Energy certificates: commitment number 3 of Colonial's Sustainability Decalogue
The reduction of energy intensity and the reduction of the carbon footprint are the two fundamental commitments of Colonial's Sustainability Decalogue. Two key aspirations of our real estate company with our portfolio of assets and the origin of many of the ecological decisions we make. However, it is not enough to implement these decisions: it must be impartial organizations that determine what sustainability results we are achieving with these efforts. This is where commitment number 3 of the Decalogue comes into play: obtaining energy and sustainability certificates. Another pillar of our real estate work.
Measures adopted to obtain certificates
The measures adopted to achieve the reduction of energy intensity and consumption, as well as to replace polluting energy sources with clean energy sources, are measures that indirectly impact on this third commitment. Ultimately, these actions, which have enabled us to reduce the average energy intensity of our buildings by 3%, bring us closer to the total sustainability that is on our target horizon. And the same can be said about the measures taken to reduce our carbon footprint: reducing GHG emissions by 34% has an inevitable impact on our certifications.
But there is also a detail to bear in mind: the pursuit of energy and sustainability certifications, especially those provided by BREEAM and LEED, is a push towards an even greater effort. In the end, within these types of certifications there are degrees, and Colonial's ambition and commitment to sustainability leads us to try to obtain the highest ones regardless of the building and its circumstances. In that sense, this commitment should be seen as a commitment to excellence, one that takes decision-making always a step further and encourages projects such as the one initiated with Future Motors.
Current status of sustainability certifications at Colonial
We are firmly committed to obtaining sustainable certifications for our portfolio. This is demonstrated by the data: at present, 100% of our portfolio has energy efficiency certificates and up to 95% has BREEAM/LEED/HQE certificates. The latter proves the effectiveness of the efforts made in recent years, with a growth of 2% in the last year and 5% compared to the number of office properties certified two years ago. The goal, however, goes a little further: we are aiming for 100% BREEAM/LEED/HQE certification by 2030. At the current rate, the target will most likely be achieved ahead of schedule.
Buildings from Colonial's catalog that exemplify this principle
For us, it is not only important to obtain certifications in all our office buildings. It is also important for us to achieve the highest possible certification within the scales of each of the certifying entities. In that sense, there are currently up to 25 Colonial buildings with a BREEAM Excellent certification, all of them with cutting-edge sustainability innovations, as well as a human-centric approach.
To this we must add LEED Platinum certified buildings such as Discovery Building or Ciutat de Granada 150. And buildings such as Diagonal 525, the second highest LEED rating obtained in Spain in 2022. A milestone not only within our portfolio, but within the national office park in general. A building at the forefront of sustainability. On the other hand, there are also buildings with double certification of excellence BREEAM Outstanding and LEED Gold or higher, such as some of those already mentioned.
All this demonstrates something very important: the responsible entities recognize the ecological quality of Colonial's catalog. In fact, in 2019 BREEAM/GRESB recognized Colonial as a leading European real estate company in responsible investment with the Award for Responsible Real Estate Investment in the large portfolio category. An investment that will continue. An effort that will not falter. At the end of the day, the ultimate goal is total sustainability and we will continue to work to achieve it.
