Kamran Mahmood
Founder & CEO, Gridizen, ESG & Real Estate Investment Specialist
Kamran is a recognized expert in ESG and sustainable real estate investment, with over 20 years of experience integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance principles into the property sector. As Founder and CEO of Gridizen, he developed the first property management platform with built-in ESG reporting, helping landlords and housing providers improve sustainability performance.
His career spans public and private sectors, advising on ESG strategy, ethical housing, and urban development. A frequent contributor to policy and innovation discussions, Kamran also chairs industry committees and hosts The Future of Housing podcast, focusing on decarbonization and social impact in real estate.
1.How can companies in real estate manage the pressure to balance profitability with their ESG and CSR commitments?
Balancing profitability with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) commitments is one of the most pressing challenges facing real estate businesses today. But it’s also a unique opportunity to build resilience and create long-term value.
First, it's essential to shift from a short-term profit mindset to a longer-term view of value creation. This doesn’t mean disregarding profitability — far from it. Rather, it involves recognising that ESG-aligned decisions often unlock operational efficiencies, reduce risk, and enhance asset value. For example, investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy may have higher upfront costs but typically lead to lower operating expenses, better tenant retention, and improved building performance over time.
On the social side, prioritising resident well-being, fair labour practices, and community engagement helps build trust and loyalty, which in turn improves occupancy rates and staff retention. These intangible assets are becoming increasingly important as tenants, investors, and regulators place greater emphasis on social impact and ethical governance.
Governance plays a vital role in aligning ESG and profitability. Clear accountability, transparent reporting, and board-level oversight ensure that sustainability is not treated as a side project but is embedded into the business strategy. This makes ESG performance measurable and manageable, and enables companies to demonstrate progress to investors and stakeholders.
Moreover, regulatory pressures are increasing. In the UK and across Europe, legislation such as the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and upcoming EU taxonomy requirements mean that ESG compliance is quickly becoming a license to operate. Companies that act early and invest wisely are more likely to avoid the costs of non-compliance, stranded assets, and reputational damage.
Ultimately, ESG is not at odds with profitability — it is a foundation for long-term financial performance. The companies that lead on ESG today will be the ones best positioned to attract capital, retain tenants, and remain competitive in the evolving real estate landscape.
2. How can real estate developers collaborate with communities to ensure that their projects align with broader social responsibility and sustainability goals?
Successful and sustainable real estate development increasingly depends on genuine collaboration with local communities. For developers, engaging with the people who live, work, and interact in the areas they’re building in is not just a social obligation — it’s a strategic imperative.
The first step is to recognise that local authorities and councils often have a clear understanding of the needs and aspirations of the communities they represent. Their local plans, climate action strategies, and social inclusion policies provide an important framework for alignment. Engaging early and meaningfully with local government ensures that development proposals are rooted in existing priorities, such as affordable housing, green spaces, access to public transport, or support for local businesses.
However, collaboration must go beyond formal planning processes. Developers should actively create space for open, transparent, and ongoing dialogue with residents and community groups. Tools such as town hall meetings, design workshops, community forums, and digital engagement platforms can enable people to share their views and feel heard. These engagements should happen early — well before plans are finalised — and continue throughout the development process.
Importantly, this isn’t just about consultation; it’s about co-creation. Communities often have deep insight into what works locally, what’s missing, and what matters most. When developers truly listen and incorporate community feedback — whether it’s around preserving heritage, enhancing green infrastructure, or providing inclusive amenities — the result is more context-sensitive, resilient, and valued development.
From a sustainability standpoint, community collaboration can also help achieve better environmental outcomes. Local stakeholders may identify biodiversity corridors, energy-saving opportunities, or mobility needs that would otherwise be overlooked. When these are integrated into project design, the development is more likely to succeed both environmentally and socially.
Done well, this approach builds trust, reduces opposition, speeds up planning approval, and fosters a sense of shared ownership. It signals that the developer is not just building structures, but helping to shape places that enhance quality of life, reflect community identity, and contribute to long-term sustainability.
3. What unique challenges do Middle Eastern real estate companies face when implementing sustainable practices, especially with regard to water conservation and energy efficiency?
