Author: Adam Branson

Adam Branson is a real estate journalist based in London.

Articles by Adam Branson

• While ESG Funds Boom, Creating a Roadmap to Social-Value Measurement 
  Published on February 26, 2021 in Sustainability
  ULI has been working in collaboration with a select group of corporate members to produce a “roadmap” for social value measurement that identifies the obstacles, gaps, frameworks, and tools that are available to set targets, manage and measure social impact, and examine best practices already applied from across the real estate industry. 
• Growth and Resilience: Planning for the Recovery of Europe’s Great Cities
  Published on February 26, 2021 in Development
  In the closing session of the 2021 Virtual Europe Conference, a panel considered the impact the COVID-19 pandemic would have on cities in both the short term and the longer term.
• The Future of the Modern Workplace Remains Up for Debate
  Published on February 22, 2021 in Capital Markets
  ULI MEMBER–ONLY CONTENT: In an Oxford-style debate, two property experts locked horns virtually during the 2021 ULI Virtual Europe Conference on one of the most talked-about subjects of the past year—the future of the white-collar workplace. Once the pandemic has passed, will most office workers return to business as usual, working five days a week in proximity to colleagues? Or has the world changed forever, with most people working from home for at least a couple of days a week?  
• Paris Embracing the Compact Density of 15-Minute Neighborhoods
  Published on February 18, 2021 in Trends
  The mayor of Paris is embracing the “ville du quart d’heure”—translated as 15-minute city—the first time that a leading politician in France's largest city had backed the idea, particularly as a reelection strategy.
• A Fractured Picture: Europe’s Governments, Populations Shift as Economic Output Remains Muted
  Published on February 16, 2021 in Trends
  ULI MEMBER–ONLY CONTENT: In an opening session of the 2021 ULI Europe Virtual Conference, experts said that many had been warning about the possibility of a global pandemic, but the lack of preparation and early detection added to its toll.
• Rethinking Resilient Cities around the Globe
  Published on June 23, 2020 in ULI Europe
  Recently, ULI Europe conducted a webinar to discuss how city resilience should be redefined around the world in light of the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to the rising tides threatening coastal cities, touching on research that ULI is contributing to on how five cities around the world are preparing for sea rise and other climate change impacts.
• Reinvesting in Smaller U.K. Cities with Micro-units, Smart Sensors, and New Approaches to Finance
  Published on July 22, 2019 in Market Trends
  At the ULI U.K. Annual Conference, a range of speakers from across Europe provided fresh perspectives on how the real estate industry is evolving to meet the needs of both the economy and society, including use of smarter sensor technology, creation of micro-units for both housing and retail space, as well as assistance for British cities in tapping sources of capital for regeneration.
• How Brexit and the Market Cycle Are Affecting Investor Sentiment across the United Kingdom
  Published on June 28, 2019 in Capital Markets
  At the 2019 ULI U.K. National Conference, a panel on the practicalities of real estate investment reflected on the opportunities and challenges, not least in terms of the impact that Brexit is having on investor sentiment, as well as where we are in the market cycle. Multifamily continues to do well, while retail is struggling as in overbuilt markets.
• Paving the Way for Taller Buildings across Europe’s Large Cities
  Published on June 24, 2019 in Planning & Design
  At the 2019 ULI U.K. National Conference, attendees heard how two leading architects are responding to the market’s demands for taller buildings across Europe’s big cities while considering any desire to maintain a more traditional skyline.
• Leveraging Public-Sector Funds Wisely Is Key to Rebuilding Communities
  Published on June 10, 2019 in Sustainability
  At the ULI U.K. National Conference, panelists identified how redevelopment can contribute to building integrated, prosperous communities, drawing examples from Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom’s Midlands.
• Understanding How Technology and Globalism Affect the Commercial Real Estate Sector
  Published on May 29, 2019 in Sustainability
  At the ULI U.K. annual conference in London, three panelists discussed how the global economy has reduced inequality between nations but increased it within nations, saying that technology is both the root of and the solution to some of these problems like dealing with climate change and a polarized political landscape.
• Wary of Disruption, European Investors Remain Bullish on Industrial and Multifamily
  Published on February 25, 2019 in Capital Markets
  Panelists at the recent ULI Europe Conference talked about which sectors are the most attractive to investors in the current market dynamic. But with pricing fairly tight, investors are keeping an eye out for disruptive business models such as coworking or drone delivery.
