Planet Group Ends 2018 With a New Round of Capital Injection Consisting of €34 Million From Equity Investors - Seite 2

PLANET GROUP  

Global leader in the integration of smart solutions and social innovation practices in the design and development of large real estate affordable housing projects, Planet has more than 300 employees across the United Kingdom, Brazil and Italy.

The Group has its own Smart City Competence Centre in Turin, Italy, called Planet Idea, which is comprised of 50 highly qualified professionals from different backgrounds and nationalities, who are experts on eco-systemic resources, social innovation, IoT and urban planning. Planet Idea is an in-house innovation lab responsible for smart solutions into the projects of the Group but also consults with third-party in Italy and internationally. The Centre is currently advising the two largest Italian real estate funds developing new smart districts in Milan (650 apartments) and Rome (950 apartments).

The Group is building the first smart city for affordable housing in the world called "Smart City Laguna", consisting of 6,500 housing units over 330ha of land. The project is at an advanced stage in São Gonçalo do Amarante, Ceará, 50 km from Fortaleza, in Brazil, and will be the home of approximately 25,000 inhabitants. The second smart city for affordable housing was launched in Brazil in September 2018, close to the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, over 170ha of land.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Affordable Housing  

• Housing is defined "affordable" when the average annual rent or mortgage cost is less than 30% of the average household's yearly income. Globally, Affordable Housing projects have key requirements in terms of minimum dimensions (around 55 square meters), access to clean drinking water, sewer system, electricity distribution network and distance from the workplace (the commuting time is supposed to be less than one hour).
• Traditionally in Europe the problem of affordable housing has always been dealt in two ways: public housing projects financed by the state or social housing interventions managed by private entities such as real estate development funds, foundations and cooperatives.

Smart solutions