How Real Estate Partnerships Can Accelerate Sustainability Progress

As companies navigate a rapidly changing business environment, sustainability is increasingly shaping real estate decisions. Many organizations are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption, lower emissions, strengthen resilience and modernize facilities without diverting capital from business growth.

Yet sustainability initiatives often compete with other strategic priorities. Companies may see opportunities to improve efficiency or invest in renewable energy but hesitate to commit resources that could otherwise support growth or core operations.

We believe making real estate more sustainable is an ongoing process that requires collaboration, flexibility and a long-term approach. Carey Tenant Solutions formalizes that commitment by helping our tenants address evolving real estate needs even after an acquisition or sale-leaseback transaction is complete.

For tenants, that support can take many forms, from identifying operational improvements to funding projects that help facilities perform better over time.

A long-term ownership mindset

W. P. Carey’s long-term ownership approach means we view each transaction as the beginning of a partnership. Through regular dialogue, property visits and ongoing asset management, we develop a deep understanding of tenants’ operations and priorities, helping identify opportunities to improve facility performance and advance sustainability goals.

This long-term approach allows us to continue supporting tenants as their businesses evolve. In 2017, W. P. Carey provided build-to-suit financing for an industrial facility in Poland leased to Ontex, a leading global supplier of personal hygiene products. Several years later, we partnered with Ontex again to fund a 460,000-square-foot expansion, enabling the company to consolidate production operations from multiple European locations into one modern facility. The expanded portion of the facility received a BREEAM "Very Good" environmental certification, demonstrating how Carey Tenant Solutions and a long-term partnership approach can support both business growth and sustainability objectives.

Energy solutions built around tenant needs

No two tenants have identical sustainability goals. As a result, flexibility is essential. Through Carey Tenant Solutions, W. P. Carey helps tenants evaluate and implement projects tailored to their operations and objectives. These initiatives can include energy efficiency retrofits, smart building technologies, electric vehicle charging infrastructure and other sustainability-focused improvements.

Through our CareySolar® program, W. P. Carey partners with tenants on a variety of solar solutions designed to help our tenants lower utility costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

One example is our work with an industrial tenant in Illinois, where we managed the installation of a 1,350-kW rooftop solar array as part of a lease extension. The project was designed to provide the tenant with access to clean energy while lowering carbon emissions and energy costs at one of its most important facilities.

These investments can create benefits beyond sustainability. Energy-efficient facilities may help lower operating expenses, improve tenant experience and support long-term building performance.

Looking ahead

As Climate Week brings together business leaders, policymakers and sustainability professionals to discuss the future of the built environment, one theme remains clear: meaningful progress requires partnership.

Real estate owners and occupiers can achieve more when they work together. Through Carey Tenant Solutions, we're helping tenants expand and modernize facilities, improve energy performance and advance sustainability initiatives, while allowing them to preserve capital for the investments that drive their businesses forward.