Bridges has published its Spectrum of Real Estate Decarbonisation, a new framework we have developed to help investors assess and improve the carbon performance of real estate assets.

Decarbonising real estate is essential to achieving the Paris Agreement goals. The built environment accounts for a significant share of global emissions, so the sector must play a leading role in reducing carbon.

Yet for investors, the path to decarbonisation is often unclear. Different standards and benchmarks across regions, inconsistent terminology and a lack of focus on embodied carbon make it difficult to compare assets and prioritise interventions.

Our Spectrum is designed to help navigate some of this complexity. The framework categorises assets into four levels of carbon performance, based on actual performance vs Science‑Based Targets, and provides practical steps to accelerate progress. It covers both operational and embodied carbon, ensuring a holistic approach to decarbonisation.

The ultimate aim is True Zero Buildings: assets that achieve zero emissions across the full lifecycle, without offsets. This feels ambitious today. But we believe it is achievable through greater innovation and collaboration.

Developed with insights from our investor community and industry experts, the Spectrum is intended as a starting point for change. By sharing it, we hope to encourage more dialogue, more partnerships and more action across the market.

You can read our paper on the Spectrum below – after this short explainer video featuring Bridges’ Michele Giddens, Maggie Loo and Henry Pepper.