Sustainable retirement homes with Senectute Fund, VP Capital’s latest investment

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Strengthening our commitment to societal and sustainable real estate

VP Capital is pleased to announce its co-investment in the Senectute Real Estate Fund, managed by Schroders Capital. The fund comprises five residential care facilities in the Netherlands, encompassing 430 high-quality retirement apartments that provide both intramural and extramural care. This strategic investment aligns with VP Capital’s mission to address critical societal needs while advancing its sustainability objectives.

Tackling societal and environmental challenges

The Netherlands faces a growing shortage of retirement housing with integrated care and welfare services, driven by a rapidly increasing population of individuals aged 65 and older. The properties within the Senectute fund address this pressing demand, offering essential housing solutions, with all facilities currently operating waiting lists.

“The Senectute fund allows us to invest in a critical societal function—high-quality housing and care for seniors—while ensuring high sustainability standards of these assets for the long term,” said Jeroen Heine, Director of Investments at VP Capital.

Driving sustainability in senior care facilities

The Senectute fund includes a substantial budget for upgrading and optimising its five facilities to ensure they are future-proof. Among the properties, two were sustainably constructed in 2020 and have achieved energy label A, while the remaining three older buildings are undergoing renovations to improve their energy performance from labels E-G to A. Planned upgrades include:

Solar panel installations
Improved insulation
LED lighting systems
Heat pump systems

In addition to decarbonisation, the fund allocates resources for measures to enhance resident welfare and biodiversity. By the end of the optimisation process, all properties will meet stringent energy standards, making them suitable for providing sustainable, long-term care and housing for seniors. Plans are also in place to achieve CO2 neutrality across the portfolio by 2050, in line with Paris Agreement goals.

“We believe that by investing in Dutch healthcare and senior living real estate together with our partners we can contribute to providing sustainable solutions for housing, care, and wellbeing for the elderly, while simultaneously promoting the much needed sustainability across the entire real estate sector. This strategy contributes to our joint long-term investment vision, enhancing sustainability and conceptual development in this socially increasingly important sector within the Netherlands and North Western Europe.”

Pieter Akkerman, Managing Director at Schroders Capital Real Estate Netherlands

Aligning investment with impact criteria

The Senectute fund is fully aligned with VP Capital’s 2024–2028 real estate strategy, which emphasises social impact, sustainability and financial stability. Meeting VP Capital’s three core criteria for real estate funds, Senectute prioritises European real estate, integrates sustainability, and includes a substantial societal function.

The fund’s management, led by Schroders Capital, is deeply committed to decarbonisation and enhancing the portfolio’s sustainability. VP Capital enjoys a longstanding relationship with Schroders, having successfully partnered on several investments in recent years that delivered measurable sustainability outcomes and stable financial results. Schroders’ expertise in real estate development, management, and fund operations, coupled with its strong network for off-market transactions, ensures the fund is well-positioned for success.

A meaningful step toward a social portfolio

This investment represents a significant milestone in VP Capital’s transition to an impactful social real estate portfolio. By addressing the housing and care needs of seniors, the Senectute fund exemplifies how real estate can fulfil societal functions while achieving sustainability objectives.

“Schroders Capital’s extensive experience and proven track record in sustainability make them the ideal partner for an investment like Senectute. This collaboration allows us to achieve both our financial and impact goals,” said Mark Schravesande, Project Manager Sustainability at VP Capital.

This investment not only represents a significant step toward providing much-needed senior housing but also supports VP Capital’s broader goal of advancing Net Zero solutions across its portfolio. The Senectute Fund will play a crucial role in providing sustainable solutions for housing, care, and wellbeing for the elderly, while simultaneously promoting sustainability across the entire real estate sector.

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