Sustainability from A to Z

Linstow’s systematic approach to sustainability is all about social responsibility
and a clear ambition of meeting the expectations of the market. By raising
consideration for the environment from A to Z in our projects, we make a positive
contribution to our surroundings and our own profitability.

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Our environmental declaration

A broad spectrum of means have been and continue to be deployed. We run skills improvement for our own, and the operating personnel of our customers, run energy analyses, invest in buildings and upgrade then with new, advanced technical installations. We also compile regular reports and monitor the energy and water consumption of our buildings.

We developed our internal “Energy policy and directive” in 2006, along with the “Environmental policy and directive” to govern our environmental work. These directives cover our development projects and the running of our own buildings.

We have defined very specific requirements for our own conduct and for the buildings, to ensure that we always have a property portfolio with the best environmental profile, and always with environmentally-aware personnel.

Linstow’s greenhouse gas accounts

Linstow’s focus on the environment is not limited to new projects. To be able to minimise our actual greenhouse gas emissions from all our buildings, we use a special model for measuring CO2-emissions for the entire property portfolio.

Direct and indirect emissions are included in the model. Our greenhouse gas accounts cover emissions from transport (employees travelling to and from work, business trips, deliveries and service work, customer transport), water and waste water, waste and building energy consumption.

We compile updated data through annual reporting to determine how our emissions can be reduced overall, and how we can achieve reductions on individual properties. We can also compare emissions between our internal properties, and with other property owners.

Linstow believes that promoting awareness internally is an important means of being able to constantly improve, and to find new, innovative solutions.

BREEAM certification

Linstow wants to be one of the best in class when it comes to the environment and sustainability. That’s why we’ve decided that ALL our new and renovated wholly-owned buildings must be BREEAM certified.

BREEAM was launched in 1990 and is Europe’s leading environmental certification program for buildings. Certificates are issued on five levels (Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent and Outstanding). Certification is based on documented environmental performance in nine categories – management, health and wellbeing, energy, transport, water, materials, waste, pollution and land use, along with ecology.

Linstow has decided that:

  • our new or renovated office buildings must meet the requirements for BREEAM Excellent
  • all our other buildings must meet the requirements for BREEAM Very good

BREEAM-NOR is the Norwegian version of BREEAM, and the construction industry’s own program for measuring environmental performance, developed by Grønn Byggallianse in close consultation with the construction and property industries in Norway. A BREEAM-NOR certificate means documented quality, focusing on the user’s health and wellbeing. The program is market-driven and voluntary, and has become a vital quality reference for the Norwegian construction and property industries.

Linstow has also decided that our urban and local development projects must be certified in line with BREEAM Communities, a framework and certification system for large area developments.

We also started to certify our buildings in 2021 in accordance with BREEAM In-use, which is a program for measuring, improving and documenting environmental performance and health-promoting qualities in existing buildings.

We have not decided that this will apply to all projects, but it will if certification must or can be used – this text may need to be reformulated.

Circular economy

When building new buildings or for renovation projects, Linstow wants to be a leader in effective use of resources – including through the recycling and materials.

The more effective use of resources is vital for new growth and the transition to circular economy. Linstow’s approach includes the reclassification of materials.

One example can be seen in the new office buildings at Bergen Business Park, where we have agreed with Nordic Circles to run a trial for recycling materials, including a facade made of steel from decommissioned ships and oil platforms. This is a pilot project to obtain better understanding of the types of materials we can use.

We also have an agreement via architects we work with for BIR, a waste collection/disposal specialist, to collect timber from return stations in Bergen.

Initiatives by Norsk Eiendom and Grønn Byggallianse

We have been working with the environment and sustainability in Norway and abroad for some time. Our systematic approach to sustainability concerns social responsibility, and a clear ambition to deliver on market expectations. We are now going one step further, and joining the initiatives from Norsk Eiendom and Grønn Byggallianse.

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These are a part of the Property Sector’s Roadmap Towards 2050, developed by the Grønn Byggallianse and Norsk Eiendom, to underpin the green transformation in the industry. By signing up, we undertake to implement ten green initiatives in our plans and routines within one year. A coordinated boost for the industry is important to achieve results. We have been working with sustainability for some time at our properties in Norway and abroad.

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