Posts by Virginia Valentini
HQE (Haute Qualité Environnementale) certification for buildings in operation: how does it compare on health and wellbeing?
Although many may not be overly familiar with it (in comparison to the likes of BREEAM and LEED), HQE certification has the strongest presence in Europe by area, with buildings totalling approximately 85 million m2 certified at the end of 2017[1]. While HQE was first developed in France, the new international platform Cerway has brought…
Read MoreClean Energy for all Europeans Package: future implications for the real estate sector
On the 13th of November the European Parliament adopted new targets for energy efficiency and renewable energy generation as part of its wider package of clean energy initiatives. The “Clean Energy for all Europeans Package” aims at moving towards a renewable future with reduced dependence on coal, gas and oil. The new agreements adopted this…
Read MoreFitwel: Five ways Fitwel could benefit you and your buildings
Fitwel was introduced in pilot form in 2014 and officially launched in November 2017. Current uptake statistics are impressive: 95 buildings certified; 620 projects registered; 942 users; and, 661 Fitwel ambassadors in over 22 countries.[1] The concept of health and wellbeing has evolved over time and progressively broadened to incorporate a huge number of issues…
Read MoreSustainable cities: innovative “hubs” and battlefields against negative change
Only ten years ago, knowing about sustainability meant that you might have accidentally read a piece of avant-garde research, speculating about harmful changes in our climate. In the blink of an eye, sustainability has gained wider momentum, and today has established itself as a global goal for our future and that of our planet. However,…
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