GREEN INITIATIVE

Encouraging Energy Conservation

Working with specialist external energy consultants, we help tenants to identify and install new technologies and to modify energy use behaviours which together reduce electricty and gas consumption.   

January 2023

Topic Area:

ESG

Service Line:

Asset Management

ESG Inititative:

Conservation of Energy
Consumption

Key Goals

Better overall energy efficiency

Heating/cooling via renewable geothermal sources

Achieve a minimum 'BREEAM Very Good' rating

Annual energy performance certificates with a rating

Typical Situation

The buildings we acquire are a mix of old and new, with older buildings sometimes lagging behind in their energy efficiencies. Accordingly, general refurbishment or specific cap-ex projects are required in such cases to achieve energy efficiency improvements.

Often this can involve installing thermally insulated roofs and loading doors, high-thermal performance windows and curtain walling, LED office lighting, an air source pump for heating and cooling using variable refrigerant flow (VRF) technology, and panel heaters replaced with more efficient modern versions. 

Planned Actions

In addition to modifying tenant energy use behaviors and making improvements and operating adjustments to BMS systems, we also encourage our tenants to purchase their electricity needs from renewable and low-carbon energy sources. This can lead to our implementing:

  • Local Distribution Networks (LDN's)
     

  • Open loop geothermal heat pump systems for heating and cooling
     

  • Ventilation system air handling units fitted with heat recovery cores with bypass dampers or rotary wheels to transfer heat extracted from spaces to warm new air intakes

  • Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units to heat water for low-temperature hot water systems, with electricity generated by the CHP unit fed back into the LDN
     

  • Fans and pumps fitted with variable speed drives so that they only operate at speeds to satisfy actual demands
     

  • High performance lighting using energy efficient LED's, tungsten filament and or fluorescent luminaires often connected to motion sensors

Expected Benefits

Via reduced energy consumption, tenants achieve significant energy bill related cost savings while on-site solar PV installations, also generate clean power for tenants to purchase at a discount to market rates and an additional income stream for Unity. 

Furthermore, achieving a net zero portfolio translated to our future proofing assets to meet shifting market and legislative demands, such as Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).

Target Green Initiatives

Green Lease Clauses

Green Initative

Energy Conservation

Green Initative

Waste Recycling

Green Initative

Case studies presented herein are for illustrative purposes only, and are select examples in order to illustrate how our ESG policies can be applied in practicality as it relates to our future portfolio investments. Nothing contained therein should be assumed to be an undertaking or commitment that all investments we make are suitable candidates for such ESG initiatives or that such improvements are even achievable in different circumstances. Certain information has been sourced from third parties and may be incorrect or incomplete.