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The construction and real estate sector rapidly needs to become more sustainable. It’s a challenge, but also a transition pathway full of innovations, competitive opportunities, new collaborations and positive societal impact. For Zabra, a family-owned company which is active in residential, SME, retail, student and mixed-use real estate projects, sustainability is a pillar of the company’s philosophy.
The construction and real estate sector is in the throes of the drive towards more sustainability - hardly surprising if we consider that buildings account for 40 per cent of energy consumption and 36 per cent of CO2 emissions in the European Union. As recently as 12 April, the Council of the European Union issued a communication entitled 'Towards zero-emission buildings by 2050', adopting a set of rules to improve the energy performance of buildings. It sends out a clear signal of the need to step up a gear.
There are also clients who expect affordable and efficient 'green' solutions; tendering criteria include more and more sustainability requirements, which in turn are passed on to subcontractors and suppliers. The financial world, too, is increasingly including sustainability in lending and investment decisions.
Circular new-build project
Zabra, a family-owned company (Joris Brantegem) with years of experience in property development, is one such company that presents itself as a partner for sustainable new construction projects. In its mission statement, the company deliberately emphasise sustainability and social commitment. To help finance the demolition of existing non-residential buildings and the construction and operation of a new retail complex with offices in Diest, Zabra and its project partner Hedda BV received a ‘green loan’ from KBC. The green character of the project is confirmed by the fact that it meets the criteria of the EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities.
The new-build operation will be a circular project, in which the buildings can be given a new function in the future without too much demolition being needed. The possibility of future demolition is taken into account right from the start, when drawing up the concept. Independent construction layers ensure future flexibility, and conscious material choices are made with a view to their future role in material banks.
A carbon life cycle assessment was also carried out as part of the preparatory process. This described the buildings' impact on climate change across their entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to end of life. It was a very interesting exercise and produced an equally interesting final report from which all parties learned a lot about the environmental impact throughout the entire production chain.
Direct and positive impact
The complex will incorporate lots of sustainable technologies, unsurprisingly mostly concerned with energy. But a sustainable construction project is also a total project. It means installing storage tanks for rainwater, soft landscaping, planting additional greenery, creating opportunities for more biodiversity and minimising the impact on the environment. The neighbours and local community are an integral part of a truly sustainable project.
In this construction project the builder is demonstrating how much can be achieved by fully embracing sustainability, through cooperation with numerous stakeholders and by adopting an integrated approach. This approach creates a closed-loop system, in which raw materials are reused, repaired, refurbished, remanufactured and recycled, reducing the consumption of new materials and lowering the amount of waste, pollution and carbon emissions. The project will also have a direct and positive impact on the environment and climate.
Clearly, then, more sustainable business operation has become a driving force in the construction and real estate sector, and companies that are able to set out a clear vision and combine business acumen with positive social impact and a long-term strategy, will create a competitive advantage.
Read Council of the European Union press release: Towards zero-emission buildings by 2050: Council adopts rules to improve energy performance - Consilium (europa.eu).
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