New Year’s message from the President of the Executive Board and from the CEO of Alides

‘Alides in progress: Real Estate Upcycling’

Dear reader,

Filled with entrepreneurial optimism, we want to reflect on the start of a new year with you.

In the year ahead, we, as Alides, will be providing greater transparency into the way in which our sustainability engagements are integrated into our strategy. An important element of this process is ensuring that our activities become less dependent on fossil fuels.

What challenges are we facing?

A large part of our Belgian and European real estate heritage no longer meets today’s energy standards but has not become sufficiently antiquated to make renovations in terms of energy efficiency economically justifiable. There was not yet developed a clear approach for assets such as these. They are under threat of being penalised, both financially and tax-wise, before reaching the end of their lifespan. 

As a family-owned, long-term real estate company, we aim to offer a solution through our approach, which is based on Real Estate Upcycling. In the next few years, we aim to continue investing in end-of-life-cycle properties at key urban locations which we can regenerate at the right moment for their next, more sustainable, operating cycle and, in doing so, optimise their carbon footprint across their entire lifespan in comparison to new-build projects.

Through this strategy, we aim to bridge the gap for assets in a transitional phase and play a pioneering role in enhancing the sustainability of existing real estate.

At the end of 2022, we completed two important acquisitions in line with this strategy: the purchase of the IT Tower (with Cityforward) and the purchase of Gerling House, both located in Brussels. Our Real Estate Upcycling approach is directed at achieving a long-term positive impact on the environment while pragmatically creating economic value in an open dialogue with all stakeholders.

As a family-owned business, we believe in sustainable long-term relationships based on trust and integrity. Transparency is of crucial importance in this. Therefore, 2023 will be marked by the publication of our first sustainability report, through which we will be providing insight into the performance of our portfolio, our sustainability initiatives, and the impact we can achieve with our partners.

Following a successful 2022 for Alides, we wish to make use of this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who had a part in this.

Together with our team and based on a transparent, future-oriented vision and clear priorities, we look forward to this new year and wish you all a healthy, sustainable, and successful 2023!

Ghent, 23^th January 2023,

About Alides

Alides, a familial real estate actor and part of the Group Maes from Ghent founded in 1892, has been an established value in the real estate sector for generations. Thanks to its hybrid profile of investor and developer and with the focus on quality, sustainability and innovation Alides realizes its expansion strategy on strong urban locations in Belgium, Luxembourg and Poland. With its long-time experience in office and residential real estate, Alides wishes to perpetuate and reinforce its position as a reference real estate company.

Thanks to a long-term vision, a customer-based approach and turn-key solutions, Alides is realizing its mission as “your partner in real estate”. Alides’ private real estate portfolio is valued over 650 million € and its development pipeline represents a future turnover of more than 900 million €.

More information on www.alides.be