Real Estate and Climate Change: What Are the Implications for Property Marketing?

For a long time, a building's energy performance and sustainability were mainly regarded as technical, regulatory, or environmental issues. Today, they are playing an increasingly important role in real estate decisions.

More frequent heatwaves, tropical nights, heavy rainfall, surface runoff, hail, and drought: climate change is gradually influencing the way properties are designed, renovated, valued, and presented to prospective buyers and tenants.

For real estate professionals, the question is therefore no longer limited to how climate change will transform the building stock. It is also about understanding how this new reality will reshape property marketing.

Summer comfort is becoming a key property criterion

In Switzerland, homes have historically been designed to retain heat during winter. In the context of climate change, however, this quality can become a drawback during the summer months.

Climate scenarios developed by MeteoSwiss predict more extremely hot days, drier summers, and heavier rainfall. Temperature increases are also expected to be greater in Switzerland than the global average.

In urban areas, the phenomenon is amplified by the urban heat island effect. Dense construction, impervious surfaces, and the lack of vegetation prevent neighbourhoods from cooling efficiently at night. A bright apartment with large windows, once presented as an unquestionable advantage, may become difficult to live in if it is heavily exposed to the sun and lacks appropriate solar protection.

Summer comfort is therefore likely to become one of the key property search criteria alongside brightness, tranquillity, energy performance, and the quality of outdoor spaces.

For professionals responsible for marketing a property, this means being able to answer increasingly specific questions:

• Does the property have external blinds or sun protection?
• Can the rooms be effectively ventilated at night?
• Are the bedrooms south- or west-facing?
• Does the building benefit from good thermal mass?
• Are there shaded areas, trees, or a green roof?
• Is there a passive or active cooling system?

Although these features are still rarely highlighted in property listings, they could gradually become genuine differentiating factors.

New features to highlight in property listings

Climate change does not necessarily make properties more difficult to sell. Above all, it changes the hierarchy of the arguments most likely to convince potential buyers and tenants.

Abundant vegetation, cross ventilation, external sun protection, light-coloured façades, permeable surfaces, or access to a shaded outdoor area can significantly improve comfort during hot weather.

At the neighbourhood level, trees, green roofs, wetlands, and rainwater retention help create more pleasant microclimates. Projects inspired by the "sponge city" concept, which retain rainwater on site rather than draining it away immediately, help both reduce flood risks and provide natural cooling.

These features can be translated into concrete benefits in property listings:

• more stable indoor temperatures;
• improved comfort during heatwaves;
• outdoor spaces that remain usable for longer;
• reduced reliance on air conditioning;
• better rainwater management;
• potentially lower energy costs;
• improved quality of life at both the building and neighbourhood level.

However, it is not enough to rely on generic descriptions such as "sustainable construction" or "green surroundings." Effective property marketing should clearly explain the practical benefits that these features and design choices offer to occupants.

A south-facing terrace is not always an absolute advantage. It becomes much more attractive when it includes a pergola, awning, trees, or a design that keeps it pleasant to use during the summer.

The marketing season has a greater impact on how a property is perceived

The time of year when a property is viewed can also significantly influence buyers' perceptions.

A top-floor apartment may feel particularly cosy in autumn but reveal serious overheating during a viewing in July. Conversely, a cross-ventilated home, well protected from the sun and overlooking a tree-lined courtyard, may stand out very positively during a heatwave.

Seasonality is therefore likely to play a greater role in property marketing. It notably affects:

• perceived natural light;
• indoor temperature;
• the use of balconies and terraces;
• the appearance of vegetation;
• proximity to a watercourse;
• noise levels when windows are open;
• the quality of natural ventilation.

To avoid discrepancies between the image presented and the actual experience, real estate professionals should document properties under different conditions. Photographs taken during different seasons, floor plans showing the property's orientation, or information about solar protection can help make a listing more complete and more credible.

This transparency does not reduce a property's attractiveness. On the contrary, it helps better qualify enquiries and reduces disappointment during property viewings.