Energy-positive buildings are a hot topic in the next wave in Environmental, Social and Governance investing, in anticipation of the EU directive which will require that all new projects built are "nearly zero energy" as from December 31, 2020. A successful green building project may involve much more than construction design and include initial soil decontamination, optimization of financial or fiscal incentives and creative occupancy contracts. Getting input from real estate and environmental law experts will be key for investors and developers to ensure that proper documentation and contractual undertakings are in place and compliance with financing obligations is observed, to protect their investments in the long term.