About This Course
The global real estate sector is under growing pressure to respond to climate change, resource scarcity, and evolving regulatory frameworks that demand more responsible land use and building practices. Investors, developers, governments, and occupiers are increasingly prioritising environmental performance, social impact, and governance accountability as core criteria for real estate decisions. Professionals who cannot demonstrate competency in sustainable real estate risk being left behind in a rapidly transforming market.
This five-day Sustainable Real Estate Training programme by TrainingComplex provides a comprehensive and practice-oriented grounding in the principles and applications of sustainability across the full real estate lifecycle — from site selection and design through construction, operations, and eventual asset disposal. Participants will engage with internationally recognised frameworks including LEED, BREEAM, EDGE, and GRESB, alongside ESG reporting standards, green financing instruments, and climate risk assessment methodologies.
The programme balances conceptual understanding with real-world application. Case studies drawn from African, Middle Eastern, and global markets illustrate how sustainability principles translate into tangible project outcomes, cost savings, regulatory compliance, and enhanced asset values. By the end of the training, participants will be equipped to lead or contribute meaningfully to sustainable real estate initiatives within their organisations, whether in the private sector, public institutions, or development finance.
Who Should Attend
- Real estate developers and project managers responsible for new construction or renovation projects
- Property asset managers and portfolio managers seeking to integrate ESG into asset strategies
- Urban planners and built environment professionals working on sustainable city initiatives
- Architects, engineers, and quantity surveyors involved in green building design and delivery
- Real estate investors, fund managers, and analysts evaluating sustainability risk and opportunity
- Government and municipal officials overseeing building regulations, land use, and housing policy
- Facilities managers responsible for the operational sustainability of buildings
- Environmental consultants advising the property and construction sector
Learning Objectives
- Understand the principles of sustainability as applied across the real estate lifecycle from acquisition to disposal
- Identify and apply internationally recognised green building certification frameworks such as LEED, BREEAM, and EDGE
- Assess climate and environmental risks affecting real estate assets and integrate findings into investment and development decisions
- Apply ESG reporting standards and sustainability metrics relevant to real estate portfolios
- Design or evaluate energy-efficient building systems, passive design strategies, and renewable energy integration
- Understand green finance instruments including green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and climate funds relevant to real estate
- Evaluate social sustainability considerations including affordable housing, community engagement, and inclusive design
- Navigate regulatory and policy frameworks governing sustainable buildings across key African and international markets
- Develop a sustainability strategy or green asset management plan applicable to their organisation's real estate portfolio
- Communicate sustainability credentials and ESG performance to investors, tenants, regulators, and other stakeholders
Course Modules
Module 1: Foundations of Sustainable Real Estate
- Defining sustainability in the built environment — environmental, social, and economic dimensions
- The business case for sustainable real estate: cost, value, and risk arguments
- Global drivers: climate commitments, ESG mandates, investor expectations, and regulatory trends
- The real estate lifecycle and where sustainability interventions have the greatest impact
- Key actors in the sustainable real estate ecosystem: developers, investors, certifiers, regulators, and occupiers
- Overview of sustainability frameworks, standards, and certification systems used in real estate
Module 2: Green Building Certification Systems
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design): structure, credits, and certification levels
- BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method): methodology and application
- EDGE certification: design for resource efficiency in emerging markets
- Green Star, WELL, and other sector-specific and regional rating tools
- Selecting the right certification system for a project context, budget, and market
- Certification process management: documentation, third-party verification, and ongoing compliance
Module 3: Energy Efficiency and Building Systems
- Energy performance fundamentals: loads, benchmarks, and efficiency targets in buildings
- Passive design strategies: orientation, shading, natural ventilation, and thermal mass
- High-performance building envelopes: insulation, glazing, and air tightness
- HVAC, lighting, and equipment efficiency: technologies and specification decisions
- Renewable energy integration: solar PV, solar thermal, and on-site generation strategies
- Energy modelling and performance simulation as a design and compliance tool
Module 4: Water, Waste, and Materials Sustainability
- Water demand management in buildings: fixtures, greywater recycling, and rainwater harvesting
- Site hydrology and sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) for stormwater management
- Waste minimisation during construction: demolition waste, material recovery, and circular economy principles
- Operational waste management strategies for commercial and residential buildings
- Sustainable materials selection: embodied carbon, lifecycle assessment, and responsible sourcing
- Health and indoor environmental quality: ventilation, pollutants, acoustics, and occupant wellbeing
Module 5: Climate Risk and Resilience in Real Estate
- Physical climate risks affecting real estate: flooding, heat stress, drought, storms, and sea-level rise
- Transition risks: carbon pricing, stranded assets, and regulatory tightening
- Climate risk assessment frameworks: TCFD disclosure requirements and scenario analysis
- Integrating climate risk into site selection, due diligence, and portfolio stress testing
- Building resilience measures: flood-proofing, cool roofs, backup systems, and adaptive design
- Municipal and regional planning responses to climate risk and implications for real estate value
Module 6: ESG Frameworks and Sustainability Reporting in Real Estate
- Understanding ESG — environmental, social, and governance — as applied to real estate
- GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark): methodology, scoring, and industry adoption
- GRI Standards and SASB real estate sector disclosures
- The Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) for property companies
- Data collection, monitoring, and management systems for ESG performance tracking
- Communicating ESG performance to investors, tenants, regulators, and the public
Module 7: Social Sustainability and Inclusive Development
- Defining social sustainability in real estate: equity, access, community, and health
- Affordable housing frameworks: policy contexts, financing models, and development approaches
- Community engagement and stakeholder participation in real estate development projects
- Universal design and accessibility standards for inclusive built environments
- Gender-responsive and age-friendly design in residential and commercial real estate
