5 reasons why the real estate sector should invest in the right kind of green
More than half of the world’s population lives in cities—and in the coming decades that number will rise to 70%. With stone, concrete, and asphalt still dominating, livability for millions will continue to decline. Something has to change: our cities must become greener. Much greener.
At Blooming Buildings, we’re determined to make sure that by 2035 every street, in every neighborhood, in every city is significantly greener. Green cities must become the norm. To achieve that, we need the real estate world on board. That’s why we have a mission:
to convince the real estate sector that green is the new gold.
Because when done right, greenery quickly pays off financially. How? Here are five strong reasons.
Summers are getting hotter and drier. Stone, concrete, and asphalt trap the heat. When it’s 25 degrees in the shade, asphalt in full sun can be nearly twice as hot. Plants, however, cool the air through shade and evaporation. With the right climbing plants, you can even create natural shading.
Climate change also brings heavier downpours. In paved environments, water has nowhere to go. Here too, greenery offers the solution. When planted directly into the soil, pocket parks and façade gardens act like sponges, preventing enormous amounts of water damage.
And finally, greening boosts urban biodiversity. Especially between large city parks, more green is needed so streets can function as ecological highways for everything that buzzes and flutters. Instead of isolated green islands, the city becomes one big flourishing ecosystem, alive with activity all year round.
Every level of government is working on climate adaptation and biodiversity. Got (re)development plans? In the feasibility phase, we help get the right people on board early. We actively collaborate with architects and urban planners to integrate nature intelligently into buildings and their surroundings.
Our approach looks not only at the aesthetic and climate-adaptive qualities of plants, but also at how people move through and experience the space. In our vision, nature comes first and people remain central. By taking care of ongoing maintenance, we unburden both governments and investors.
High-quality greenery cools the air, improves air quality, and adds beauty. As a result, real estate increases in value. People prefer to live and work in or near green surroundings. A striking company garden or lush interior planting can also work wonders for employer branding. And it attracts tenants, vacancies vanish in no time. Take the offices in the Groot Handelsgebouw (see photos above): within six months of adding greenery, every space was rented out again.
When we do it, greenery doesn’t just provide cooling in summer—it looks beautiful 365 days a year. Or rather: absolutely stunning. Our caretakers are constantly receiving compliments while maintaining our projects.
That’s thanks to our unique maintenance philosophy. Instead of large-scale maintenance twice a year, our caretakers visit much more frequently to perform small, continuous care. This prevents disease and drought while ensuring visual appeal is maintained. Because what’s beautiful, must stay beautiful.
And that, in turn, helps attract customers more quickly—customers who stay longer and spend more.
Humans have only lived in cities for a few centuries, a blink of an eye compared to the 200,000 years we’ve been on Earth. We come from nature. We need nature. Green spaces calm us, while our brains release chemicals that boost happiness.
As our planting designer Harry Pierik says, we create “carefully composed, richly detailed plantings” that invite discovery. Every day there’s something new to notice. In our projects, something is always in bloom: you’re surprised and delighted year-round. And that makes people happier, more social, more productive, and even more generous. That’s a return on investment you can count on.
Our team combines expertise in landscape design, architecture, and climate science with hands-on experience in asset management, property development, and business strategy. This means we don’t just know plants and climate adaptation, we also speak the language of real estate, understand architectural challenges, and know how governments think.
From consultancy and design to realization and long-term care, our integrated approach ensures we add value in every phase of the building process: aesthetic, ecological, and economic.
Want to invest in green gold?
Let us know, we’d love to work with you!
Making urban nature happen.