2021
Dr. Anna Braune, Seema Issar, Raphael Montigel, and others
The study titled "EU Taxonomy: Evaluating the Market-Readiness of the EU Taxonomy Criteria for Buildings," published in 2021, is a collaborative effort among several Green Building Councils from Germany, Spain, Denmark, and Austria. It assesses the applicability of EU Taxonomy criteria to the construction and real estate sectors, based on 62 real building case studies across Europe, with input from 23 financial and real estate organizations. Key findings reveal that newly constructed buildings show the highest eligibility for meeting the Taxonomy criteria, surpassing renovations and ownership activities. Certified projects are notably more compliant than non-certified ones, illustrating the positive impact of established certification systems. However, data availability and reliability pose significant challenges, particularly regarding the Do No Significant Harm criteria, resulting in larger data gaps compared to those for climate change mitigation. The study offers several recommendations, including the creation of centralized digital repositories for building data and the enhancement of Energy Performance Certificates to improve their quality across EU member states. It also emphasizes the need for strategic sustainability planning within building portfolios and the development of Transitional Climate Action Roadmaps aligned with the Paris Agreement. Additionally, the role of certification systems like DGNB is highlighted as essential for facilitating compliance with EU Taxonomy criteria. Lastly, participants voiced concerns about the ambitious changes proposed in the draft Delegated Act by the European Commission, advocating for a balanced approach to ensure effective market uptake of sustainability practices in the building sector.
The study titled "EU Taxonomy: Evaluating the Market-Readiness of the EU Taxonomy Criteria for Buildings" was published in 2021 by a collaboration of Green Building Councils from Germany (DGNB), Spain (GBCe), Denmark (DK-GBC), and Austria (ÖGNI). The study involved 23 financial and real estate organizations and applied the EU Taxonomy criteria to 62 real building case studies across Europe. The authors include Dr. Anna Braune, Seema Issar, Raphael Montigel, Dr. Christine Lemaitre, Julia Manzano, Emilio Miguel Mitre, Bruno Sauer, Dr. Thomas Fænø Mondrup, Dr. Peter Andreas Sattrup, Mette Qvist, Wolfgang Lukaschek, Katharina Saxa, Peter Engert, and Ursula Hartenberger.
Context
The EU Taxonomy is a classification system established to guide sustainable investment by defining criteria for economic activities that significantly contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This study specifically examines the market-readiness of these criteria within the construction and real estate sectors.
Key Findings
- Market-Readiness: The study found that newly constructed buildings had the highest eligibility for the Taxonomy criteria compared to building renovations and acquisition and ownership activities. Certified projects were more likely to meet eligibility requirements than non-certified ones.
- Data Challenges: A significant challenge identified was the availability and reliability of data necessary to prove compliance with the Taxonomy criteria. Data gaps were notably larger for the Do No Significant Harm (DNSH) criteria compared to climate change mitigation.
- Recommendations:
- Digital Building Data: Develop centralized repositories for building data to improve accessibility and reliability.
- Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs): Enhance the quality and reliability of EPCs across EU member states.
- Portfolio Management: Encourage strategic planning for sustainability across building portfolios using certification systems like DGNB.
- Transitional Climate Action Roadmaps: Implement roadmaps aligned with Paris Agreement targets for buildings under acquisition and ownership criteria.
- Certification's Role: The study highlighted that certification systems such as DGNB could facilitate compliance with EU Taxonomy criteria by providing structured frameworks for sustainability assessment.
- Feedback on Draft Delegated Act: The study participants expressed concerns over the ambitious nature of proposed changes in the draft Delegated Act by the European Commission, suggesting a need for a balanced approach to ensure market uptake.
The study underscores the importance of integrating robust data management practices and certification processes to enhance compliance with sustainability criteria in financial transactions related to buildings.