A key component of our understanding of sustainability is the certification of many our fund properties. This involves assessing the sustainability of our properties throughout their entire life cycle and optimising it using environmentally friendly technologies, always with a view to economic efficiency.
Sustainability certificates offer the opportunity to measure and compare compliance with sustainability criteria. This is done using nationally established and internationally recognised certification systems. At a time when the sustainable use of resources, the avoidance of CO2 emissions and health and well-being are more important than ever, certification systems offer a way of improving and verifying the sustainability quality of buildings through certification.
Based on the three important pillars of sustainability - ecology, economy and social aspects - various certification systems with a range of assessment criteria for sustainable buildings have been developed to optimise projects specifically during the planning and construction stages as well as during ongoing operation
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The topics covered by all common certifications include materials and resources, energy and water, indoor environmental quality and sustainable site design, and resilience, to name just the most important ones. While there are many similarities in terms of topics, local conditions and market differences are also considered.
The HQE sustainability standard® (Haute Qualité Environnementale = high environmental quality) was launched in 2005 by the HQE Association, which was founded in 1996 and developed into a certification standard by 2011. In 2016, the Association HQE merged with the France GBC (Green Building Council) to form the Alliance HQE-GBC, whose stakeholders from the French property industry pursue the goal of anticipating sustainable developments, exchanging knowledge and experience and raising the sustainability standard of buildings.
The HQE certificate was initially introduced as a standard for existing and new office and school buildings but can now be applied to all non-residential buildings for new builds, refurbishments and existing buildings. As with other certification systems, there is a separate assessment system for detached houses and larger residential buildings. It is intended to encourage building owners and planners to develop, modernise or operate buildings with maximum comfort and minimum impact on the environment. For quality assurance purposes, an assessment is carried out by an independent assessor (auditor) after commissioning, planning and completion or during operation, based on which certification is awarded in the Base, Bon, Très Bon, Performant, Très Performant, Excellent or Exceptionnel categories. The certification bodies are Certivea for non-residential buildings, neighbourhoods or infrastructure projects and Cerqual for residential buildings, whose certification is also called Qualitel.
HQE certifications are mainly used in France. At the end of 2023, around 3,900 non-residential buildings and around 844,000 residential buildings or residential units were certified in France. At international level, there were around 300 HQE-certified non-residential buildings and around 89,000 HQE-certified residential buildings in a total of 26 countries at that time.
14 objectives have been defined for HQE building certification, which in turn are divided into four areas.
Efficient and responsible management of the construction or renovation project; in particular, care must be taken to ensure a harmonious relationship between the building and its immediate surroundings.
Materials and technologies with a low impact on the environment must be selected. Proof is provided by means of a life cycle assessment.
During construction work, noise and dust pollution must be avoided and waste must be disposed of in an organised manner.
Optimising the building with a view to minimising energy consumption during operation
Economical use of drinking water
Measures to reduce, separate and recycle waste
Proactive maintenance to maintain sustainability qualities.
Hygrothermal comfort concerns the regulation of temperature and humidity to optimise the well-being of building users.
This is about reducing noise pollution inside the building.
Visual comfort involves optimising natural and artificial lighting.
The indoor climate must not be impaired by unpleasant odours.
High air quality must be ensured through good management of pollution risks.
Good water quality must be guaranteed or achieved by building operators.
Indoor air quality is about the general healthiness of indoor spaces.
