The Lookthrough Lens

From the Unknown to Foresight: Preventing Stranded Assets in a Changing Climate

Welcome to the Look Through Lens podcast! In this episode, host Olaf Reinen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafreinen/] sits down with Simone Thompson [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoneethompson], co-CEO of Climada Technologies [https://www.climada.tech/], and Ferdinand Kumle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdinand-kumle-6186a735], COO of Lookthrough [https://lookthrough.io], to discuss the built environment at a critical crossroads. Are real estate owners and asset managers truly prepared for the extreme weather events of the future? We dive into the hidden climate hazards threatening global property portfolios, from unpredicted extreme rainfall to crippling heat, and explore why moving past short-term thinking is absolutely essential for the industry. Discover how integrating physical climate risk data into standard renovation cycles can help building owners prevent their properties from becoming "stranded assets". Tune in to find out why, when it comes to navigating climate change, knowledge isn't just power: it's the key to taking control, anticipating risks, and future-proofing your real estate investments for the next 50 years.

From Waste to Value: How Real Estate's Data Gap is Creating Stranded Assets

What if the waste leaving your building is more valuable than you think? In this episode of The LookThrough Lens, we expose the uncomfortable truth about operational data in commercial real estate: most building owners have no idea what's really happening on the ground, and it's about to cost them. Host Olaf Reinen [https://www.linkedin.com/in/olafreinen/] sits down with Renata Hartle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/renata-hartle-4b972076] (CEO of Waste Tracker [http://wastetracker.pro/]) and Ferdinand Kumle [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ferdinand-kumle-6186a735] (COO of LookThrough [http://lookthrough.com/]) to reveal how the industry's "dirty secret" - inaccurate waste measurement - is turning prime assets into stranded liabilities. This isn't just about sustainability theater. It's about survival. Whether you're a property owner, fund manager, sustainability officer, or commercial tenant, this conversation will change how you think about the buildings you occupy, invest in, or manage. 🎯 Perfect for: Real estate investors, property managers, ESG professionals, commercial tenants, sustainability leaders, and anyone navigating the intersection of data, transparency, and value creation in the built environment. ⏱️ Duration: ~30 minutes 🎙️ Guests: Renata Hartle (Waste Tracker) & Ferdinand Kumle (LookThrough)

Retrofit at Scale Without Perfect Data

The "Retrofit at Scale" overview argues that waiting for perfect data is high-risk, as property owners already possess the necessary information scattered across existing documents like leases and valuations. To avoid the "Audit Trap" of premature physical inspections, the strategy reverses the traditional order by beginning with a desk-based digital twin powered by artificial intelligence and network effects, the latter of which plays a specific role in gathering the required data. This approach converts imperfect inputs into "decision-grade" clarity regarding stranded asset hotspots, 2030/2040 targets, and capital expenditure magnitudes, enabling boards, lenders, and housing providers to manage uncertainty and unlock capital for immediate action.

Navigating the Path to Net Zero with Andrea Palmer, CEO of CRREM, and Marcel Staub, CEO of Lookthrough

A Must-Listen Episode: Navigating the Path to Net Zero With Andrea Palmer, CEO of CRREM, and Marcel Staub, CEO of Lookthrough. Hosted by Olaf Reinen. Tune in to the Look Through Lens podcast for a compelling conversation with two key leaders shaping the future of the real estate industry: Andrea Palmer, the recently appointed CEO of CRREM, and Marcel Staub, CEO of Lookthrough. Discover how their organizations are helping real estate professionals master the challenges of decarbonization and climate risk. In this insightful episode, you will learn: • The Power of the CRREM Pathway: Understand why CRREM is at the forefront of helping the industry decarbonize. CRREM's mission is to drive transparency around climate risk and alignment by providing a crucial, forward-looking, science-based trajectory for buildings to improve energy efficiency and stay within a specific carbon budget. CRREM is promoted as the de facto standard for defining the necessary decarbonization curve. • The Role of Implementation: Hear Marcel Staub explain how Lookthrough, a proud CRREM partner, acts as "where the rubber hits the road". Lookthrough uses the scientific CRREM benchmark to help real estate owners navigate complex portfolios and find cost-effective solutions, ensuring they maintain yield while driving energy efficiency and carbon neutrality. • The Terminology Shift: Get the exclusive details on why CRREM recently changed the high-profile term "stranding year" to the "CRREM misalignment year". Andrea Palmer explains that this decision was driven by the reality that assets are not typically written down to zero value and to highlight the crucial adaptability and retrofitting potential inherent in real estate investments. • Decarbonization Challenges and Opportunities: The guests tackle the fundamental challenge: decarbonization must be investable and drive returns. They discuss the difficulty of short asset hold periods conflicting with long payback periods. They also explore exciting opportunities for innovation, including:     ◦ Optimizing energy use based on actual occupancy data rather than just theoretical consumption.     ◦ Matching and optimizing building operation times based on the cleanliness of the electrical grid. • Essential Advice for Investors: For real estate professionals starting their decarbonization journey, the leaders advise: start simply. Focus on the core principle of materiality to distinguish what matters, and be smart by prioritizing quick wins - changes that are not too expensive, have a relatively short payback, but generate impact. • Why There's Optimism: Discover why the speakers are optimistic about the future, noting the impressive approaches of banks and private lenders and the fact that capital markets are increasingly recognizing the intrinsic value of cleaner buildings, speeding up the transition by making efficiency projects "a no-brainer". Listen now to gain a better understanding of the synergy between Lookthrough and CRREM and how this partnership provides the basis for effective climate risk management and profitable energy transition in real estate. For more, visit CRREM [https://crrem.org/]and Lookthrough [https://lookthrough.io/]Full transcript is available here [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eCOwEJbQjGvyq8CntjbTiajF67KGHgQ6/view?usp=sharing].

When the quick wins are gone, what’s next?

Real estate’s decarbonization playbook has leaned heavily on LEDs, BMS tweaks, tariffs, and insulation. But these “quick wins” create only the impression of momentum if they delay the big jobs: deep retrofits, electrification, and envelope upgrades. Every year without them means higher future costs, missed OPEX savings, and growing pressure from regulation and capital markets. Delay isn’t neutral — it compounds risk. The real challenge isn’t setting targets, it’s sequencing pathways. Net zero pledges are common, but too few portfolios have mapped credible capex timelines. That’s where the cliff edge emerges: a stack of expensive projects hitting at once, without coordination of budgets, lease events, and disruption. The revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and intensifying lender scrutiny are tightening the window. Meanwhile, the evidence is clear: efficient assets deliver green premiums in rent and liquidity, while laggards suffer widening brown discounts. Owners need portfolio-first plans, not piecemeal projects. Lookthrough helps by embedding CRREM’s science-based pathways directly into scenario planning, aligning retrofit windows with leasing and lifecycle events, and providing the investment-grade outputs that ICs, lenders, and LPs expect. Instead of stranded assets and valuation discounts, owners gain executable roadmaps that manage cost, compliance, and value uplift. 👉 Book a demo today [https://koalendar.com/e/meet-with-olaf-reinen]and find out what your CRREM-aligned pathway looks like with your own data.