The concept of sustainability – the configuration of economic, social and ecological framework conditions that take future generations into account – is connected with the key challenges of our times. We are seeing a change in mindset worldwide at the governmental and corporate level, expressed in climate targets, CO₂ reduction targets, mobility and infrastructure targets, as well as regulations and incentive levies.

At the international level, these targets are defined by the Paris Convention, under which countries are obliged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to limit average global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius. Switzerland ratified the Paris Convention on 6 October 2017. With this, it set itself the goal of halving emissions between 1990 and 2030.

At the national level, the Swiss electorate voted in favour of the Energy Strategy 2050 in May 2017. In light of the planned nuclear phaseout, the strategy is intended to safeguard long-term energy supplies in Switzerland (transformation of the Swiss energy system). This includes measures that increase energy efficiency, reduce CO₂ emissions and promote renewable energy, as well as energy foreign policy. Based on Energy Strategy 2050, the new Energy Act was introduced at the beginning of 2018, and defined binding energy savings targets and increased energy taxes on electricity slightly. Further (control) measures affecting costs can be expected (e.g. CO₂, energy prices). On the other hand, there are new incentive and subsidy systems (self-generated electricity, user communities, demolition/construction, photovoltaics). The Federal Council’s Sustainable Development Strategy 2016–2019 sets the political priorities for the medium to long term. The action plan includes topics such as ‘settlement development, mobility and infrastructure’ as well as ‘energy and climate’.

The real estate sector is at the centre of some of the most important and far-reaching issues of our time, such as urbanisation, mobility, demographic change, resource scarcity, social developments, new ways of working and living, innovative technologies and environmental impact. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that real estate worldwide accounts for approximately 33% of all CO₂ emissions, 40% of all energy consumed, and 50% of all natural resources consumed. The focus at the global level is therefore on environmental targets and ESG issues. Comparability and measurability are facilitated by international ratings and reporting.