• Customer Centric Experiences in the Age of Digital Disruption
  Published on February 22, 2019 in Development
  Panelists at the recent ULI Europe Conference in London talked about what the real estate industry is doing to embrace disruption, whether by funding tech startups through in-house venture capital funds or by leaning in to the multichannel e-commerce experiences of the future.
• How City Leaders Are Building Sustainable, Diverse, and Inclusive Communities
  Published on February 19, 2019 in Sustainability
  Speaking at the recent ULI Europe Conference, two mayors described the paths that elected officials in their cities took in rebuilding from the economic collapse of manufacturing, while embracing diversity as a means to turn around their cities’ fortunes.
• Achieving Inclusive and Sustainable Growth in the 21st Century
  Published on February 19, 2019 in Market Trends
  At the recent ULI Europe Conference in London, Michael Gove, the current Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for the U.K., and Lord Adair Turner, chair of both the Energy Transitions Commission and the Institute for New Economic Thinking, discussed how inclusive and sustainable economic growth can be achieved while also addressing issues of climate change and wage inequality.
• Stabilizing a Global Financial Institution in an Age of Uncertainty
  Published on February 11, 2019 in Capital Markets
  Jes Staley, CEO of multinational investment bank Barclays, spoke at the ULI Europe Conference in London, sharing his recent experiences addressing shifting financial regulations and the evolving opportunity presented by new technologies.
• Combining Arts and Technology to Empower Placemaking and Growth
  Published on October 05, 2018 in Planning & Design
  At the recent ULI Europe Real Estate Forum, attendees heard from three speakers who are using innovative techniques to transform the management of their assets. The techniques described vary significantly, but all help create lively, dynamic spaces that help create a sense of community.
• Financial Crisis Helped Highlight Advantages of Mixed-Use Development for Investors
  Published on October 01, 2018 in Capital Markets
  A panel discussion at the recent ULI Europe Real Estate Forum in Dublin examined how investors are driving demand for and managing mixed-use districts and buildings. Speakers said that rather than many small and varied projects, they have concentrated on fewer and larger high-return projects.
• Three Examples of Public and Private Sector Partnering for Change
  Published on September 24, 2018 in Planning & Design
  A discussion at the recent ULI Europe Real Estate Forum in Dublin focused on three projects where public and private sector organizations work together to tackle significant urban regeneration projects more effectively in the United Kingdom and Belgium. While the relationship between developers and city authorities can often be antagonistic, the panelists discussed how more collaborative approaches can yield better results for both parties as well as for surrounding communities.
• How Hines and Other Developers Are Future-Proofing Their Projects
  Published on September 17, 2018 in Development
  A panel discussion at the ULI Europe Real Estate Forum 2018 in Dublin focused on a key question facing the development industry: how to future-proof urban redevelopment in an era of constant change by including open space and housing while embracing walkability.
• Leveraging Public Engagement, Key Institutions to Make Breakthrough Changes
  Published on June 26, 2018 in Inside ULI
  Panelists speaking at the 2018 ULI U.K. Annual Conference said that disruptive change—ranging from the safe use of autonomous vehicles to greater energy efficiency districts to rethinking city governments outside London—requires public engagement, forethought, and transparency.
• Despite Migration in Europe, Most Future Growth in Africa, Asia
  Published on June 18, 2018 in Development
  From macro-economic forces to social, environmental, technological, and political disruption, property and the wider built environment are facing change on a scale not seen for decades, said panelists speaking at the 2018 ULI U.K. National Conference in London, including increased migration, ongoing low interest rates, and increased political discord.
• Embracing Technology Is Key to Survival for Office and Retail Tenants
  Published on June 11, 2018 in Market Trends
  Disruptive technology—and the need to embrace it—will continue to influence office and retail tenants, as well as developers, panelists said at the ULI U.K. Annual Conference, held in early June in London.
• Cycle Risk, Brexit’s Impact on Currency Keep Low-Risk Money in U.K.
  Published on June 08, 2018 in Capital Markets
  London-based investors have been less active internationally in recent months for a variety of reasons, including where the global economy is in the business cycle and the implications of the Brexit vote, said panelists discussing capital market trends at a ULI U.K. conference.