“Acquiring HelloParks’ warehouses is a significant step for us in becoming a prominent investor in the rapidly advancing industrial real estate development sector,” says Balázs»Pázmány, chairman of the board at Erste Alapkezelő.
“Both buildings fully meet the quality and sustainability criteria that are essential for Erste Real Estate Fund’s investment decisions. We seek future-proof properties that provide long-term stable returns and added value, and this deal clearly reflects our commitment to high-quality, ESG-compliant industrial investments,” he adds.
Rudolf Nemes, CEO and co-founder of HelloParks was equally pleased with the deal. “Increasingly stringent EU regulations are prompting Hungarian tenants to choose warehouses that support their sustainability goals,” he says.
“These developments, however, require significant investment, outstanding teamwork, and expertise, all generating measurable added value. It is no coincidence that investor activity in Hungary’s industrial-logistics real estate market is intensifying, particularly in high-quality, ESG-compliant facilities, forecasting further sector growth,” Nemes adds.
HelloParks says it has incorporated cutting-edge technology to maximize operational efficiency in its warehouses. The buildings are equipped with heat pump-based cooling and heating systems and feature rooftop solar panels capable of reducing offices’ primary grid energy consumption to zero.
An intelligent building management system continuously monitors and optimizes heating, ventilation, air conditioning, water, and electrical systems while detecting potential leaks.
Tenants have complete control over their spaces via HelloParks’ proprietary mobile app, which connects to the BMS, allowing remote adjustments to heating, ventilation, and lighting and real-time monitoring of utility usage and technical data, according to the prolific developer and industrial park operator.
HelloParks has eight pipeline projects that have achieved the “Outstanding” or “Excellent” rating in Breeam New Construction.
“The most widely used sustainability rating systems, such as Breeam and Leed, cover a broad spectrum of a building’s sustainability performance and, in some systems, even the processes that led to the construction of the building,” comments Anna Bencze, head of sustainability at HelloParks.
“In addition to energy, wellbeing, and comfort of building users, transport and accessibility aspects, water and waste management, biodiversity and material use and circular economy aspects, many other sustainability aspects are assessed and included,” she explains.
“The wide range of criteria assesses not only the design content but also the construction process and the performance and operation of the completed building, for which there are different rating systems depending on the project phase, like ‘new construction’ or ‘existing buildings,’” Bencze says.
“This is fantastic, as for a building to be rated at a very high level, it is essential that it performs at a high level in all areas. I hope that this diversity will be maintained in the existing and emerging rating systems in the future. A major challenge for the future, or rather the present, is the integration of carbon reduction efforts for existing and future buildings,” she adds.
European cities are adopting regulatory guidelines that create a target for reducing CO2 emissions from existing buildings, which directly impact air quality and life quality, according to a roundtable at the Mipim expo.
For example, Milan plans to introduce a CO2 tax for building permits. Owners will need to prove that a building’s operation confirms with certain standards; if CO2 emissions are above these standards, taxes will be levied.
This is for the benefit of the city and will be a new role model for other major towns to clean up the environment, comments Hubert Abt, CEO & founder of Workcloud24. This is a pragmatic way to preserve the values of buildings for the future as, if this is not done, “the owner risks losing 10-20-30% or more of the value of a building, or it could become a stranded asset,” Abt argues.
The Fuzja (Fusion) urban development in central Łódź has won the “Urban Regeneration Project Award” for Echo Investment and Archicom, as developers, and the Medusa Group as architects, at the Mipim real estate awards 2025. The project also won the “Special Jury Award.”
The redevelopment of the site of a former textile factory has delivered 90,000 sqm of commercial, residential and cultural space, with the 22 buildings including restored heritage structures.
“All projects by Echo Investment and Archicom can be distinguished by the initiatives taken to further the trend of sustainable development. They include lots of green space, measures to preserve biodiversity, and solutions to reduce their carbon footprint,” comments Echo Investment, which is majority-owned by the Hungary-based developer Wing and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
“We are fighting urban sprawl and, by area, 51% of the developments we have under construction or in the pipeline are mixed-use destination projects,” the firm notes.
In total, 10 categories of awards were given out at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, with a shortlist of 39 projects from 22 countries chosen from 200 entered developments.
“This year, the jury focused on projects that seek to enhance the built environment’s prospects in line with ESG goals. The six key criteria are overall sustainability, originality of the concept, architectural qualities, interest of the project in its environment and the community, quality of the user experience and economic contribution,” comments Veronique Bedague, president of the jury.
“From a consideration of construction and operational carbon to climate and life cycle concerns, prizes went chiefly to projects that best serve their end-users and wider communities while making a contribution to the economy,” Bedague adds.
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of March 21, 2025.
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