Sustainability

Companies and organisations have recognised that sustainable development is an essential ingredient for long-term success. Different sustainability standards, certifications, recommendations and laws impact organisations and often make it difficult to identify and keep track of the aspects relevant to their organisation. In Switzerland and the EU in particular, the legal framework has been tightened with the entry into force of the counter-proposal to the Corporate Responsibility Initiative (CH) and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU). These requirements pose many questions for organisations: Which legal frameworks apply to us? Where do we have the greatest environmental impact and where does the changing environment affect us the most? What should we focus on? What are the relevant issues? What do our stakeholders expect?

Amstein + Walthert offers a structured approach here on how organisations can identify their relevant sustainability issues, how indicators can be measured, targets defined, and improvement measures formulated and implemented. We support you on your way to a more sustainable future.

Our services

Sustainability strategy

• Workshops on mission, vision and strategy
• SWOT analysis and risk analyses
• Identifying the stakeholders

Sustainability reporting (e.g. according to GRI)

• Advice on the process for preparing the sustainability report
• Support with data collection
• Data evaluation
• Preparation of a sustainability report
• Deriving measures to increase sustainability performance

Greenhouse gas balance for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions (for the business and/or the products)

• Greenhouse gas balance for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions according to the GHG Protocol
• Corporate carbon footprint (CCF) for the company balance sheet
• Product carbon footprint (PCF) for products or services
• Life cycle assessment analysed in CO₂ equivalents
• Data plausibility check
• Graphical preparation of the analysis

Measures, reduction paths, targets and KPIs

• Developing a proposal for KPIs and measures
• Support for the preparation of a utility value analysis for each defined measure
• Setting targets and calculating a reduction path towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, such as in accordance with the Science Based Targets Initiative.
• Planning and advice on implementation

Sustainable development means taking account of today's generation without thereby preventing future generations from meeting their own needs.

It is therefore essential to strive for real estate solutions that are socially, ecologically and economically sustainable and that take account of the needs of the building users. Sustainable real estate means security for the future. The practice of adhering to continuously developing standards and specifications offers a promising approach.

In striving to achieve sustainability, we pursue the following goals:

• The protection of human health (light, noise, ambient air, etc.)
• The allocation of financial resources for investment in real estate
• The protection of society's social and cultural values
• The minimisation of energy consumption and greenhouse gases
• The conservation of resources and the basis of our existence (energy, building materials, soil, air, water)

Our range of services:

• Guiding principles and strategies for buildings and sites
• Energy standards and sustainability (2000 Watt Society, Efficiency Path, etc.)
• Energy sustainability certificates: Minergie (P, A, ECO), LEED, DGNB, SGNI
• Energy and sustainability concepts (site, buildings, building systems engineering, operations)
• Green building (strategies, design and certificates)
• Sustainability ratings for buildings and sites
• Materials and building ecology (grey energy, hazardous substances, etc.)
• Architectural design competition procedures: definitions, specifications, preliminary reviews, jury selection
• Applied research: development of drafting and design instruments, feasibility studies

The additional consideration of relevant sustainability criteria in real estate management helps to lower your portfolio risk while ensuring constant or even higher returns.

Normative level: basic principles and objectives

Our approach is based on the normative principles that are applicable and/or are anticipated to become applicable in Switzerland and around the world, including the SIA, EU and ISO (International Organization for Standardization). Working on behalf of and in consultation with public and private-sector investors, we develop appropriate target definitions and standards for your enterprise or portfolio structure.

Strategic level: specifications and guidelines

Using precise quantitative and qualitative objectives as a basis, we work together with you to develop an appropriate strategy and also to formulate this strategy in a set of guidelines.

We use a tool that we developed precisely for this purpose to quickly and efficiently carry out the segmentation of all of the properties in your portfolio and to thereby create a basis for the quantification of the development potential.

Operative level: rating procedures and corrective actions

We work with proven criteria catalogues to arrive at reliable appraisals of individual properties. The properties whose ratings are not satisfactory are subject to special detailed appraisals involving the application of the tool at a deeper level. The result is then used to draft a strategic report specifying the areas where corrective measures are to be implemented:

• Site
• Structural quality
• Functionality
• Operating costs (space efficiency)
• Health and well-being
• Design and use
• Resources
• Energy and ecology

The Amstein +Walthert Company has obtained certification as per ISO 50001 for the energy management of the Andreasstrasse 5, Zurich site. The basic aim of the ISO 50001 standard is the constant improvement of energy performance within a company.

We would also be delighted to help you introduce an effective energy management system.

Amstein + Walthert has managed the offices of the Zurich Energy Forum for years.

The Zurich Energy Forum (Forum Energie Zürich) is an association of enterprises whose aim is to promote the exchange of knowledge among experts. The association offers specialists (e.g. engineers, planners, architects and developers) an opportunity to participate in training programmes and professional conventions. The Forum is an important platform for professional discourse on energy-related subjects such as the sustainable use of energy throughout the life cycles of buildings or districts.

We are always interested in the latest developments.

The 2000 Watt Society has emerged in recent years as a benchmark for all stakeholders in Switzerland who are active in planning the future of energy supply. Federal, cantonal, city, municipal and trade-association representatives are all working together to work out the details of this energy-supply goal.

The 2000 Watt Society Competence Centre was founded in December 2012 in connection with these developments. Represented in the three main language regions of Switzerland, the aim of the CC is to provide clear and competent information about the goals and instruments of the 2000 Watt Society. The activities, commitment and know-how of experts, interest groups and private individuals is to be bundled and coordinated so as to help increase public awareness of this important vision.