- Social impact measurement: tools and indicators for tracking community outcomes
Module 8: Sustainable Real Estate Investment and Finance
- ESG integration in real estate investment analysis and portfolio construction
- Green bonds and green sukuk: structure, eligibility criteria, and issuance process
- Sustainability-linked loans and their application to real estate development and refinancing
- Development finance institutions (DFIs) and climate funds financing sustainable real estate
- Valuation implications of sustainability: green premiums, brown discounts, and market evidence
- Risk-adjusted return analysis incorporating sustainability factors and climate-adjusted assumptions
Module 9: Regulatory Frameworks and Policy Environment
- Overview of building codes and energy performance regulations across African and international markets
- Environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirements for real estate developments
- Land use planning frameworks and their role in enabling or constraining sustainable development
- Carbon markets, carbon credits, and their emerging relevance to real estate
- National determined contributions (NDCs) and their implications for the built environment sector
- Advocacy and industry engagement: working with green building councils and policy processes
Module 10: Developing and Implementing a Sustainable Real Estate Strategy
- Sustainability strategy design: vision, targets, governance, and accountability structures
- Green asset management plans: retrofitting existing buildings for improved performance
- Procurement of sustainable design, construction, and FM services
- Tenant engagement and green lease provisions for aligning operational sustainability
- Monitoring, reporting, and continuous improvement of sustainability performance over time
- Personal and organisational action planning: translating course learning into immediate next steps
Requirements & Prerequisites
Participants should have a foundational understanding of real estate development, property management, construction, or a related built environment discipline. Familiarity with basic concepts in project management or asset management is helpful. No prior formal training in sustainability or green building is required, as the programme builds knowledge progressively from foundational principles.
Training Methodology
- Green building site case study walkthroughs analysing real certified projects across African and global contexts
- ESG scorecard workshops where participants assess a sample real estate portfolio against sustainability benchmarks
- Interactive climate risk mapping exercises using publicly available data and scenario analysis tools
- Group design charrettes exploring passive design strategies, energy systems, and material selection for a hypothetical development
- Guest insights and documented practitioner case studies from green building councils, development finance institutions, and certified developers
- Regulatory comparison exercises reviewing green building codes and compliance requirements across multiple jurisdictions
- Green finance simulation in which participant teams structure a financing package for a sustainable real estate project
- Personal sustainability action planning — each participant drafts an ESG integration roadmap applicable to their own organisation or portfolio
Organisational Benefits
- Enhanced ability to align real estate portfolios with ESG mandates, attracting responsible investors and development finance
- Reduced operational costs through energy efficiency, water conservation, and waste reduction in managed properties
- Improved regulatory compliance and reduced risk of penalties or project delays due to evolving green building legislation
- Stronger positioning in competitive tender and procurement processes that require sustainability credentials
- Increased asset values and tenant retention through green-certified, high-performance buildings
- A workforce capable of conducting climate risk assessments and integrating findings into strategic asset decisions
- Access to green financing opportunities that can lower capital costs on qualifying real estate developments
- Enhanced organisational reputation and stakeholder confidence through credible ESG reporting and transparent sustainability performance
Where Is Sustainable Real Estate Training Offered?
This course runs in-person across: Kigali, Dar es Salaam, Accra, Naivasha, Kampala, Lagos, Johannesburg, Mombasa, Riyadh, Cape Town, Nairobi, Abuja, Dubai, Kisumu, Pretoria, Addis Ababa, Arusha, Nakuru, Zanzibar, plus Live Virtual (online) cohorts. Browse live dates for your city below.
Upcoming Schedules
| Location | Format | Dates | Price |
|---|
| Kigali, Rwanda |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Naivasha, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Kampala, Uganda |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 1,900 |
| Lagos, Nigeria |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 2,500 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Mombasa, Kenya |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
KES 120,000 |
| Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 4,500 |
| Cape Town, South Africa |
In-Person |
26 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
| Nairobi, Kenya |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
KES 105,000 |
| Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,300 |
| Johannesburg, South Africa |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,500 |
| Abuja, Nigeria |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 2,800 |
| Accra, Ghana |
In-Person |
2 Nov 2026 – 6 Nov 2026 |
USD 3,800 |
+227 more dates — view live schedule →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need prior sustainability training to attend this course?
No prior sustainability training is required. The programme is designed to build your knowledge progressively, starting from foundational concepts before advancing to technical and strategic applications. A background in real estate, construction, property management, or a related field is sufficient preparation.
Which green building certification systems are covered in this course?
The course covers the most widely used international systems including LEED, BREEAM, and EDGE, as well as sector-specific tools such as WELL and Green Star. Participants also learn how to select the most appropriate certification framework for different project contexts and markets.
Will I receive a certificate upon completing this course?
Yes, all participants who complete the five-day programme will receive a Certificate of Completion from TrainingComplex. This certificate documents your engagement with sustainable real estate principles, ESG frameworks, green finance, and climate risk assessment.
Is this course relevant to professionals working in African real estate markets specifically?
Absolutely. While the course draws on global frameworks and international best practice, it places significant emphasis on African market contexts — including relevant building codes, EDGE certification adoption, DFI financing, climate vulnerability, and affordable housing policy — making it directly applicable to professionals operating across the continent.
Can this training be delivered in-house for our organisation's team?
Yes, TrainingComplex offers customised in-house delivery of this programme for organisations wishing to train a team of professionals together. The content can be tailored to your organisation's specific portfolio, markets, and sustainability objectives. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
