09.04
KEHR+NIELSEN DEVELOPMENT PROJECT GRANTED FUNDING SUPPORT FROM THE GRUNDEJERNERS INVESTERINGSFOND (LANDOWNERS' INVESTMENT FOUNDATION)
The Grundejernes Investeringsfond has just announced that they have granted funding support to the project “Sustainability and ESG in SMEs”, developed by KEHR+NIELSEN – a partnership between Flemming Kehr and Michael H. Nielsen – in collaboration with Dansk Håndværk.
In Denmark, we consume resources equivalent to what would require four Earths to sustain. The government has set a goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030. Buildings account for 40% of energy consumption, 35% of all waste originates from construction activities, and 30% of CO2 emissions stem from construction and civil engineering – 10% from the construction process and building materials used, and 20% from the energy consumed in buildings. In Western countries, as much as 40% of CO2 emissions can be attributed to buildings and construction activities. Thus, there is significant potential for a green transition within the construction and real estate sectors.
Most of the largest players in the construction industry are already well underway in integrating sustainability and ESG into their core business, and therefore into their projects, services, and solutions. However, the challenge is that for the industry to truly realize the full potential of the green transition – particularly when it comes to renovating existing buildings – it is crucial to involve SMEs as well as building and property owners in the transition.
The purpose of the project is as follows:
To develop a method for the profitable and efficient initiation and implementation of sustainability and ESG into the core business of SMEs within the construction sector, especially those serving smaller building and property owners and landlords.
To develop supporting tools and recommendations for each step in the initiation and implementation process.
To identify and propose competence-development activities for the companies.
To develop dialogue tools and methods for the interaction between building owners and contractors, based on a strategic business and collaboration approach.
To map out key demand criterias related to sustainability and ESG among smaller portfolio and property owners and landlords.
To ensure the best possible alignment between the concrete efforts of SMEs and the value delivered to property owners, landlords, and their tenants, EjendomDanmark (The Danish Property Federation) will be directly involved in the project in their role as both demand-drivers toward the SMEs as suppliers, and as end recipients of the SMEs’ services.
More information: Grundejernes Investeringsfond, Dansk Håndværk, KEHR+NIELSEN.