Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future

The report outlines a strategic framework for the global real estate sector, emphasizing four key pillars: liveability, sustainability, resilience, and affordability. It analyzes how demographic shifts, such as aging populations in developed economies and urbanization in the Global South, are altering demand for space. The document highlights the systemic importance of real estate, noting its 2022 global value at $379.7 trillion. It addresses challenges in capital markets, including the impact of high interest rates and the rise of private credit, while calling for public-private collaboration to close infrastructure gaps and accelerate decarbonization. Key value drivers identified include technology (specifically AI and proptech), people-centric design, and sustainable infrastructure investment.

• Global real estate is a systemic store of wealth, with a total value of $379.7 trillion in 2022, which is nearly four times the global gross domestic product (GDP) of $100.6 trillion.
• The real estate sector is facing a divergence in performance by asset class; 'Class A' office properties in global hubs like New York, London, Singapore, and Tokyo remain resilient due to a 'flight-to-quality,' while Class B and C buildings face obsolescence and high vacancy rates.
• Buildings contribute nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and because 80% of current buildings will still exist in 2050, the report emphasizes the need for energy retrofits and circular economy practices to avoid 'carbon debt' from new construction.
• Capital markets have been disrupted by rapid interest rate hikes, leading to lower asset valuations and a rise in private credit and non-traditional financing to bridge gaps left by cautious traditional lenders.
• Housing affordability is a critical global crisis, with approximately 80% of cities worldwide lacking affordable housing options for the majority of their populations.
• The United States faces a significant infrastructure investment gap of over $2.5 trillion, which could potentially cost the country $10 trillion in GDP by 2039 if underinvestment continues.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and proptech are identified as essential for maintaining competitiveness, offering potential for energy management, predictive maintenance, and improved property underwriting.
• Transition risk—the devaluation of assets for failing to meet emissions criteria—is a primary driver of asset stranding, with the average Carbon Risk Real Estate Monitor (CCREM) stranding year for GRESB-submitted buildings being 2025.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Reimagining_Real_Estate_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future. 2024. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Reimagining_Real_Estate_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future |date=December 2024 |url=https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Reimagining_Real_Estate_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024reimagining, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Reimagining Real Estate: A Framework for the Future}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = dec, url = {https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Reimagining_Real_Estate_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }