In a recent Q&A with CIJ EUROPE, Rudolf Nemes, CEO and Co-founder of HelloParks, discusses the company’s strategic expansion plans and commitment to sustainable growth in Hungary’s industrial real estate sector. Q: How would you describe the current state of HelloParks’ development pipeline in Hungary? Which areas are seeing the highest demand for logistics and industrial space? Rudolf Nemes: HelloParks currently holds an industrial property portfolio of over 400,000 square metres across four key locations around Budapest—Páty, Maglód, Fót, and Alsónémedi. We’re actively developing close to 90,000 sqm of new logistics space and have an additional 500,000 sqm in our future development pipeline. Our strategy continues to be demand-driven, and at the moment, HelloParks Budapest West in Páty stands out as the most dynamic in terms of transaction volume. We recently closed the largest industrial property deal in Hungary’s history, selling our PT2 and PT3 buildings—totalling 84,000 sqm—to the ERSTE Open-Ended Real Estate Investment Fund. The scale of the transaction has generated significant international interest. Q: Are you seeing any specific trends in tenant expectations, particularly around building features and sustainability? Nemes: Absolutely. There’s a clear shift in the market towards high-quality, energy-efficient, and sustainable industrial buildings. This is something we’ve prioritised from day one—it’s embedded in our DNA. Today, many of our tenants select us specifically because our developments support their ESG targets. We’re seeing that operational efficiency, long-term cost savings, and environmental performance are becoming decisive factors in leasing decisions. Q: How is HelloParks performing in terms of ESG and green certification goals for 2025? Nemes: Sustainability is central to how we build and operate. Since 2023, we’ve committed exclusively to constructing warehouses that meet BREEAM New Construction Outstanding standards and comply with EU Taxonomy requirements. Except for our latest facility, HelloParks Alsónémedi AN1, which is currently under assessment, our entire portfolio meets these criteria. We believe this level of certification consistency is unique in Hungary and rare even across Europe. For us, achieving these standards is not just a formality—it’s a fundamental aspect of our business model. Q: How have macroeconomic factors like inflation and interest rates impacted your operations this year? Nemes: Like most developers, we’ve felt the pressure from higher financing costs and inflation. These factors can slow down decision-making and the pace of new investments. On the construction side, we’ve also encountered increased material and labour costs, as well as supply chain bottlenecks, though we’ve managed to adjust our timelines accordingly. On the leasing front, demand remains strong in sectors like e-commerce and FMCG, while manufacturers are approaching new leases more cautiously in the face of broader industry uncertainty. Our focus remains on providing scalable and flexible warehouse solutions that can adapt to changing market conditions. Q: Looking ahead, what are HelloParks’ growth priorities over the next 12 to 24 months? Nemes: Our main priority is balanced and sustainable growth. We aim to continue delivering approximately 100,000 sqm of new space annually, scaling to meet actual market demand rather than speculative targets. At the same time, we’re exploring opportunities to expand beyond Hungary and enter new markets. We’re evaluating several promising locations and considering new formats in the industrial space segment. The goal is to maintain our flexibility and resilience while continuing to meet evolving client needs in a competitive landscape. © 2025 Roberts Publishing Sp. z o.o.