber construction, photovoltaic systems, green roofs, insulated building envelopes, and heat pump technology all significantly reduce the carbon footprint of each development, and create genuine low-carbon assets. By 2030, the aim is for a network of around 80 locations to be established, and making a meaningful contribution to the decarbonisation of the commercial real estate sector in the DACH region. To date, 19 sites have been completed across Germany and Switzerland, with additional projects currently underway or in advanced planning stages. For example, the small German town of Stockach has seen 44 timber-build units providing approximately 7,400 square metres of usable floor space delivered within just 12 months. Similarly, Mannheim has 30 sustainable commercial units currently in development on a site spanning 7,200 square metres. Both projects will have a discernible ESG impact. Compared with conventional reinforced concrete construction, timber construction generates between 70% and 80% fewer carbon emissions, and stores carbon within the building fabric. As a result, one of GreenPlaces’ recent projects, this one in Lahr, even achieved the QNG Plus standard for its quantified sustainability outcomes, demonstrating that its construction delivers low life-cycle emissions and reduced operational energy demand. Looking ahead, GreenPlaces is also seeking to manage as many stages of the real estate value chain as possible in-house. Earlier this year, it established its own facility management division to shorten decision-making processes, improve responsiveness, and further enhance tenant satisfaction. This is just one of the ways the company is keeping its focus on the future, improving its solutions and their impact on commercial real estate. In essence, through a scalable and innovative model, GreenPlaces offers ESG-compliant buildings that are redefining sustainability and social responsibility in this space. Reducing costs and development timelines, as well as enabling the combination of climate protection, social impact, and the return of expectations of institutional investors, these solutions are truly something worthy of praise here in our Real Estate and Property Awards 2026. More on GreenPlaces can be found at the company web address linked down below. Contact: Markus Eberhard Company: GreenPlaces Deutschland Asset Management GmbH Web Address: https://greenplaces.de/
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