Real estate companies operating in the Middle East face a distinct set of environmental and infrastructural challenges when pursuing sustainable development — particularly in the areas of water conservation and energy efficiency. These challenges stem largely from the region’s extreme climate, limited natural water resources, and longstanding infrastructure habits, but they also create opportunities for innovation and leadership.
Water scarcity is perhaps the most critical issue. Much of the Middle East relies heavily on energy-intensive desalination to meet freshwater needs. As a result, water conservation isn’t just an environmental concern — it’s intrinsically tied to energy use and carbon emissions. In many developments, bottled water remains the norm, especially due to concerns about the taste or safety of tap water. Transitioning to safe, drinkable water directly from the tap — or at a minimum, integrating filtered water systems into every home — should become standard practice. This would significantly reduce reliance on plastic bottles and improve overall sustainability outcomes.
Energy efficiency presents another major challenge, particularly due to the region’s high cooling demands. Air conditioning accounts for a substantial portion of building energy use, especially during the long and intense summer months. Without robust design standards, buildings can become energy sinks. To counter this, real estate companies need to adopt a fabric-first approach — focusing on passive design, high-performance insulation, and shading strategies — alongside modern HVAC systems and smart controls.
Solar energy represents a massive untapped potential in the Middle East. With abundant sunshine year-round, the region is ideally placed to lead in solar adoption. However, uptake is still uneven across markets. One solution is for governments to make rooftop solar panels or district-level solar installations mandatory in new developments. Paired with net metering or energy buy-back schemes, this could help accelerate the clean energy transition.
Policy and regulation also play a key role. In some Middle Eastern countries, building codes are still catching up with modern sustainability standards. Developers need clearer incentives and enforcement mechanisms to drive change at scale. At the same time, there must be a shift in public perception — sustainability should not be seen as an imported ideal, but rather as a pathway to economic resilience, improved quality of life, and environmental stewardship in a resource-constrained region.
In short, while the Middle East faces unique climatic and systemic hurdles, it also has the opportunity to leapfrog into a new era of sustainable real estate — powered by innovation, underpinned by policy, and responsive to the region’s most pressing environmental realities.
4. In the Middle East, how can property developers incorporate responsible sourcing and sustainable materials into their projects, considering the region's climate and resources?
Incorporating responsible sourcing and sustainable materials into construction is a global challenge — but one with particular relevance in the Middle East, where rapid development, harsh climatic conditions, and a dependence on imported materials intersect. Historically, developers across the region (as elsewhere) have often prioritised cost-efficiency, sourcing materials from global suppliers without fully accounting for the environmental impact of long-distance transport or the carbon footprint embedded in those products. This is where the sustainability conversation must shift.
To move toward more responsible sourcing, the first step is to introduce transparency across the supply chain. Many construction materials — from steel and aluminium to ceramics and timber — carry hidden emissions from production, processing, and shipping. Without proper certification and disclosure, developers are left blind to the true environmental cost of their choices. Governments and industry bodies need to work together to implement clear standards, such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), which provide detailed information on a material's embodied carbon and lifecycle impact. Only with this data can meaningful comparisons be made and sustainable choices prioritised.
In parallel, regional policy will play a key role. Regulatory incentives — such as tax benefits, green building certification credits, or procurement preferences for low-carbon materials — can steer the market toward more responsible practices. Over time, governments may also mandate disclosure of embodied emissions as part of building permit applications or environmental assessments.
Crucially, there must be a concerted push to build local capacity. One of the reasons developers turn to international suppliers is a lack of readily available, certified sustainable materials within the region. Investing in regional manufacturing that uses recycled content, renewable energy, and low-carbon processes can both strengthen supply chains and create green jobs. For instance, there is growing potential for the use of alternative materials like rammed earth, geopolymer concrete, or locally-sourced stone, which are well-suited to the Middle Eastern climate and can dramatically reduce embodied carbon.
Design decisions also matter. Architects and engineers can specify materials more efficiently — choosing fewer, better-quality components that serve multiple functions, are easier to maintain, and can be reused or recycled at the end of life. Adaptive reuse of existing buildings, rather than demolishing and rebuilding, should also be seen as a key sustainability strategy.
Ultimately, responsible sourcing is not just about switching suppliers — it’s about embedding a new mindset across the development process. For the Middle East, this is a chance to align its ambitious growth with a regional identity rooted in resilience, stewardship, and long-term sustainability.