Real estate developer Edge has pledged to make all its new projects net zero carbon (NZC) as part of its roadmap towards the eradication of all carbon emissions.
The Amsterdam-based firm, which has delivered a string of award-winning sustainable buildings over the years, said it would cut the carbon emissions of all newly announced projects by 50% immediately, as it gradually reduces its reliance on offsets to zero.
The first net zero development, Edge London Bridge in the UK, is due to be delivered by 2025.
Edge said its ultimate goal was to reduce all Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions - including the embodied and operational emissions of its buildings - to absolute zero by 2050 or earlier.
Coen van Oostrom, founder and CEO at Edge and real estate industry co-chair at the World Economic Forum, said: ‘Climate change is the biggest challenge of our time. That’s why we decided 25 years ago that our buildings should be part of the solution rather than the problem. By thinking not just about how we build but also how our buildings are used and how we ourselves operate, we can commit to being one of the first property companies to reach Net Zero and present a clear timetable for achieving zero carbon emissions.
‘We believe the real estate industry should be accountable for its actions. We call on our partners, collaborators and innovators in other industries to join us in taking action to build better, greener and for the future.’
In addition to new developments, Edge’s net zero pledge covers the corporate emissions of its 140 staff. Edge has laid out its own Edge Net Zero Carbon Pathway, whose commitments are backed by the Science Based Targets initiative.
The firm said its ambition to reach zero carbon emissions without any requirement for offsetting puts it among a handful of real estate property developers that have made such bold pledges. It noted that achieving absolute zero carbon will require significant change across the construction industry, including wider availability of reused materials, greater transparency from suppliers and reliance on renewable energy alone.
Edge said it will continue to work closely with its partners to pioneer new building methods to reduce the reliance on offsetting to zero. These include using renewable materials such as timber, further developing its circular economy principles, materials reuse and recycling, and reliance on renewable energy.
While working towards its goal of achieving absolute zero carbon emissions, the developer will use high-quality carbon removal schemes in tandem with Compensate, a not-for-profit organization which helps businesses to offset while moving towards Net Zero. Edge is working with Compensate to identify high-quality offsetting projects to invest in, as well as overcompensating to mitigate risk.
Said Van Oostrom: ‘In meetings with fellow members of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders at the World Economic Forum, it was clear that we need to take quick and decisive action to meet the Paris climate Agreement targets. At Edge we will continue to rethink and innovate – from materials mining and smart sensor technology to addressing scope 3 emissions and the tenant experience.
‘We believe success relies on cross-industry co-operation towards radical change. From now on we are halving all carbon emissions of our newly announced projects. And while we are currently using offsets, we do not see these as a viable solution to our climate problems and are totally committed to reducing our reliance on them to zero.’
Edge’s portfolio includes many of the world’s smartest and most sustainable office buildings. The Edge in Amsterdam, completed in 2014, was officially recognised as the greenest, smartest building in the world, with a BREEAM rating of 98.36%.
