MEAG joins the DGNB

MEAG has joined the DGNB – Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen (German Association for Sustainable Construction). MEAG’s Global Head of Real Estate Dr. Knut Riesmeier says: "Sustainability is the big trend in real estate management. We have to invest in it today to keep our properties attractive for investors and for society as a whole. Alongside the moral and ethical reasons, there are also financial incentives to build sustainably. We advocate the German certification system for sustainable construction."

Sustainability and climate protection are important issues for the Munich Re Group. Munich Re has been occupying itself with the consequences of climate change for decades, because the insured losses incurred as a result of environmental disasters are a key determinant of the Group's commercial success. Riesmeier: "We place great emphasis on the sustainability of our real estate, and in doing so we help stabilise the company's success."

MEAG already applies sustainability criteria in its new developments and acquisitions. For example, the Münchner Tor – an 85 metre high Munich Re office building with 23 storeys opened in 2004, which is now the second main company site in Munich after the head office by the English Garden – is fitted with innovative environmental technology. In summer, the 17°C ground water flows through a system of pipes in the walls to keep the rooms cool. Fresh air is sucked in through a 100 metre long concrete canal to ventilate the building. The exterior blinds reflect the sunlight onto the ceiling of the offices, saving Munich Re lighting costs. 400 kilowatt hours per square metre (kWh/m²) and year is the standard, primary energy requirement of administrative buildings in Germany. The Münchner Tor uses just 237 kWh/m² per year.

In the Cologne Oval Offices – a group of buildings on the banks of the Rhine in Cologne, slated for completion in 2009 – the bank filtrate can be used for cooling purposes. The Cologne Oval Offices boast the astonishing energy consumption level of just 105 kWh/m² per annum, a figure that is largely attributable to the beneficial location on the banks of the Rhine.

Riesmeier: "We expect that the Standard will be largely based on existing regulations and norms, so that the administrative effort involved in gaining certification will remain acceptable. What we are definitely very happy about is the high quality that can be expected of the Standard. An established certification raises the commercial motivation to build sustainably. That helps not only the investors, but also the environment, and ensures more intergenerational justice."

MEAG MUNICH ERGO AssetManagement GmbH in Munich is the asset manager of Munich Re and ERGO Insurance Group. With offices in New York and Hong Kong, MEAG has an international orientation and also manages the assets of clients outside the Munich Re Group. MEAG currently manages assets to the value of around € 179 billion, of which around € 11 billion are held in real estate.

Munich, 31 July 2008

Contact:
Dr. Josef Wild
Tel: +49 89 | 2489 - 2072
Fax: +49 89 | 2489 - 2075
E-mail: JWild@meag.com