Environmental, social and corporate governance – our firm foundations

As a property developer, 6B47 is aware of the company’s responsibility to improve cities and the quality of life they offer, and our clear focus on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues is much more than just a box-ticking exercise. In fact, these three areas shape the company’s overarching strategy just as much as they do the finer details of its day-to-day work.

Real estate can help meet climate targets

Real estate can help meet climate targets

6B47’s aim in terms of environmental sustainability is clear: its property projects must help the real estate and construction industries meet the targets set under the Paris Climate Agreement. The challenge facing Europe’s major urban areas, namely how to breathe new life into their housing stock by extending its lifespan, is just one of many that we need to tackle. Our focus on conversion projects that conserve resources and cut emissions and the large-scale use of renewable energy are just a few of our measures that clearly serve the objectives of the European Union’s Green Deal.

Proven and certified sustainability for secure investments

Proven and certified sustainability for secure investments

6B47 plans and sets up all its development projects in every asset class in accordance with the EU Taxonomy. These criteria are incorporated into the planning stage for new projects right from the start, alongside those for the standard certification systems such as DGNB/ÖGNI, LEED and BREEAM. As a basic principle, all projects are (pre-)certified to the gold standard for these schemes as an absolute minimum. In this way, besides being environmentally sound, the projects also offer investors a form of investment that will remain highly attractive and readily marketable over the long term.

The somewhat more sustainable way of developing properties

ESG is much more than just a buzzword at 6B47. Rather, it is embedded in the company’s processes and actively embraced in its projects. 6B47’s experience with property conversions and the use of renewable energy to power buildings provide the perfect platform for constructing buildings that help to make the European Green Deal a reality.

Green Deal

The "Fit for 55" package, which is part of the Green Deal and with 12 concrete proposals, pursues the goal of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030 compared to 1990, is supported by the construction of energy-efficient buildings and the building stock in the will be significantly modernized as part of conversion projects.

Reduction of CO2 emissions

Gray or bound emissions are a major challenge but also an opportunity in reducing CO2 emissions. Through our focus on conversion properties, we can avoid additional gray emissions, which are released during building construction and the manufacture of components and building materials, by extending the life cycle of the existing building.

Operational emissions

Building operation causes CO2 emissions through heating, cooling, lighting and many other energy consumptions. These are minimized through the use of renewable energy and efficient and intelligent building technology.

Materiality

Materials are not only relevant because of the bound emissions. The economical use of resources is an important lever to reduce negative environmental impacts. Therefore, where possible, recycled building materials are used to save resources.

Conversion properties

In the case of conversion properties, an existing building is stripped back to its reinforced concrete skeleton and then expanded and recompacted. This saves the resources and emissions required by complete demolition and subsequent new construction. With this reactivation of the existing building structure, the original useful life of the existing building is extended and a new life cycle is started. The conversion therefore benefits from the avoidance of additional embodied or bound emissions of the new construction, while at the same time enabling an optimized and low-emission operating phase.

Certification & Taxonomy

In order to be able to prove the economic, ecological and social quality of our buildings, 6B47 has been using the most renowned and largest building certification systems such as DGNB/ÖGNI for a long time and occasionally also BREEAM and LEED for new projects. In addition, all new projects are set up in accordance with the EU taxonomy regulation, which enables us to offer investors a sustainable form of investment that is marketable in the long term and offers advantages in (re)financing.

Soil sealing and biodiversity

One of the most important resources is soil

Social

However, the approach of creating added value also expressly refers to the social component of the real estate concepts. The focus is on the question of which urban qualities the respective project can provide for the surrounding residents. 6B47's stated goal is to create new hubs for modern urban neighborhoods.

Renewable energy

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Flexible planning/Usage/Change of usage

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ESG - measures for generations

ESG - measures for generations

6B47 perceives ESG as more than just a set of checklists to fill in or obligations to comply with. Instead, it’s about generating tangible value for commercial and private tenants, co-investors and the environment. This is why our stakeholders and the added value that we’re creating for present and future generations are at the heart of everything we do.

E

Environmental

  • Converting existing buildings instead of constructing new ones saves a great deal of resources and CO2.
  • Consistent circular economy
  • Favouring local communities and reducing transport runs
  • Cutting operating costs
  • Saving water, using grey water and reducing waste and wastewater
  • Green building and biodiversity. Solar panels and green roofs
S

Social

  • “Creating neighbourhoods” Social Space – development and planning work focusing on attractive community spaces at all times
  • COR – Cities of Relations: the new class of products from 6B47. Close cooperation with urban planners. The example of Vienna: a productive city
  • Inclusive mobility concepts (accessibility)
  • Creating social added value, e.g. thanks to the “Kunst am Bau” percent-for-art scheme
G

Corporate governance

  • Favouring local companies and reducing transport runs.
  • Code of conduct
  • Transparency of commercial services
  • Pioneer in GDPR compliance as well as whistleblowing policy
  • Compliance with national and international compliance rules (RICS) and certification schemes (DGNB, ÖGNI)
  • 6B47 ESG Report from 2023 onwards
Holistic concepts adding value for the environment and society

Holistic concepts adding value for the environment and society

Innovative concepts and groundbreaking work, such as converting ageing existing sites into modern centrepieces for urban districts while conserving resources, are merely one potential aspect in this context. The use of smart building systems to measure and optimise consumption on an ongoing basis by matching energy supply to demand is also key to making properties fit for the future. Other aspects taken into consideration include user mobility and ways of boosting biodiversity on site and improving the microclimate by planting vegetation around and on the roofs of properties.

6B47’s projects harness a wide range of forward-looking solutions such as solar panels, geothermal energy, green roofs, biodiversity measures and green leases in order to ensure that these issues are attended to– and also over the long term as well. The environment, however, is not our only focus. . We also aspire to create accessible properties and spaces that strengthen social cohesion in urban areas for everyone involved.

Property conversions – transforming existing properties from challenge into opportunities

Property conversions – transforming existing properties from challenge into opportunities

When 6B47 tackles a conversion project, the existing building is stripped back to its reinforced concrete frame before being redeveloped and consolidated. This saves on the resources and emissions that would be required to demolish the building completely and start again from square one.   Revitalising the existing structure in this way extends its original useful life and kick-starts a brand-new cycle. Consequently, the conversion project benefits from avoiding the additional “grey” emissions tied up in constructing the new building, while also paving the way for optimised, low-emission operation.

Kontakt

Oliver Huber
Oliver Huber
Head of Corporate Sustainabilty & ESG +43 (1) 350 10 10 813 huber@6b47.com