Nils Kok

Nils Kok is Professor in Real Estate Finance at Maastricht University, the Netherlands. His research interests range from urban economics to institutional real estate investments, with a strong focus on the economics of energy efficiency and sustainability in the real estate sector. In addition to his academic position, Nils serves as non-executive board member at GeoPhy, the leading provider of automated valuations for the real estate sector. Previously, Nils was the founder and CEO of GRESB, a global ESG rating company for real estate and infrastructure investments. Nils’ research has appeared in leading academic journals such as the American Economic Review, The Review of Economics and Statistics, The Journal of Public Economics, The RAND Journal of Economics, and Real Estate Economics. You can also find his research in newspapers, such as the Guardian, the Australian Financial Review, Das Handelsblatt, Le Monde and Het Financieele Dagblad, and in industry publications, such as Bloomberg, Europe Real Estate and Vastgoedmarkt. Nils received his PhD from Maastricht University (Netherlands) and, after a 4-year stint on the East coast, currently lives in Maastricht (NL) with his wife, Lian, and his three kids.

Education

• PhD Maastricht University (2004 — 2008)
• MSc & BSc Maastricht University (1999 — 2004)
• Highschool VWO, Sondervick College (1993 — 1999)

Companies

• Non Executive Director GeoPhy (2020)
• Professor in Real Estate Finance Maastricht University (2020)
• Chief Economist GeoPhy (2017)
• Associate Professor in Finance and Real Estate Maastricht University (2011 — 2020)
• CEO and Co-Founder GRESB (2009 — 2016)
• Member of the Advisory Board BuildingIQ Pty Ltd (2009 — 2014)
• Visiting Scholar Goldman School of Public Policy (2010 — 2013)
• Assistant Professor in Finance and Real Estate Maastricht University (2008 — 2011)
• Visiting Scholar Haas School of Business (2009 — 2010)

Publications

Core publications:

Palacios Temprano, J. F., Kok, N., & Eichholtz, P. (2020). Moving to productivity: The benefits of healthy buildings. PLOS ONE, 15(8), [0236029].

Temprano, J. P., Eichholtz, P., Willeboordse, M., & Kok, N. (2020). Indoor environmental quality and learning outcomes: protocol on large-scale sensor deployment in schools. BMJ Open, 10(3), [031233].

Eichholtz, P., Holtermans, R., Kok, N., & Yonder, E. (2019). Environmental performance and the cost of debt: Evidence from commercial mortgages and REIT bonds. Journal of Banking & Finance, 102, 19-32.

Holtermans, R., Kok, N., & Levy, S. G. (2019). Green Building Adoption Index for Office Buildings (2019). CBRE.

Kok, N., Koponen, E-L., & Martínez-Barbosa, C. (2017). Big Data in Real Estate? From Manual Appraisal to Automated Valuation. Journal of Portfolio Management, 43(6), 202-211.

Andonov, A., Eichholtz, P. M. A., & Kok, N. (2015). Intermediated investment management in private markets: Evidence from pension fund investments in real estate. Journal of Financial Markets, 22, 73-103.

Andonov, A., Kok, N., & Eichholtz, P. M. A. (2013). A global perspective on pension fund investments in real estate. Journal of Portfolio Management, 39(5), 32-42.

Kahn, M. E., Kok, N., & Quigley, J. M. (2014). Carbon emissions from the commercial building sector: The Role of climate, quality, and incentives. Journal of Public Economics, 113, 1-12.

Brounen, D., & Kok, N. (2011). On the economics of energy labels in the housing market. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 62(2), 166-179.

Eichholtz, P. M. A., Kok, N., & Quigley, J. M. (2010). Doing Well by Doing Good: Green Office Buildings. American Economic Review, 100(5), 2492-2509.

Most recent publications:

Palacios, J., Eichholtz, P., Kok, N., & Aydin, E. (2021). The impact of housing conditions on health outcomes. Real Estate Economics, 49(4), 1172-1200. n

Langen, M., Aydin, E., Eichholtz, P., & Kok, N. (2021). Getting high or getting low? the external effects of coffeeshops on house prices. Real Estate Economics.

Stroom, M., Kok, N., & Eichholtz, P. (2021). Avoiding Crowded Places During COVID-19: Common Sense or a Complex Strategic Decision? Frontiers in Psychology, 12, [700640].

Carlo, A., Eichholtz, P., & Kok, N. (2021). Three Decades of Global Institutional Investment in Commercial Real Estate. Journal of Portfolio Management, 47(10), 25-40.

Stroom, M., Kok, N., Strobel, M., & Eichholtz, P. M. A. (2021). Turning up the heat: The impact of indoor temperature on selected cognitive processes and the validity of self-report. Judgment and Decision Making, 16(3), 766-795.

Eichholtz, P., Kok, N., & Stroom, M. (2020). Vermijden drukke plekken is op papier gemakkelijker dan in de praktijk. Economisch Statistische Berichten, 105(4792), 578-581. [4792].

Palacios Temprano, J. F., Kok, N., & Eichholtz, P. (2020). Moving to productivity: The benefits of healthy buildings. PLOS ONE, 15(8), [0236029].

Eichholtz, P., Kok, N., & Palacios, J. (2020). Binnen blijven schaadt de gezondheid. Economisch Statistische Berichten, 105, 284-286.

Aydin, E., Brounen, D., & Kok, N. (2020). The capitalization of energy efficiency: Evidence from the housing market. Journal of Urban Economics, 117, [103243].

Temprano, J. P., Eichholtz, P., Willeboordse, M., & Kok, N. (2020). Indoor environmental quality and learning outcomes: protocol on large-scale sensor deployment in schools. BMJ Open, 10(3), [031233].