With the increase in climate protests and UN reports highlighting future net-zero challenges, industries are trying to focus their business practices on principles of sustainable development and responsible investment. In the building sector specifically, landlords are gravitating towards certification schemes such as BREAM, LEED, and WELL (among others) to promote the sustainability of their assets and boost green credentials.
Tenants are now demanding that the spaces they live and work in are contributing positively to their health & productivity levels, with minimal impact on the environment. As a result, there is a movement towards obtaining multiple environmental standards and certifications to attract, retain tenants, and also increase building value. We are gradually moving towards adopting more sustainable and environmental practices, but what are the implications of this, and are we at risk of green-washing our buildings via standards?
Benefits of certification
There are obvious benefits to obtaining environmental standards and certification schemes. Namely, environmentally conscious buildings can have a lower carbon footprint, are more energy efficient in terms of utility use, with demonstrably lower operating costs.
Implementing sensors & IoT devices into buildings to ensure operating performance is improved
The incentive to obtain these schemes from growing tenant and investor pressure, motivate landlords to refurbish their assets by upgrading aging infrastructure (HVAC and boiler systems) and implementing smart technology (sensors & IoT devices) into buildings to ensure operating performance is improved. This is beneficial to landlords, tenants, and the overall environment.
Implementation in building performance
However, once the certification is issued, who is responsible for ensuring the correct recommendations have been implemented, along with any continued live monitoring of building performance?
This can sometimes act as a snapshot of potential performance rather than a guarantee that buildings will keep delivering on that promise. Is training & awareness about environmentally conscious behavior shared with occupants continuously, during staff turnover, and once regulations are updated? How accurate are the data collection techniques (including testing and monitoring)?
Evidence-based testing approach
One possible approach, to help inspire measurable action, is for more players in the property sector to adopt Science-based Targets such as the Sectoral Decarbonisation Approach (SDA) alongside environmental standards and certifications. These targets help businesses associate their environmental commitments in line with what the science says is required to limit climate change by keeping global temperatures below 2 degrees.
Evidence-based (scientific) testing is the best way to drive change, increase action and accountability. The take-up is slow, but SBTs can certainly act as an initial framework (informed by data) and climate science. Nevertheless, performance still needs to be tracked over time, to assess that business processes are in continuous alignment with these targets.
Automated monitoring methods
Automated methods can help increase transparency and visibility into building performance all in real-time
The question remains, who is responsible for the continued monitoring of environmental progress via targets and standards once they have been implemented? A recommended approach to try to avoid green-washing our buildings is to encourage and empower landlords, estate managers, and occupiers to monitor their own spaces autonomously and in real-time.
Automated methods that require as little human intervention and manual data collection as possible are the most effective. The IoT and PropTech industry offer an array of solutions including sensors, HVAC and BMS automation, online data platforms, and more, that can help increase transparency and visibility into building performance all in real-time, instead of relying solely on external auditors for example.
Need for continuous monitoring
Having access to and sharing accurate building performance data, previously inaccessible, can also encourage behavioral change among tenants and staff, driving frequent actionability that does not stop once certification is issued.
Although the building industry has made significant progress towards tackling climate change from the use of environmental standards and certifications, continued live monitoring, more granular automation and alignment still needs to be achieved, to avoid green-washing and ensure certifications do not simply act as marketing badges for buildings.
