Even a cursory review of the current contents of property industry journals, conference brochures and educational programmes reveals the extent to which interest in “responsible property investment” has risen in the last 10 years. Having been involved in this area over that period, I have certainly witnessed attendances at related events go from small gatherings of the converted to standing room–only events full of “show-me-the-money” fund managers.

What do commercial tenants want? Here’s a clue: often, rent reduction isn’t the top request. In fact, a survey of more than 1,200 tenants across the United States and Europe says that hands-on service, communication and fixing problems drive satisfaction. Most importantly, tenant satisfaction translates directly into higher renewal rates.

Given that the survey was examining plans for the next three years, this is a staggering amount of capital to invest in real estate. Most surprising, perhaps, is that only Ä1.2 billion in new allocations is planned, taking total real estate investment to a planned Ä85.9 billion — it is worth noting, though, that these figures do not allow for capital growth in institutions’ multi-asset portfolios or for liquidity shortages that may prevent investors from fulfilling their real estate investment targets. This could have far-reaching implications for industry participants and the people working for them.