BL Associates

2026 Trends with Eduard Barbu, BL Associates

2026 Trends with Eduard Barbu, BL Associates 600 600 BUCHAREST REAL ESTATE CLUB

07.02.2026

Eduard Barbu, Director BL Associates

What were the main business results for 2025?

2025 was primarily a year of consolidation rather than acceleration. We closed the year with a turnover of approximately EUR 15.4 million, compared to EUR 15.1 million in 2024. The growth was moderate, but in the current market context we consider it a stable and healthy outcome. More important than the absolute figures was our ability to remain active across multiple market segments, without becoming dependent on a single type of client or project.

What are your company’s business targets and plans for 2026?

Our objective for 2026 is controlled growth with a strong focus on resilience. We are investing further in strengthening our execution teams as well as our in-house production capabilities, while continuing to diversify our activity. The goal is not maximum expansion, but adaptability — building a structure that can perform under different market conditions and remain operationally flexible. We are deliberately positioning the company to be anti-fragile rather than optimized for one specific scenario.

What economic pressures (e.g., inflation, interest rates, work force issues) or regulatory and fiscal changes do you anticipate impacting the market in 2026, and how is your company preparing for them?

We expect economic pressure to remain constant throughout 2026. High financing costs, cautious capital allocation, workforce constraints, and ongoing fiscal uncertainty will continue to affect the market. We do not anticipate rapid relief from interest rates or regulatory simplification. Our response is pragmatic: tighter cost control, conservative planning, shorter decision chains, and a stronger focus on execution efficiency rather than scale for its own sake.

What do you see as the main risks for the Romanian real estate market in 2026? Where do you see the most attractive opportunities for growth?

The main risk is prolonged hesitation — delayed decisions, postponed investments, and projects remaining stuck in planning phases rather than moving into execution. In Bucharest specifically, following the recent local elections, and based on the signals and early positioning of the newly elected mayor, we anticipate a continuation of the previous administration’s approach. This likely means a city that remains largely blocked from a development and permitting perspective, with limited predictability for private investment.
At the same time, this environment creates opportunities for well-capitalized, operationally strong players who can actually deliver. Demand still exists, but it is increasingly selective and performance-driven.

Which players or strategies are going to be winners in 2026?

The winners in 2026 will not necessarily be the most aggressive or the most optimistic players, but the most disciplined ones. Companies that understand their costs, protect their margins, invest in people and production capacity, and stay close to on-the-ground realities will have a clear advantage. Execution capability and flexibility will matter more than scale alone.

BREC AWARDS 2025: OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

BREC AWARDS 2025: OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD & SUSTAINABILITY AWARD 901 600 BUCHAREST REAL ESTATE CLUB

The annual BREC Christmas Party was a great opportunity to inaugurate BREC AWARDS, a new initiative designed to bring recognition to BREC members for their activity throughout the year in the real estate industry.

BREC AWARDS is our way to honour the visionaries who transform cities, redefine communities, and set new standards of excellence. BREC AWARDS has given us the opportunity to look closely at each member’s work in 2025 and highlight the investments, transactions, and companies that bring greater maturity and professionalism to the Romanian real estate industry.

OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD – VASTINT ROMANIA

INTEGRATING THE LARGEST FOOD HALL IN AN OFFICE DEVELOPMENT – TIMPURI NOI SQUARE

Vastint’s large development has completely changed the Timpuri Noi area of ​​Bucharest.

Currently, the investor is working on the second phase of the project, covering an area of ​​60,000 sq m. Once completed, it will double the total leasable area of ​​the project, which will thus reach 112,000 sq m.

At BREC AWARDS 2025 we are awarding them for a special concept: New Tales, the largest food hall that will be integrated into an office area.

OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD – GTC ROMANIA

LONG-STANDING COMMITEMENT FOR HUMAN-CENTRIC WORKSPACES

Today, the company has a 30-year history in Central and Eastern Europe. In Romania, one of the most recent investments was the renovation of the group’s flagship project, the City Gate towers in the Romexpo area.

At BREC AWARDS 2025 we recognize their long-term commitment to the office market.

OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD – THETA FURNITURE & MORE

TRUSTED PARTNER FOR OFFICE LANDLORDS

Theta Furniture & More is a company with a history of over 15 years in Romania, during which it became one of the largest local integrators of interior design solutions, with its own furniture production unit, in Prahova County.

At BREC AWARDS 2025 we grant them the OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD for being a trusted partner for office investors.

OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD – GENESIS PROPERTY

LEADERSHIP IN RECONVERSION – YUNITY PARK

Genesis, one of the largest office owners in Bucharest, is constantly investing in its properties.

We are granting them THE OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD  for the Yunity Park concept, a project that has undergone a reconversion process which includes the addition of an amphitheater and green spaces – a 2,000 square meter urban forest. The project is entering its final development phase, which will include an Innovation Center with a food hall, conference center, co-working spaces and a kindergarten.

OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD – BL ASSOCIATES

EXCELLENCE IN WORKSPACE DESIGN

BL Associates is a company founded by Brandon Lee. Born in Malaysia and educated in Singapore, Bradon worked in China and Taiwan but remained in Romania.

BL Associates has numerous notorious collaborations in the field of office design, some of the most famous being with Banca Transilvania.

At BREC AWARDS 2025 we grant them the OFFICE INNOVATION AWARD for excellence in workspace design.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – KAUFLAND ROMANIA

EXCELLENCE IN RETAIL OPTIMIZATION & CUSTOMER-CENTRIC MANAGEMENT

Kaufland Romania is a company which pays special attention to the ESG component. According to their latest report, the company has invested 63 million Euros in ESG initiatives regarding the supply chain of its stores, reducing its environmental impact and projects with impact in the Community.

We award Kaufland for excellence in retail optimization and customer-centric management.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – VGP ROMANIA

HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS IN INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT

VGP Romania is part of the VGP group, a pan-European developer, manager and owner of high-quality logistics and semi-industrial properties, as well as a provider of renewable energy solutions. In Romania, it owns logistics parks in Bucharest, Brasov, Timisoara, Arad and Sibiu.

VGP Park Arad has received this year the BREEAM Outstanding certification with 96.3%, representing the highest score worldwide awarded to an industrial building.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – SEACE ROMANIA

LEADERSHIP IN TECH EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS

Samsung climate solutions have seen double-digit growth in the last five years in the Romanian market.

At BREC Awards 2025 we recognize SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AIR CONDITIONER EUROPE for their educational initiative aimed at engineers and installers to explore state-of-the-art HVAC technologies, delivering maximum value to end users.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – BUILD GREEN

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY IMPACT

Build Green is a company that practically identifies itself with the sector of sustainable certification.

The firm started its activity in Romania and today has a presence in 27 countries, has certified over 900 projects with a total area of ​​12.5 million square meters and investments totaling over 14 billion Euros. At BREC Awards 2025 we grant them the award for sustainable community impact.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – ELDRIVE ROMANIA

DYNAMIC CHARGING NETWORK EXPANSION

Eldrive has reached 1,000 electric charging points nationwide, and beginning of December 2025 was an important point for them, because they inaugurated in Pitesti the first HYC1000 EV charger in Eastern Europe, with a power of 1 MW, for very fast charging of electric vehicles.

At BREC Awards 2025 we grant them the SUSTAINABILITY AWARD for the dynamic expansion of the charging network.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – MEDARU ARCHITECTS

PROMOTER OF HISTORIC INFILL CONCEPT – MODERN INTERVENTIONS ENHANCING HISTORICAL HERITAGE

Founded in Iasi, MEDARU ARCHITECTS offers services in numerous areas of expertise both nationally and internationally.

At BREC Awards 2025 we are rewarding them for their contribution to sustainability by promoting the HISTORIC INFILL concept: modern interventions can enhance a city’s heritage, without dominating it. Revitalizing historic areas can be done without losing their identity, while integrating contemporary design solutions with low carbon emissions.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – 4ENVIGO

BEST STRATEGY FOR ENERGY PERFORMANCE

The young company was founded by the ambition of a professional expert to become an entrepreneur. Founded by Andrei Ivan, 4ENVIGO emerged from the need to provide smart, energy-efficient climate solutions, at commercial and industrial levels, to organizations committed to reducing their carbon footprint in their fight against global warming.

At BREC Awards 2025 we are offering the award for the best strategy in terms of energy performance.

SUSTAINABILITY AWARD – ADP GREEN BUILDING

LEADERSHIP IN PROMOTING GREEN DEVELOPMENT 

ADP was founded in Cluj-Napoca by Adrian Pop and focuses on Green building consulting and certification.

At BREC Awards 2025 we are offering the SUSTAINABILITY AWARD for leadership in promoting green development.