{"id":2094,"date":"2025-03-11T08:40:58","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T08:40:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/?p=2094"},"modified":"2026-11-05T08:44:18","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T08:44:18","slug":"in-conversation-with-daniel-shindleman-on-how-sustainability-became-a-smart-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/in-conversation-with-daniel-shindleman-on-how-sustainability-became-a-smart-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"In Conversation with Daniel Shindleman on How Sustainability Became a Smart Investment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cEven as a child, my mother would joke that my greatest interests were water and trees,\u201d recalls Daniel Shindleman, managing director at\u00a0<\/span>Bridgemer<\/a>. While others focused on oil reserves, he saw freshwater as the world\u2019s most critical resource. This early insight would guide his approach to sustainable real estate investment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

The Math Finally Adds Up<\/h3>\n

\u201cAt first, sustainability was a luxury,\u201d Shindleman says. \u201cThose who could afford it were typically institutions or family offices with philanthropic objectives. It was thought you had to give up something to produce a sustainable product.\u201d<\/p>\n

That calculation changed as evidence emerged. A landmark U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study demonstrated sustainable features\u2019 direct impact on workplace performance. \u201cIf you have a healthy environment \u2013 non-toxic paints, ergonomic chairs, lots of sunlight, the ability to have fresh air coming in \u2013 you will have a more productive environment. Your employees will be happier there. They will do a better job.\u201d<\/p>\n

The implications reshaped industry thinking: sustainable features became investments with measurable returns. \u201cIf it costs more to buy ergonomic furniture, you\u2019re getting a return on that additional cost through reduced absenteeism and increased productivity,\u201d Shindleman explains. \u201cWe were able to show that it wasn\u2019t a luxury good \u2013 it was a necessity. Healthy employees are the most important resource of any business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hidden Revenue in Plain Sight<\/h3>\n

Green roofs exemplify this shift from cost center to revenue generator. \u201cBeyond environmental benefits, why not rent it out for a caf\u00e9 or create a rest area for employees?\u201d Shindleman suggests. \u201cYou could have that sustainable feature while generating a new revenue stream.\u201d<\/p>\n

The same principle applies to curtain walls: \u201cGlass walls are popular for solar panels and natural light. But they\u2019re also essentially blank screens \u2013 perfect for controlled electronic advertising in prime locations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Great Office Reset<\/h3>\n

Market dynamics have reshaped office sector expectations. \u201cOffice went from being a much-loved asset class to much-unloved, and now we see a repositioning,\u201d Shindleman observes. \u201cClass A office remains strong, with top properties still commanding premiums.\u201d<\/p>\n

The differentiator? Spaces that enhance productivity and wellbeing. \u201cHumans need collaboration \u2013 we\u2019re social animals,\u201d notes Shindleman. \u201cWorking from home is fine part-time, but think about new employees who\u2019ve never actually integrated with their colleagues in person. It\u2019s difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n

Success requires more than desk space. \u201cInstead of making trips to the cleaners or grocery store, why not have these amenities nearby? When you go to work, you can do these other things as well.\u201d This integration of services advances both convenience and sustainability goals.<\/p>\n

Think Global, Build Local<\/h3>\n

The sustainable construction movement points toward fundamentals. \u201cAnything which is just a natural item is sustainable,\u201d Shindleman explains. \u201cBut you have to take into account local building materials and see how those can be applied. You\u2019re going to build differently in an area with lots of forests compared to if you have to ship wood across the ocean.\u201d<\/p>\n

This localized approach encompasses the entire construction ecosystem. \u201cIt means local personnel, local carpenters, local artisans, local services, local suppliers. It gives back to the community in which you\u2019re building.\u201d<\/p>\n

The strategy delivers dual benefits: reducing construction\u2019s carbon footprint while strengthening local economies. \u201cWhen we talk about sustainability, it\u2019s not only about what you build as a building and how you populate it \u2013 it\u2019s also part of the community and what you do for the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Data Centers: The Power Play<\/h3>\n

Data centers present a distinctive confluence of real estate and energy infrastructure. \u201cYour source of energy, the reason why data centers are located in places where you have an available source of energy \u2013 that energy could be sustainable. It doesn\u2019t have to be the typical hook up to the grid,\u201d Shindleman explains.<\/p>\n

His proposed shift: \u201cMaybe data centers should actually be power plants which happen to have a data center attached.\u201d This approach creates new revenue streams, with facilities able to \u201csell into the grid or have long-term contracts with neighboring facilities, maybe manufacturing facilities nearby, maybe residential districts.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Road Ahead<\/h3>\n

As stability returns to markets, Shindleman sees opportunity. \u201cWe\u2019re back to what was normal. While there can be fluctuations \u2013 because stability doesn\u2019t mean no fluctuations \u2013 it means fluctuations around a mean level of activity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result: increased investment in property improvements and a market that validates Shindleman\u2019s early thesis \u2013 sustainability drives measurable value.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n

Article originally published on keycrew Journal, 11.03.2025 | Written by: Steve Marcinuk
Article available on: https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/477bm4hp<\/a><\/pre>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2097,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_cacherocket_do_not_cache":false},"categories":[56,35,55,57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2094","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news_articles","category-news","category-news_interviews","category-news_press"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2094"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2941,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094\/revisions\/2941"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgemer.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}