Sustainability is our priority

This year, the new member will face a major challenge to certify his entire property portfolio in 6 herecountries according to BREEAM by June 2020. Why has CTP set this ambitious goal? How will CTP contribute to the development of green building industry in the Czech Republic? Stefan de Goeij, Group Sustainability Officer, took his time to answer these questions.

CTP has recently become very active in the area of sustainable development. What are the key features of your green policy?

We have been active with sustainability in the past, f.e. since 2011 we certify buildings according to BREEAM. We recently decided to prioritize this even more by appointing me as Group Sustainability Officer and thus I now work full time on sustainability goals for our portfolio and company. Key features are renewable energy, carbon neutrality, energy efficiency, technology & innovation, datamanagement.

How do you want to contribute to the support and promotion of green building principles in the CZ?

We have a large network of tenants and are market leader in CZ, this creates visibility and opportunity. F.e. certifying the complete portfolio with BREEAM In-Use is taking initiative, but we will also learn from this project and share this knowledge. Also in the field of technology & innovation we have a wide range of experience and are still learning.

We are entering new decade – what the Council and its members should get prepared for? What in your opinion should the CZGBC focus on?

The future of energy, can we continue using energy in the way we are used to, or do we need to change drastically. Building methods, are we on the way to build circular.

Where do you see the biggest barriers in faster progress and implementation of green building principles?

No huge barriers, as we control most of it ourselves. Biggest barrier might be that we are limited in obtaining building permits for whatever reason, and therefore constructing green buildings slows down.