Sustainability is a buzzword in the context of contemporary architecture, but building according to its principals can initially generate challenges and additional costs. What really makes Polish architectural studios and construction companies reach for green solutions?
As part of our #ReportThursday series, we present documents, reports and guides on architecture, cities and local government that are certainly worth publicizing and promoting. This week we look at the report "The Road to Sustainability. Sustainability and ESG reporting in Polish industrial and architectural-construction companies," prepared by ASM - Center for Market Research and Analysis under the auspices of the Polish Green Building Association and Digital Real Estate by Proptech Foundation. The report was commissioned and published by Autodesk.
The report is available on Autodesk website
sustainable development - profit or additional costs?
Respect for the environment should be considered one of the basic paradigms guiding human activity. By implementing the principles of sustainable development, we can not only contribute to the protection of nature, but also count on even economic growth and ensure social justice, as well as guarantee a secure future for generations to come. Unfortunately, such long-term actions do not always go hand in hand with economic mechanisms and the characteristics of a free market economy. The implementation of the assumptions of sustainable development is often associated with additional costs and impediments to doing business. So what makes Polish architectural studios and construction companies reach for sustainable development solutions, and what actions can still be taken so that there is more sustainable architecture? What difficulties do companies in the architecture, construction and industrial sectors face, and what will the introduction of mandatory ESG reporting change in their operations? The answers to these and many other questions can be found in the presented report "The Road to Sustainability," which is already the second edition of a study focusing on the mood and maturity level of the Polish industrial and architecture and construction sectors regarding the use of sustainable solutions.
law above all
Environmental issues find a prominent place in the consciousness of those involved in the architecture business - more than half of the respondents felt that sustainability is an important part of their management strategy and vision, or will become so in the near future. This is not shocking information, as we have been dealing with an increase in environmental awareness for many years. What is more interesting - and useful - is the data on the motives that influence this state of affairs. As many as 74% of those representing architectural firms said that legal considerations are the primary criterion for implementing sustainable solutions. This is a valuable observation, as it proves the important role of legal instruments in shaping pro-environmental activities in the Polish architectural industry. It is impossible not to notice here the influence of the ESG directive, mentioned many times in the publication, forcing companies to report on the impact of their activities on social, corporate and environmental aspects. Interestingly, according to the cited survey, as many as 60% of the surveyed companies have not yet made any moves related to ESG reporting - this is probably related to the gradual process of introducing the directive, which will only become fully effective in two years. This conclusion again implicitly confirms the overriding role of the law in enforcing environmental measures.
The report "Road to Sustainability" - architecture and environmental protection
Photo credit: Possessed Photography © Unsplash
What is ESG?
The aforementioned ESG (from Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) is a standard and methodology for reporting on companies' activities from the perspective of achieving sustainability. The basic assumptions of the ESG concept include issues related to environmental protection, social responsibility and respect for human rights, as well as maintaining so-called corporate governance within the company. In the case of architecture, in practice this means, among other things, reporting on the carbon footprint and waste generated by the construction and operation of a building, examining air quality and introducing facilities for people with diverse needs, and ensuring equal opportunities and working conditions associated with the building. So far, the publication of ESG reports has been a voluntary step in the operation of companies. However, this will change at the end of 2024, when, following the introduction of the CSRD, the submission of an ESG report will become mandatory for the largest companies operating in the European Union. While initially the new requirements will cover only the largest companies with more than 500 employees, in the following years ESG reports will also have to be submitted by small and medium-sized listed companies.
The report "The Road to Sustainable Development" - challenges to meeting sustainability goals
© Autodesk
the need for knowledge
Valuable information on what more can be done in terms of stimulating the use of pro-environmental solutions by architecture and construction companies is provided by the section on the biggest challenges that the aforementioned entities believe are associated with the implementation of green strategies. Some of the most common responses were "lack of interest from clients" and "lack of internal expertise in sustainability." These responses point to the urgent need for environmental education - not only for those involved in providing architectural services, but also, and perhaps even more importantly, for the consumer, whose needs and personal choices give direction and justify the actions of companies operating in the architectural industry. The largest number, 41% of respondents, indicated the answer "lack of financial resources." - It is prudent to assume that it is education, a further increase in environmental awareness and, consequently, a change in the tastes of consumer persons that will "solve" the problem of lack of finances.
a broader perspective
The "Road to Sustainability" report is a valuable source talking about what actions are capable of shaping the strategies of architecture and construction companies so that they incorporate sustainability as much as possible. However, these are not the only conclusions that can be drawn from the presented report - for more information on, among other things, solutions that have the greatest impact on reducing environmental costs, the participation of new technologies in design or issues related to the implementation of legal conditions, we refer to the report itself, which is available on Autodesk's website.
