KSN Horizon investigates the latest sustainability legislation, regulations, and climate news to highlight some of the key changes facing companies, investors, and building owners across the globe.
To ensure immediate climate action and delivery of the Paris Agreement goals, many nations and regions are increasing sustainability disclosure requirements and legislation.
Read our full report here: Sustainability Update – April 2022
IPCC Working Group II Report.
The latest Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) report was released on the 28th of February 2022. The IPCC is an intergovernmental panel of the members of the United Nations. They conduct scientific assessments that explain the current and future risks posed by climate change. The most recent report outlined the immediate and long-term impacts of climate change on our ecosystems, biodiversity, and human communities.
General findings
Implications for Europe
Risk to the Built Environment
Figure 1 highlights the number of days above 35C under a 1.5C and 3C scenario.
Figure 2 highlights the increase in maximum one-day precipitation under a 1.5C and 3C scenario
KSN Horizon can help our clients manage their climate impact through our sustainability services, which include carbon mitigation strategies for real estate and the built environment. Contact our team at info@ksnhorizon.com for more information.
The first section of the mandatory EU Taxonomy Regulation came into force on the 1st of January this year.
The new regulation sets out various screening criteria for financial investments to be regarded as green or sustainable. This will shift investment towards projects that are socially acceptable, economically vibrant, and environmentally secure. This will increase the resilience of investments and real-estate portfolios against the various climate risks like flooding, rising temperatures, and extreme weather events.
The delegated Regulation, released earlier this year, provides investors with clear criteria to assess whether an economic activity contributes to climate change mitigation or adaptation. Most notably, this will affect the construction and acquisition of new buildings and the real estate activities of investors. In summary, it requires buildings to ‘do no significant harm’ (DNSH) to the climate or environmental activities.
Construction of new builds:
The delegated Regulation requires new builds to operate at least 10% below the standard required by Nearly-Zero Energy Building (NZEB), to be regarded as ‘green’. Also, buildings larger than 5,000 m2 must disclose to investors, any deviations from the performance set out in the design phase regarding airtightness and thermal control. The life-cycle Global Warming Potential (GWP) of construction must be conducted for buildings larger than 5,000 m2 and it must be disclosed to clients and investors upon demand.
Building acquisition/ownership:
To be regarded as a sustainable investment, non-residential buildings must be monitored and assessed in relation to their energy performance. Buildings constructed before the 31st of December 2020 must have an Energy Performance Rating (EPR) of Class A, or they must be in the top 15% of the regional or national building stock for energy performance. Additionally, those built after the 31st of December 2020 must meet the screening criteria set out in the construction of new builds, such as operating at 10% below NZEB, conducting a GWP, and ensuring airtightness and thermal control.
KSN Horizon can help our clients manage their real estate portfolios through our sustainability services. Contact info@ksnhorizon.com to learn more.
It is no surprise that climate change is the most important global issue that will continue to exist as an existential threat to our way of life. To limit temperature rise to 1.5° C above pre-industrial levels, we must reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) we emit into the atmosphere. Ireland has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 51% by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050.
Given that the built environment accounts for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions, the real estate industry can help us meet our national emission reduction targets. According to the recently released Climate Action Plan 2021, Ireland’s built environment sector must reduce emissions by 4 – 5 Mt CO2 eq. by 2030.
Investors’ demands for sustainability; environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are among the most pressing issues confronting global financial markets. These requirements have an impact on investment decisions in the real estate sector because they affect prospects for value appreciation, vulnerability to obsolescence, and the risk of premature devaluation.
To address these sustainability and ESG challenges, Irish-owned award-winning KSN Construction Consultants, KSN Project Management, and KSN Energy has launched ‘KSN Horizon’, who will provide the practical implementation of strategic, long-term sustainable solutions to the real estate sector in Ireland and Europe.
“KSN Horizon is a truly unique development for the real estate sector in Ireland and beyond,” says Barry Chambers, the newly appointed Property Director at KSN Horizon. “To achieve net zero for the built environment, we have a fantastic team of sustainability consultants who are supported by an experienced group of property and construction professionals, project managers and energy assessors. Over the course of the coming year, we are planning to double the size of the team from 20 people currently”
Commenting on the new development, Brian Cunningham, Director of KSN adds, “KSN Horizon is uniquely positioned to provide a full end-to-end service – from initial data measurement and verification, implementation of carbon mitigation strategies, asset improvement plans, to subsequent monitoring. KSN Horizon enables us to deliver a unique service offering to our clients to comply with current and imminent regulations and to optimise market opportunities.
We have invested heavily in resources to address current and future sustainable challenges, including training and certification, achieving ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, and 50001 accreditations, attaining BREEAM Assessor status, and becoming a member of the Irish Green Building Council, cementing our position as Ireland’s gold standard dedicated sustainability consultancy”.
KSN Horizon was launched with the appointment of Barry Chambers as Director of Property and Brian Cunningham as Director. Their mission is to assist organisations in the real estate sector in transitioning to a sustainable net-zero, resilient future.
KSN Horizon Quarterly Sustainability & Resilience Newsletter.
KSN Horizon is delighted to share the second edition of our Sustainability & Resilience Newsletter.
Our sustainability newsletter is part of our commitment to employee and workplace health and wellness.
This newsletter was created by the KSN Horizon Sustainability team to educate you about KSN Horizon’s sustainable practices and culture, as well as global sustainability news, in order to meet our own sustainability goals while also assisting you in meeting yours.
Read the full report here: KSN Horizon Newsletter
