How To Make a Building Really Sustainable

Sustainable buildings are no longer optional – they’re fast becoming the standard for resilient, future-proof assets.

Across real estate and construction, ESG managers, asset owners, and developers face a dual challenge: meeting regulatory demands and investor expectations while also delivering buildings that are genuinely lower-carbon, healthier, and economically viable.

This guide provides a practical, no-nonsense roadmap for making both new and existing buildings sustainable. Whether you’re designing from scratch, planning a major retrofit, or improving operations in a decades-old asset, you’ll find:

• A phased approach from concept to operation
• Checklists for each project stage
• Innovative, credible materials and technologies
• Financial and business case considerations
• Resources for deeper exploration

The goal is simple: help professionals make informed decisions that avoid greenwashing, manage risk, and unlock real value – environmental, social, and financial.

Before diving into technologies, ESG managers and building professionals should align on what “sustainable” truly means.

• Environmental performance (energy, carbon, water, materials)
• Health & wellbeing of occupants
• Circular economy (designing for disassembly, reuse)
• Climate resilience & risk management
• Biodiversity integration
• Community impact and social value

Key Principle: Sustainability in buildings = performance + evidence. It’s not enough to claim a building is “eco.” You must prove it through data, certification, or recognized benchmarks.

1/ Define Sustainability Ambition

• Net Zero Operational Carbon (energy use)
• Net Zero Embodied Carbon (materials, construction)
• WELL/Healthy Building goals
• Circularity targets
• Biodiversity Net Gain

2/ Choose Standards/Certifications to Guide Design

(Depending on your context)

• LEED (US & global) – broad sustainability
• BREEAM (Europe) – broad sustainability
• DGNB (Germany/Europe) – lifecycle-based sustainability
• WELL Building Standard – health & wellbeing
• Passive House – ultra-low energy
• Living Building Challenge – regenerative design
• EDGE – cost-effective green buildings in emerging markets
• GRESB – for portfolios, real estate funds
• EU Taxonomy / SFDR alignment – regulatory angle in EU
• CRREM – carbon risk real estate monitor for decarbonization pathways

Pick standards early, as they inform all design decisions and budget estimates.

Below is a phased approach – applicable to new builds and major retrofits. For existing operational buildings, focus more on phases 4 and 5.

Phase 1: Strategic Planning & Feasibility

• Conduct site analysis:
  • Sun, wind, noise, biodiversity context
  • Climate risks: flooding, heat, storms
• Early life-cycle carbon analysis
• Financial feasibility studies including:
  • Cost of sustainable design elements
  • Potential financial returns (lower op costs, higher rents, tax incentives, green financing)
• Engage sustainability consultants early
• Map stakeholders and ESG requirements:
  • Corporate ESG targets
  • Investor/tenant expectations
  • Local regulations or city-level climate plans

Phase 2: Concept Design

• Optimize building orientation for solar gains/daylight
• Explore massing and form to reduce heating/cooling loads
• Set energy use intensity (EUI) targets
• Conduct early Whole Life Carbon assessment
• Plan for material reuse (design for disassembly)
• Consider modular construction (reduces waste)

What to consider:

• Green roofs, green walls
• Rainwater harvesting potential
• Nature-based solutions (e.g. biophilic design)

Phase 3: Detailed Design & Specification

• Model building in dynamic energy simulations
• Plan advanced HVAC systems:
  • Heat pumps (air, ground, or water source)
  • Low-temperature heating networks
  • Demand-controlled ventilation
• Integrate renewable energy where feasible:
  • Solar PV
  • Solar thermal
  • Geothermal
• Choose sustainable materials:
  • Low-embodied-carbon concrete alternatives
  • FSC-certified timber
  • Non-toxic finishes
• Water systems:
  • Greywater recycling
  • Rainwater harvesting
  • Water-saving fixtures
• Design to minimize heat islands:
  • Reflective roofing
  • Vegetation cover
• Commission a Circularity Plan:
  • Document material passports
  • Identify reversible connections for easy disassembly

Phase 4: Construction

• Implement waste management plan:
  • Track and segregate waste
  • Target high recycling/reuse rates
• Verify product sourcing:
  • Check sustainability credentials
  • Monitor embodied carbon during procurement
• Conduct quality control on sustainable installations:
  • Airtightness tests
  • Thermal imaging
• Keep a sustainability issues log

Phase 5: Operations & Ongoing Performance

• Implement smart metering and BMS (Building Management Systems)
• Commission post-occupancy evaluation (POE)
• Train facilities staff on sustainable operations
• Monitor indoor air quality
• Track:
  • Energy use vs. predicted
  • Water use
  • Waste streams
• Engage occupants in sustainability

A dedicated section professionals crave: what’s genuinely innovative and sustainable?

