Environmental certification demonstrates responsibility
The environmental certificates of properties are certified by an independent party to demonstrate environmental responsibility. They steer design and management, whether they concern a construction project or in-use operation of the property.
Property owners are increasingly interested in environmental certification, because in addition to responsibility, it can improve the economic value of the property. Environmental certificates transparently demonstrate to tenants and investors that the maintenance of your property follows the principles of sustainable development.
Operations compliant with environmental certification help, for example, to reduce energy consumption and maintenance costs. An environmental certificate can also reduce the cost of financing or even be a condition for financing by investors emphasising responsibility.
Environmental certification requires diverse expertise
Applying for environmental certification is a demanding process that requires diverse expertise in environmental matters, energy and MEP design. Environmental certification takes into account several points of view, such as the property’s energy and water consumption, waste management and recycling and carbon footprint and emissions. Also, the well-being of the property’s users can be assessed.
We have solid experience in coordinating the environmental certification processes of extensive construction projects and existing buildings. We bring all the project parties together to cooperate, thereby ensuring the effective flow of information and that everyone is committed to the set goals.
Environmental certification can be obtained as part of the management of a construction project. In that case, the certification process should begin as early as possible, preferably already in the project planning stage.
In-use environmental certification has to be renewed once every couple of years
An environmental certificate can also be obtained for an existing property, concerning not only the characteristics of the physical building but also the maintenance and in-use operation of the property as well as the development of operations. Environmental certificates relating to property maintenance have to be renewed once every couple of years, ensuring that operations continue to meet the requirements of the certificate. It is our over-arching principle to support the continuous improvement of operations; for example, we propose measures with which the rating can be improved further.
We can help you to find the most suitable environmental certification
Of the environmental certifications, LEED and BREEAM are internationally known and commonly used environmental classifications. In addition, there is the Finnish RTS environmental certificate developed for Finnish conditions and the Nordic Swan ecolabel. We also carry out a lot of in-use certifications (BREEAM in-Use).
We help in finding the best-suited environmental certification for each property, taking into account the specific features of the property and the needs of the owner and users. The comparison takes into account the requirements of the different certification systems and the measures and costs required to achieve a good level of certification.
Environmental certification are most commonly applied for regarding office and commercial buildings, but increasingly also regarding residential buildings. Typical sites also include shopping centres and logistics centres. Environmental certification is also becoming more common in public construction, for example in premises used by educational institutions.
