Over half of APAC office occupiers pledge net-zero emissions by 2030

In contrast, 35% have no targets or pledges.

Over half of office occupiers in Asia Pacific (APAC) have publicly pledged to achieve net-zero emissions, with most setting specific timeframes, a CBRE report showed.
 
Amongst 130 office occupiers surveyed, 37% aim to reach their targets before or by 2030. In contrast, 35% have no targets or pledges, with 55% those based in China which heavily relies on high-emission industries.

Although most APAC governments have set their targets for 2050 or later, Australia faces a tighter deadline of 2035.

However, China, India, and Indonesia– the region’s largest carbon emitters– have set their net-zero targets for one to two decades later. Despite lower urgency, CBRE believes occupiers in these countries can still improve their pledges.

Green building certifications are a top priority for occupiers, influencing site selection, with 10% of respondents willing to pay a rental premium for certified spaces. 

Occupiers are increasingly considering resilience features, such as earthquake-resistant certifications in Japan. The absence of green lease clauses, electric vehicle charging stations, and WELL certificates deters some occupiers from leasing certain properties. 

CBRE suggests landlords and occupiers collaborate on building design and data sharing regarding energy, water, and waste management.

AI adoption remains at an early stage

Despite the recognised role of technology in enhancing the workplace, many companies struggle to implement cohesive digital strategies, said CBRE.

Whilst 60% of small- to medium-sized occupiers have a digital roadmap, the use of digital tools in corporate real estate remains basic, focusing on foundational technologies rather than advanced tools that could leverage live building data for decision-making. Larger companies with higher budgets are more advanced, with 39% of them positioned for further AI adoption, it added.

CBRE expects significant growth in AI experimentation in CRE over the next year, with AI use cases likely to be adopted in document summarisation, real-time responses, processing unstructured data, predictive analytics, and digital twins. 

Though early in its adoption, digitisation in CRE is led by larger companies with over 5,000 employees, driving the transition toward advanced digitalisation.