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.
Below is a comparative overview of the market-relevant certification systems in Europe: BREEAM, LEED®, DGNB, HQE and WELL Building Standard.
The HQE sustainability certificate (Haute Qualité Environnementale = high environmental quality) was launched in 2005 by the Association pour la Haute Qualité Environnementale (ASSOHQE). The ASSOHQE is made up of players from the French construction industry and aims to stimulate discussion in the sector and thereby improve construction quality in the long term.
HQE certification was initially introduced as a standard for existing properties as well as new office and school buildings, but is now applicable to all non-residential new, renovated and existing buildings. As with other certification systems, there is a separate rating system for single-family houses and larger residential buildings. The certification is intended to encourage builders and planners to develop, modernise or operate buildings with maximum comfort and minimum environmental impact. For quality assurance purposes, an assessment is carried out by an independent expert (auditor) after the project has been commissioned, planned and completed, or during operation. On the basis of this assessment, the building is certified as Très Performant, Performant or Base. The certification bodies are Certivea for non-residential buildings, districts or infrastructure projects and Cerqual for residential buildings.
The categories applied to every HQE building certification (HQE Bâtiment) include energy, water, materials, waste, climate action, adaptation to climate change, health, well-being and project management. HQE sustainable building certification (HQE Bâtiment Durable) goes beyond this by addressing additional aspects such as circularity, biodiversity, inclusive design, the local economy and life cycle costs. The EU Taxonomy criteria were incorporated into the certification system in the most recent update.
HQE certifications are mainly used in France. At present, there are more than 5,800 HQE-certified projects in a total of 22 countries.