Low-Carbon Construction Materials

• Hempcrete: Hemp-lime composite, carbon negative, excellent insulation
• Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT): Sustainable timber alternative to concrete
• Green concrete: e.g. with recycled aggregates, fly ash, or low-clinker cement (e.g. LC3 cements)
• Mycelium insulation: Bio-based, low embodied carbon
• Recycled plastic lumber: Durable and sustainable for certain applications

Advanced HVAC & Energy

• High-efficiency heat pumps (including CO₂ refrigerants)
• Thermal energy storage (phase change materials)
• Hybrid ventilation systems
• Dynamic glass (electrochromic)
• AI-driven BMS for predictive energy optimization

Water Systems

• Greywater recycling systems
• Rainwater harvesting systems
• Vacuum toilets (reduce water demand)
• Green roofs for stormwater retention

Digital Innovations

• Digital twins for operational optimization
• Smart sensors for real-time monitoring
• Blockchain for supply chain traceability of materials
• Digital Material Passports for circularity

Circular Economy Innovations

• Cradle-to-cradle certified products
• Modular construction (reduces waste)
• Materials marketplaces for reclaimed building materials

Biodiversity & Nature-based Solutions

• Living walls with integrated irrigation
• Biodiverse green roofs (pollinators, native species)
• Biophilic interiors for health benefits

📝 Here’s a condensed checklist ESG and building managers can print out or integrate into project plans:

Pre-Design

☐ Define sustainability goals (carbon, health, circularity)
☐ Choose appropriate certification or benchmark
☐ Complete site climate and biodiversity analysis
☐ Set performance targets (EUI, embodied carbon, water)
☐ Evaluate incentives or regulatory requirements

Design

☐ Optimize building orientation and shape
☐ Model whole-life carbon
☐ Specify low-carbon materials
☐ Design renewable energy integration
☐ Include green infrastructure (roofs, rain gardens)
☐ Ensure flexibility for future changes (design for disassembly)

Construction

☐ Implement waste tracking plan
☐ Verify sustainable material sourcing
☐ Monitor embodied carbon during procurement
☐ Conduct airtightness and quality tests
☐ Maintain sustainability issues log

Operations

☐ Commission post-occupancy evaluation
☐ Train facilities staff
☐ Integrate smart building systems
☐ Monitor energy, water, IAQ continuously
☐ Engage occupants in sustainability programs

No sustainability plan survives if it breaks the budget:

• Calculate total cost of ownership (TCO) instead of just CAPEX
• Include:
  • Energy savings
  • Tax incentives
  • Green financing benefits (e.g. lower interest rates for sustainable loans)
• Benchmark rental premiums for green buildings in your region
• Evaluate long-term asset value protection against:
  • Stranded asset risks
  • Regulatory compliance costs
  • Changing tenant demands
• Consider CRREM pathways to avoid carbon-related depreciation

Global standards:

• LEED, BREEAM, WELL, LBC, EDGE, DGNB

European regulatory frameworks:

• EU Taxonomy
• SFDR
• CRREM

Key reports:

• WBCSD: Net Zero Buildings
• World Green Building Council: Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront
• IPCC Sixth Assessment Report

Tools:

• OneClick LCA (life-cycle carbon modeling)
• CRREM tool
• GRESB for asset portfolio sustainability scoring

Material databases:

• EC3 tool (Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator)
• Madaster (Material passports)
• EPD databases (Environmental Product Declarations)

Sustainability in buildings is about more than technology or labels—it’s about measurable performance and long-term resilience.

From low-carbon materials like hempcrete or cross-laminated timber, to smart energy systems and circular design strategies, solutions exist today that can transform how buildings impact people, the environment, and the bottom line.

Key takeaways from this guide:

✔ Start sustainability planning early—it saves cost and complexity later.
✔ Choose robust standards or certifications to guide decisions.
✔ Think in whole-life terms: embodied carbon, operational carbon, health impacts, and future adaptability.
✔ Keep evidence and data at the center of sustainability claims to avoid greenwashing.
✔ Embrace innovation, but always test new solutions against your specific project context and risks.
✔ Track financial benefits—sustainable buildings increasingly command higher rents, lower operating costs, and future-proof asset value.

Sustainable buildings are not just a trend—they’re fast becoming the benchmark of quality, marketability, and risk management in the property sector. Use this playbook as your starting point to build and operate places that are not only compliant but truly sustainable—and prepared for the demands of the future.