Organised by

REFIRE

Focal Points

The German Market for Drive-Up Self Storage Facilities:
Ready for Prime Time?

Gain fascinating insights into:

• Current market trends

• First-hand experience from a developer/operator

• Automation, digitalization & AI in self-storage facilities

• Project financing options

• ESG, sustainability, and certification

Key Facts

CONFERENCE:
Thursday, 18 September 2025
1:30 PM - 6:15 PM (followed by snacks/drinks)

LOCATION:
Mercure Kaiserhof Hotel City Center Frankfurt
Kaiserstraße 62-64
60329 Frankfurt am Main
Hotel website

EVENT FORMAT:
In-person event

CONFERENCE LANGUAGE:
German

PARTICIPATION FEE:
€195

Terms & Conditions

SELF-STORAGE – A THRIVING
REAL ESTATE SECTOR

Self storage is one of the strongest performing asset classes in the property sector. Migration, urbanisation, mobility and changing living structures and business models are driving the self storage markets worldwide. Demand has proven to be stable and independent of economic cycles.

Germany, as the largest economy in Europe, has one of the smallest self storage markets and therefore offers outstanding investment opportunities in a growth market where there is no market saturation in sight for decades.

RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF STORAGE AND
GARAGE PARKS IN GERMANY

Since 2015, the segment of self storage garage parks in Germany has grown more than fivefold, with consistent annual growth rates of around 20 percent. Self storage is one of the top-performing asset classes in real estate. Global trends such as migration, urbanization, mobility, and changing life structures and business models continue to fuel this market.

Storage and garage parks offer rapid site selection and construction/leasing processes, no need for constant on-site personnel, low operating costs, high level of tenant retention and minimal ongoing capital expenditures.

TARGET AUDIENCE

The target audience for this event is:

• Decision-makers involved in investing, developing, and operating self storage and garage park facilities

• Executives and board members

• Professionals from construction, building management, technical equipment, facility services, and real estate

• Engineering and architectural firms

• Industrial and service companies

BENEFITS FOR PARTICIPANTS

You will gain practical knowledge directly from experts:

• Valuable insights into planning, building, and operating successful storage and garage parks

• Expert know-how, best practices, and market analysis for well-informed decisions and competitive advantage

• Opportunity to network with industry professionals and investors for future-proof concepts and sustainable success

The Organiser:

REFIRE is the leading English-language publication focused solely on German real estate and finance. Since 2005, we have delivered sharp analysis, exclusive interviews and critical market intelligence to institutional investors, asset managers and real estate professionals.

Led by editor Charles Kingston, REFIRE blends deep local expertise with a clear, analytical Anglo-Saxon approach. Our flagship, the monthly REFIRE Intelligence Report, brings exclusive insights direct to subscribers, supported by regular news and special reports.

Independent and trusted, REFIRE connects global investors to Germany’s real estate market with the context and depth rarely found in domestic media.

1:30 PM

WELCOME RECEPTION

Conference material distribution

2:00 PM

OPENING REMARKS BY THE CONFERENCE CHAIRPERSON

Charles Kingston, REFIRE

2:15 PM

NEW ASSET CLASS: DRIVE-UP STORAGE & GARAGE PARKS – GERMANY’S SLEEPING GIANT

• Inventory, development & analysis of drive-up storage and garage parks in Germany
• International comparison
• Location factors
• Rental value trend & investment environment

Daniel T. Borger, Real Estate Advisory Services

3:00 PM

"HEYLAGER" – SCALABLE DEVELOPMENT OF NEXT-LEVEL STORAGE & GARAGE PARKS

• Sustainable modular design for the efficient construction of modern storage and garage parks
• E-commerce meets real estate: Digital platform strategy to scale a fragmented market
• Efficient portfolio structuring via propcos/opcos for tax and operational optimisation as well as flexible capital procurement

Joachim Rabe, HeyLager / platzundraum

3:45 PM

COMMUNICATION BREAK WITH COFFEE, TEA AND BISCUITS

Sponsored by:

4:15 PM

TECHNOLOGY THAT SAVES TIME AND EFFORT

• Advanced automation for storage management, payments, access control
• Online presence & booking via website or app
• Sensor-driven remote monitoring (presence, lighting, heat/fire protection and more)
• Efficiency through AI: chatbots, theft prevention & more

Sebastian Kerekes, Karibu

5:00 PM

PROJECT FINANCING FOR STORAGE AND GARAGE PARKS

• Storage and garage parks: The unknown entity in project finance
• Corporate vs. project financing
• What lenders allow and what they don't
• Due diligence process of the financing institutions
• Possibilities for the use of grants and subsidies

Stefan Jung, Trias Real Estate Finance

5:30 PM

CERTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF STORAGE AND GARAGE PARKS

• Sustainability frameworks: EU Taxonomy, DGNB System, Seal of Sustainable Building Quality (QNG)
• DGNB certification as a quality standard
• Certification timing & cost structure

Markus Kelzenberg, DGNB

6:00 PM

WRAP-UP AND CLOSING REMARKS BY THE CONFERENCE CHAIRPERSON

Charles Kingston, REFIRE

6:15 PM

SNACKS AND BEVERAGES IN THE FOYER IN FRONT OF THE CONFERENCE ROOM

We cordially invite you to a dialogue with speakers and delegates - an opportunity for sharing experiences and networking at the end of the event.

Sponsored by:

Download the program as a PDF

CHARLES KINGSTON
Editor
REFIRE

Charles Kingston is a globally connected publisher and founder of REFIRE - an English-only German property information platform and newsletter aimed at institutional investors active in Germany and with German companies.

DANIEL T. BORGER
Principal
Daniel T. Borger - Real Estate Advisory Services

Daniel T. Borger works as an independent management consultant in the property industry in Germany and abroad. As part of a consultancy assignment for the project developer of a large garage park, Mr Borger recently carried out a complete inventory for this segment of the self storage industry in Germany.

JOACHIM RABE
CEO
HeyLager / platzundraum

As CEO of the platzundraum venture, Joachim Rabe is leading the expansion of the HeyLager self storage brand for the sustainable project development of 6 to 8 high-quality, secure and efficient small business and storage parks throughout Germany each year.

SEBASTIAN KEREKES
CEO
Karibu

Sebastian Kerekes is the founder of Karibu and has specialised for over 10 years in advising on all-encompassing solutions for the automation of self- storage facilities and storage garages, drawing on the experience of over 50 successful projects.

STEFAN JUNG
Managing Partner
Trias REF

Stefan Jung is a founding partner of Trias REF with many years of experience in leading positions at prime banking institutions. In the core areas of real estate, financing, strategy and management he supports his clients as an independent consultant in their projects, including the financing of storage and garage park projects.

MARKUS KELZENBERG
Director of Certification
DGNB GmbH

Markus Kelzenberg heads the DGNB's certification body, which is officially recognised for the QNG (Sustainable Building Certification) in Germany. The non-profit organisation has been committed to a sustainable and future-proof built environment since 2007.

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