RICS and Immobilien Zeitung Partner with The Sustainable Real Estate Forum "SREF'' to Launch Global Real Estate Research Initiative and the Real Estate Decision Intelligence (REDI) Category with Optiml at MIPIM 2026

LONDON, CANNES, France, NEW YORK and BERLIN, March 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and Immobilien Zeitung (IZ) announced a collaboration with the Sustainable Real Estate Forum (SREF) to launch a global initiative to make evidence‑based insights and proven strategies accessible across the real estate industry.

Revealed during an exclusive Hilton Cannes reception, the initiative unites international standards, policy insight, and real‑world case studies within a single collaborative framework.

"SREF exists to unlock the world's most valuable research and make it accessible to the entire ecosystem. We take proven client case studies and put them on global platforms, helping others find true solutions that are validated in the market," said Peter Panayi, Founder of SREF. "By connecting leading institutions, standards bodies and innovators, we're turning knowledge into measurable progress."

As Global Knowledge Partner, RICS will embed standards that advance best practice in sustainable housing, carbon measurement and risk mitigation. Immobilien Zeitung, as Global Media and Research Partner, will drive research dissemination through a dedicated channel and the IZ Research Library.

"The gap between sustainability research and investment decision-making has been a persistent blind spot. Real estate doesn't lack ambition  — it lacks accessible evidence. What SREF and RICS are building here, connecting verified case studies directly to the people allocating capital, is precisely how the industry closes that gap. That's where progress accelerates."

Robbie Epsom, Co-Founder, Karteria Partners

"RICS is proud to partner with SREF to make standards-aligned research actionable for the entire industry. This collaboration bridges leadership insight with real-world execution."

Susanne Eickermann-Riepe FRICS, Senior Vice President at RICS

From Research to Real‑World Impact

The Industry Forum at MIPIM also saw leading proptech software company Optiml launch its Real Estate Decision Intelligence (REDI) product — positioning REDI as a new benchmark for financial-grade decision-making in real estate, enabling institutional-standard, data-driven investment, asset performance, and risk management.

REDI is a proprietary technology that gives asset and investment managers – and their consultants – an auditable decision layer to optimize capital allocation and internal rate of return, defend net asset value and distribution yields, while managing transition risks — translating applied research into measurable investment performance.

"We built REDI because decision-makers were at a crossroads with real estate's most consequential capital workflows," said Dr. Evan Petkov, Co‑Founder and CEO of Optiml. "Leaders are turning complexity into competitive advantage – using data‑driven, underwriteable strategies that generate alpha while maintaining the governance standards Investment Committees, LPs and lenders increasingly demand."

Global Leaders featured at SREF Launch Event

As demonstrated by partners of SREF's launch event, including ALFI (Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry), GRESB, Arcadis, Catella, IQ‑EQ, KOMPAS VC, Westbridge/agradblue, Scaler, Aedifion, Planon Real Estate and others, SREF's initiative unites market leaders from across policy, capital markets, asset management and technology.

Their combined support is a powerful signal of cross‑sector collaboration which will accelerate progress in sustainability, innovation and data transparency. The organizations will not only collaborate, but cross-promote industry studies and case‑based frameworks — translating research into practical strategies that help businesses and clients achieve measurable performance and sustainability targets.

Industry Perspectives

"You cannot decarbonise what you do not understand. Turning building data into measurable outcomes helps us better quantify green capex and communicate the financial and environmental impact to investors, lenders and stakeholders across the real estate industry."
Daniel Sponheimer, ESG & Sustainability Manager, Catella

"For too long, real estate has relied on fragmented data, static reports and non-financeable pathways. What the industry needs is decision intelligence — a way to translate financial requirements, sustainability transition paths and market dynamics into underwriteable, auditable investment decisions. With REDI and this collaboration, we are helping turn knowledge into capital allocation that stands up in front of investment committees, lenders and regulators."
Nico Dehnert, Co-Founder, Optiml

"We're at a turning point: for the first time, we can understand building operations in real time and optimize them autonomously within 48 hours. What once took months now happens instantly. That transforms operational risk into predictable ESG performance and turns sustainability into measurable, investable outcomes. The question for 2026 isn't 'how do I digitalize?' — it's 'how fast can I unlock the potential?"
Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fütterer, CEO, aedifion

"Better decision making is what closes the gap between sustainability ambition and real world implementation. The market needs clearer, actionable insight to simplify workflows, manage risk, strengthen asset resilience, and allocate capital with greater confidence. Connecting research, tools, and industry adopters will be critical to translating innovation into market impact."
Victoria Burrows, Strategic Partnerships & Insights, KOMPAS VC

"Ambition has never been the problem in real estate. We all want more sustainable buildings and a more sustainable built environment, but we also need financial performance to improve. That means balancing sustainability with stronger returns, smarter financing, and better-informed decisions. At Planon Real Estate, we give our clients a clear view of today's reality and the intelligence to make sound choices for tomorrow. Our platform delivers robust business cases, deep analytical insight, and a powerful connection between operations and strategy."
Klaas Bosma, Chief Revenue Officer, Planon Real Estate

"Scaling the sustainability transition requires more than ambition, it requires experience, connectivity, and the right technological infrastructure. Our shared objective is clear: to equip the market with the tools, data, and strategic insight needed to turn sustainability into measurable performance. At Greenlab, we believe that when experience meets technology, scale follows."
Aixa Duque, Chief Operating Officer, Greenlab

About the event

"An impeccably organized, oversubscribed event that delivered exceptional networking in a superb setting."
Sander Paul van Tongeren, CCO, Scaler

"At the SREF Event during MIPIM, where over €4 trillion in capital converges, one message stood out: the real ROI in ESG lies at the intersection of energy markets, risk management, and measurable decarbonisation — not in promises, but in performance."
Patrick Lange, Managing Director, Agradblue, part of Westbridge

About SREF

SREF is the premier global forum for C-level leaders from real estate, asset management, and investment firms, partnering with the world's leading organisations including RICS. Through invite-only events across London, Paris, New York, Luxembourg and Singapore and through rigorously validated case studies, SREF delivers actionable strategies that unite sustainability, profitability, and risk mitigation.

For more information:

Company contact – Sustainable Real Estate Forum:
Enquires: global@sre-forum.com 

Website: https://www.sustainablerealestateforum.com 

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