GNFZ’s Final Net Zero Existing Buildings Certification Now Recognized by GRESB

GNFZ is excited to share that our final net zero certification for existing buildings has been recognised as a Partial Plus Certification Scheme for submission in the GRESB Real Estate Assessment

Achieving the GNFZ final net zero certification for existing buildings helps portfolios demonstrate their ESG commitment and can contribute to the scoring of the Building Certifications aspect.

GNFZ utilizes a unique incremental certification process designed to acknowledge each step along the way toward full net zero certification, with milestone certificates achieved along the way. These milestone certificates include:

  1. Assessment Certificate: Awarded after the completion of a carbon assessment, calculating a building or portfolio’s Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. This is performed after a building’s various emissions sources are inventoried.

  2. Net Zero Plan Certificate: Awarded after completing and submitting a net zero plan, which you have total flexibility to develop based on your scope, schedule and budget.

  3. Carbon Offsets Certificate: Awarded when you’re ready and want to validate your carbon offsets as described in your net zero plan.

  4. Net Zero Milestone Certificates: Awarded upon achieving intermediate net zero milestones, reflecting your progress against permanent removal of carbon emissions.

  5. Final Net Zero Certification: Awarded when your project achieves zero Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, which the project must sustain. If the status changes, you will recertify the project, beginning with an assessment.

GRESB, or Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark, provides a rigorous methodology and consistent framework to measure the ESG performance of individual assets and portfolios based on self-reported data. Performance assessments are guided by what investors and the wider industries consider to be material issues, and they are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and major international reporting frameworks.

GNFZ’s Final Net Zero Certification is what is recognized by GRESB for the purposes of the Building Certification assessment. We plan to continue to work with GRESB to support the work they are doing and explore additional opportunities for partnership and alignment.

The 2024 GRESB Assessment deadline is quickly approaching on July 1, 2024. Contact GNFZ at [email protected] if you intend to file this year and would like to use GNFZ’s certification as part of your assessment. 

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