DL Invest Group: Green Framework

ESG Strategy DL Green – delivering value in the long term

In 2021 DL Invest Group introduced a complex ESG Strategy “DL Green” with a time horizon of 2026. DL Invest Group intends to continue its dynamic growth in the logistics and office real estate segment, with ambition of doubling the portfolio within next 3 years. The central measure is for all new buildings to be designed and constructed to meet BREEAM certification requirements. DL Invest Group perceives Green Financial Instrument as a significant support for its busi­ness goals.

DL Invest Group ESG strategy is in line with DL Invest Group’s goal of creating stable, sustainable, and socially beneficial buildings. The strategy is addressing key material challenges and highlights the areas where DL Invest Group sees it’s possibility for a positive contribution through a property life cycle.

Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Impact Assessment and mitigation

The site selection process is based on the analysis of environmental and social risks. This includes compliance with existing regulations (e.g. the Environmental Impact Assessment procedure) and other practices making it possible to avoid potential environmental conflicts including the protection of certain species and ecosystems.

Except of these measures the site location is partially mitigated with additional measures, exceeding the regulatory requirements, including flower meadows, additional trees, shrubs or pollinator houses, as the priority is to preserve the environmental values of the areas where projects are carried out.

Local communities consultations

Before the investment, a due diligence and consultation process regarding nearby residents is undertaken in order to identify potential and actual risks and needs for each site. During the consultation all kind of impacts during construction and resulting from property operations are considered and the local community has a real possibility to influence the investment.

Design and construction

BREEAM certifications

Since 2021 all new logistic and office properties in design and construction are developed to meet Green Building certification criteria, specifically BREEAM system, which is the most popular internationally recognized certificate in Poland. Currently in the portfolio there is one office building with the BEEAM Certificate “Excellent” and further 2 office buildings and 4 logistics buildings undergoing the certification process.

Design for users wellbeing

Office properties are designed with latest trends and users’ high requirements in mind. Winter gardens, pocket parks and high quality common areas enable rest and regeneration for employees who, through contact with a green and natural environment will be able to relax, which together with high levels of natural light, proper temperature and quality of air and acoustics has a great impact on work efficiency and well-being.

Using local subcontractors

As a rule DL Invest Group maintains stable relations with local subcontractors for properties construction and local or regional suppliers of construction materials. That ensures high standards of work and positively impacts the quality. It also limits carbon footprint from transportation during the construction process and overall impacts of the construction.

• Material efficient consumption

To reduce the environmental footprint of the construction process DL Invest Group considers every possibility to an increasingly efficient use of materials, especially high emitting ones as concrete, without compromising the quality. Where possible certified, natural or recycled construction and finishing materials are used.

Properties in use

Enhancing energy efficiency of the buildings

In both certified and not-yet-certified properties DL Invest Group exceeds the required insulation norms for walls, rooftops and windows in order to increase the energy efficiency in the long term. Moreover, recuperation systems in ventilation systems to decrease heat losses are used.

Maintenance, reduction of utilities consumption

Efficient lighting is considered as both a reduction of DL Invest Group’s properties environmental impact and a good investment. Primarily LED lighting is used, managed by smart systems and optimize natural light access. LED technology is also used for displays, advertisements, and logos.

That also includes water conversation by detecting leakages, installing efficient appliances in bathrooms and re-use of grey water. What is more, the rainwater from the roofs is collected in the retention tank and used for the irrigation of green spaces.

Local biodiversity support and education for local communities

Projects are run in partnership with local people and academics, who help to identify conditions and create truly unique habitats for animals and plants in the areas, which directly translates into building additional value for local communities.

DL Invest Group runs campaigns raising awareness and promoting proper attitudes in the context of nature conservation and sustainable development.

Such actions take the form of workshops and educational materials conducted and prepared in cooperation with recognized academic centres and selected institutions operating in the areas where DL Invest Group conducts its investments. The most current program focuses on creating natural habitats for birds, insects and other animals.

PV installations

The newly established company DL Energy is supporting the development of renewable energy sources in Poland. With a number of developments both in the area of office, retail and warehouse/logistics construction, it provides great opportunities to use roof space to produce „energy from the sun”.

DL Energy intends to sign a long-term energy sales contract with a licensed entity that will sell energy to DL Invest Group facilities and balance excess energy on the market. The company will also test innovative solutions such as storage of energy generated from PV. In this way, the carbon footprint of the facilities will be reduced.

Low emission transport support

In view of the severe challenge of atmospheric pollution caused by motor vehicles, DL Invest Group wants to contribute to reducing emissions and promoting electro mobility by installing EV chargers in the properties.

As an active participant of local communities DL Invest Group actively supports development of public transport designing and supporting with the availability and users’ convenience in mind.

The projects also include infrastructure for cyclists – bicycle parking spaces close to building entrances, covered sheds with video surveillance, underground parking positions and installing public bicycling sharing system stations wherever applicable.

Waste management – support, education

As most waste in DL Invest properties is generated by users the owner sees a role as a provider of infrastructure, educating and supporting the tenants and their employees and guests to segregate the waste into at least 5 groups and ensure the proper recycling.

Eradicating fossil fuel heating, switching to renewable resources

DL Invest Group does not use coal nor heating oil for heating its properties. Where possible DL Invest Group switches to renewable energy sources.

Governance practices

Following all related regulations

DL Invest Group and its subsidiaries pay high attention to all local legal regulations, demands and best market practices regarding each part of the operations.

DL Invest Ethics Code

In 2021 DL Invest Group introduced the Ethics Code, covering company principles and business relation standards with employees, clients, investors, suppliers and subcontractors.

External industry-specific verification

The scope of Environmental Protection is outsourced to an external entity, Investeko S.A., which for several years has supported DL Invest Group in controlling and verifying all issues related to this aspect.

Meeting the requirements of the BEEAM certification is verified by Sweco – an independent engineering consultancy in the areas of engineering, environmental technology and architecture.

ISO Certification

DL Invest Group is aiming to introduce, in 1Q2022, the international standard ISO 14001:2015 (the Polish standard EN-PN 14001:2015) and critical environmental risks were identified by external auditors. Simultaneously DL Invest Group is actively working on raising environmental awareness of its employers’, with a focus put on the construction department, as the construction process directly impacts the further environmental and climate performance.