Advising with technology and sustainable solutions – BusinessWorld Online

Throughout the crisis, the words technology and sustainability come into mind among businesses. For one, the pandemic has compelled them to digitalize as a response to travel restrictions and safety priorities, while green and inclusive developments have been more and more significant to be part of their agendas.

JLL is among those businesses. Yet, being a provider of end-to-end real estate advisory services, the firm has also supported others in boosting their technologies and sustainability.

JLL is a technology-driven global consultancy firm committed to building a better tomorrow through its sustainability program, which thus becomes more highlighted these times.

The objective of the firm since day one of the pandemic is simple: “It was not about making a sale, it was about giving advice on real estate to investors, developers, and tenants,” shared Christophe Vicic, country head of JLL Philippines.

An advocate of PropTech, JLL does real estate with a data-driven approach that allows them to get the relevant market intelligence on various types of properties, as well as gauge the happiness and productivity of occupiers. The firm utilizes technologies for various real estate services, whether it is for scoping investment opportunities, finding the right place and size to lease, building efficiency and transparency in executing real estate projects, and increasing asset value in properties through an end-to-end facilities management tool.

Among these tools is MapIT, JLL’s proprietary location intelligence service technology, which allows clients to get the right data — such as snapshots of key real estate indicators and market and competitive scan — to make the right business decision.

The firm also has a separate division called JLL Technologies that has different pillars. One of which is JLL Spark, an investment fund looking for real estate-related companies, small companies, and startups around the world that have products or services that could benefit the firm and its clients.

JLL Philippines seeks to be recognized as a technology company working in the real estate sector. “Whatever we do, we want to ensure that it’s done with the latest updated data and technology,” said Mr. Vicic. “Because we believe that one of the tools that can create sustainability and a greener world [is] technology.”

As part of its purpose, to build the future of the real estate for a better world that is more sustainable, the firm became a signatory of the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment in 2020. It is also a founding partner of Bloomberg Green, a new multiplatform editorial brand focused on climate change news, analysis, and solutions.

JLL’s sustainability strategy centers on bringing long-term value to stakeholders by creating resilient buildings, healthy spaces, and inclusive places. And to drive towards that sustainable change, the firm entrenches sustainability in each of its endeavors through the four pillars of its program: Clients, People, Workplaces, and Communities. These are supported by the firm’s commitment to its values of teamwork, ethics, and excellence.

A key pillar of its sustainability strategy is to guide its clients towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions. JLL commits to reaching this net-zero in all its areas of operations and the sites of clients by 2040.

Its advisory service on energy and sustainability helps its clientele in their sustainability strategy and reporting; renewable energy supply; building assessments and optimization; portfolio energy and sustainability management; and ratings and certifications.

“This will be all the advice about the future real estate that has to be green and the construction to be sustainable. It’s everybody’s work, not only the real estate advisors, developers, and construction companies. It’s also the tenants,” Mr. Vicic said.

Sustainability and technology are among the several consulting services offered by JLL. It has fully integrated services that can attend to various real estate advisory needs of property owners, investors, and occupiers. The firm covers capital markets; office leasing advisory; workplace strategy; logistics and industrial; supply chain; hotels and hospitality; property and asset management; work dynamics; research; strategic consulting; and valuation.

“The approach will always be holistic,” said Mr. Vicic, adding that this was what the firm has done for the past two years and would continue doing beyond the crisis. “There will be more listening to our client and providing a solution by putting a team of experts from all our service line together.”

JLL has been operating in the Philippines since 1997 as a 100% wholly owned entity and currently manages about 4.4 million square meters of real estate with a workforce of over 1,100 employees. With more than two decades of local expertise working hand-in-hand with its global legacy, JLL provides to the Philippine real estate market an unparalleled synergy of services with a strong commitment to achieve real estate ambitions through future-ready approaches. For further information, visit www.jll.com.ph.

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