Definition of a low-carbon roadmap: Focus on energy in buildings

In order to reduce the carbon footprint of its real estate portfolio, which alone represents 38% of its GHG emissions, Korian has designed a low-carbon roadmap focused on improving the energy efficiency of buildings.

Main project's drivers for reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

Energy and resource efficiency

Energy Decarbonisation

Energy efficiency improvements

Improving efficiency in non-energy resources

Emission removal

Financing low-carbon issuers or disinvestment from carbon assets

Reduction of other greenhouse gases emission

Project objectives

In order to reduce the carbon footprint of the Group, in accordance with the regulations and the low-carbon objectives of the countries in which Korian operates, the company has defined a low-carbon roadmap relating to the energy of buildings, allowing to contribute to the objective of reducing GHG emissions by 40% by 2030.

Energy of buildings represents the majority of the Group’s emissions, with 38%. It is therefore critical to take actions to achieve the carbon reduction ambitions.

Detailed project description

Korian has a real estate portfolio of more than 4 million sq. meters. The low-carbon roadmap for the “Building Energy” category is very significant as this category represents more than a third of the Group’s carbon emissions. This roadmap defines several concrete operational objectives:

Promote low-carbon energies by favouring renewable energies
Develop equipment that consumes less energy, such as heat pumps or connection to the heat pumps or connection to the district heating network.
Improving the energy efficiency of buildings (by improving the insulation of buildings and renovating the most energy and renovating the most energy-intensive equipment)
Reducing the use of high-carbon energy sources such as fuel oil and propane and giving priority to renewable energies as much as possible
Energy labelling of new building projects (HQE, DGNB, BREAM, LEED, etc.)
Raising awareness of eco-actions in the establishments (energy savings through use)

The low-carbon roadmap for “Energy of buildings” was developed jointly between the Group CSR Department, the Group Real Estate Department and each country real estate departments. A Group carbon committee has been set up in 2019 to define the carbon strategy and associated indicators, exchange best practices between communities of technical experts and address environmental issues of concern across the Group.

The low-carbon energy roadmap was also validated by the Group’s General Management in November 2020.

The deployment and construction of the country roadmaps began in 2021 with associated CAPEX and governance/steering.

Emission scope(s)

on which the project has a significant impact

Emission scopes
Description and quantification of associated GHG emissions
Clarification on the calculation

Scope 1

Direct emissions generated by the company's activity.

Scope 2

Indirect emissions associated with the company's electricity and heat consumption.

Scope 3

Emissions induced (upstream or downstream) by the company's activities, products and/or services in its value chain.

Emission Removal

Carbon sinks creation, (BECCS, CCU/S, …)

Avoided Emissions

Emissions avoided by the activities, products and/or services in charge of the project, or by the financing of emission reduction projects.

Scope 1 – Use of more energy efficient equipment, thermal retrofitting, electrification of uses, raising awareness of eco-actions :

Quantification: GHG emissions related to building energy are the Group’s largest emissions source. This category represents approximately 171,000 tCO₂.per year. (based on our Carbon footprint study in 2018). The “energy of buildings” low carbon roadmap targets the 3 scopes

Thanks to a Carbon Review carried out in 2019 and with the support of Carbone 4, the Group was able to quantify its environmental impact:

An overall GHG reduction target of 40% is considered by 2030 (vs. 2018)
38.7% of the Group’s emissions are related to building energy and real estate development.
These two categories represent approximately: 171,000 tCO₂/year

Key points

Invested amount

Coming up

Starting date of the project

2020

Project localisation

France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands.

Project maturity level

Prototype laboratory test (TRL 7)

Real life testing (TRL 7-8)

Pre-commercial prototype (TRL 9)

Small-scale implementation

Medium to large scale implementation

Economic profitability of the project (ROI)

Short term (0-3 years)

Middle term (4-10 years)

Long term (> 10 years)

Illustrations of the project

Other environmental and social benefits of the project

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Improving Residents’ Comfort and Quality of Life
SDG 7: Clean and affordable energy by improving the energy efficiency of the housing stock;
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure: making more efficient use of resources and environmentally friendly materials;
SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities by improving air quality;
SDG 12: Sustainable consumption and production: Focus on carbon-impact materials for greenfield construction, or increase the share of green energy…
SDG 13: Measures to Combat Climate Changes: This low-carbon roadmap on building energy aims to reduce the impact of activity on the environment and in particular to combat global warming by reducing CO₂ emissions (from real estate). While strengthening the summer comfort of our residents, this includes a combination of actions such as: reducing the share of fossil fuels in the energy mix, strengthening the thermal insulation of buildings and developing self-consuming energy production.

Capacity and conditions of the project reproducibility

The roadmap agreed with Carbone 4 is approved and meets reproducible methodologies and benchmarks.

Engaged partnerships

Download the complete project sheet

Project URL links

Contact the company carrying the project:

csr@korian.com

Korian’s other projects :

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