Sustainable strategy
Agnieszka Le Nart: How do you define sustainable development?
Douglas Noble: Sustainable development is a far-reaching subject and is often misunderstood. For Orco, sustainability is much more than just environmental protection. We endeavor to introduce social and economic sustainability by creating, for example, spacious estates characterized by an abundance of natural habitats, by economizing on operational costs and by encouraging reasonable economic growth around these projects. Our developments have the potential to see a rise in value over the longer term and the value of adjacent areas, whilst reducing energy consumption and the exploitation of natural resources. Sustainability is about creating a balanced world of friendly spaces, social responsibility, encouraging economic growth within responsible parameters, along with providing opportunities for sustainability to future generations.
What is the status of such measures under the law?
We expect environmental legislation to become more onerous in the near future. Orco Property Group is preparing for the upcoming changes in European legislation regarding the energy performance of buildings. The company has commenced the formulation of development guidelines and operating procedures, and we have begun building business partnerships to strengthen leadership in these areas. We expect that in the future, it will be necessary to demonstrate the energy efficiency of buildings in order to obtain permits.
What are some examples of sustainable solutions?
Throughout the group, we are currently considering and implementing solutions for energy generation, such as solar energy, photovoltaic paneling, geo-thermal energy exploitation, wind-turbine energy, and biomass power-plant engineering. We are making our buildings as efficient as possible in terms of energy consumption, by implementing intelligent building solutions such as building management and home management installations which monitor and control all mechanical and electrical installations in the building. We also endeavor to provide high-performance envelopes for our buildings - resistant to conductive, convective and radiant heat transfer - resulting in heat energy savings in winter and cooling energy savings in summer. We pay particular attention to the mechanical and electrical systems installed in our properties which, if designed and installed correctly, contribute to significant energy savings. With regard to building materials, we use renewable resources such as timber, wherever possible, as well as recycled materials. We also focus on local materials in order to reduce the necessity for transport and to support development of the local communities. Finally, we work and invest heavily in design innovation, such as the development of photosynthesis in cement production, and we support contractors and suppliers who are invested in sustainable practices.
What is Orco's advantage in pioneering such measures on the Polish market?
Our devotion to sustainability may be perceived as a way of gaining a competitive advantage on the real-estate market - not yet a popular trend in Poland. Our ambition is to be a leader in sustainable design and practices as we prepare for the imminent changes that will undoubtedly take place within the industry, whereupon sustainability will become a major factor in real estate development.
