Paris Proof 2030
We are pleased that an international climate agreement was reached in 2015, in which 195 countries agreed to limit global warming to a maximum of 1.5 degrees and to tackle climate change together.
The Paris Agreement demonstrates that many more people recognize the need for sustainability and provides a legal framework for the conviction we've held for over thirty years. The 1.5-degree warming target is already being exceeded. It's fascinating to see how much we can limit the damage. The climate agreement also calculates the maximum CO₂ emissions permitted by the construction industry to stay within climate targets. An inevitable conclusion is that European legislation will become stricter. And rightly so.
The climate goals leave no room for non-commitment in construction. Limiting the damage we inflict on the planet is our top priority
We don't want to wait for legislation; we're already designing for Paris-proof buildings today. This means building in a way that aligns with the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement. A building that qualifies for Paris-proof certification consumes so little energy and contains so few CO₂-intensive materials throughout its entire life cycle that it fits within the global carbon budget. The materials used are natural, biobased, or recycled.
ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) is a set of criteria for assessing an organization's environmental, social, and governance performance. The CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) is the European law that requires companies to measure ESG criteria and report on them comprehensively and publicly. ESG is a great way to demonstrate how we reduce CO₂ emissions from buildings (Environmental), how we contribute to affordable housing, health, safety, and quality of life for people (Social), and that we are transparent and take responsibility for the choices we make (Governance).
We're not waiting for legislation. We're building Paris Proof today
The HAVEP office building and department store is Paris Proof and won both the National Timber Construction Award and the Cobouw Sustainability Award in 2022.
