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ON THE WAY TO CLIMATE NEUTRALITY

ESG @ ECE Marketplaces

From improving the quality of the stay and indoor air to designing barrier-free accessibility and promoting sustainable mobility: sustainability aspects play an important role in the visitor experience in the centers. For example, we aim to significantly reduce our CO2 emissions in the shopping center sector by 40 percent by 2030 compared with 2019. With a smartly planned ESG strategy and sustainable facility management, our centers are continuously becoming more efficient within the maintenance cycles. Under certain conditions, climate neutrality is even possible by 2045. We are not focusing on a few "best in class" properties, but would like to lead the entire portfolio on a climate path toward climate neutrality.

Joanna Fisher, CEO, ECE Marketplaces

"Climate neutrality can also work in shopping centers. To this end, we have developed a tailored roadmap that shows measures for the most efficient path to climate neutrality by 2045. But sustainability criteria also play a central role in the further development of our centers in the short term, for example through smart energy management and a cleverly planned ESG strategy."

100%

Green electricity use in German centers

~ 9.000

Green lease contracts

87

Certificates according to DGNB, LEED and BREEAM for our properties

Environmental @ ECE Marketplaces


 


Photovoltaic systems

Supplying real estate with renewable energy is an essential component in achieving climate targets. We therefore included the topic in our strategy for new developments more than a decade ago. In the case of photovoltaic systems, the biggest obstacle - also for existing properties - was the legal regulations. Our efforts in Berlin have also set things in motion here. We are therefore working on a strategy for integrating photovoltaic systems further into existing buildings.

100% green electricity and district heating

In order to rapidly reduce CO2 emissions in our centers, the first measure we took ten years ago was to switch from conventional electricity to green electricity. Today, we use 100% green electricity in our centers throughout Germany and have thus already been able to significantly reduce our CO2 emissions. In addition, the key is to move away from fossil fuels such as gas. Today, 75% of our German centers are equipped with district heating. The effort is worthwhile: by switching from natural gas to district heating, a whopping 90 percent of the CO2 emissions caused by heat consumption can be saved in the center.

Sustainable operation

When operating the centers, we try to keep the environmental impact as low as possible and regularly review models and approaches for waste avoidance or its recycling. In many centers, the ventilation systems are already controlled automatically, depending on the number of visitors. We are also developing an energy and environmental management system that, among other things, reduces energy consumption costs, which account for the largest share of ancillary costs. The system also increases the service life of the systems and operational reliability, and guarantees transparency and cost-effectiveness.

Sustainable places to feel good

Our shopping centers are more than just retail space. Lighting concepts that are sustainable from an energy point of view and promote a feel-good atmosphere in the center ensure optimum quality of stay. Windows, glass fronts and domes provide plenty of daylight. Complemented by dimmable LED luminaires, brightness and light color can be adapted to daylight. Lounge areas and children's play areas invite visitors to linger. WLAN and cell phone charging stations ensure easy accessibility. All materials used are certified with regard to their harmlessness to harmful substances. Community shopping under ideal conditions thus becomes the standard. Experiences such as a visit to a restaurant are made possible for the whole community thanks to the barrier-free centers.

Sustainable mobility

Increasing urbanization presents cities with a variety of challenges. As the number of inhabitants grows, so do the traffic and emission problems within urban centers. We have been adapting to this development for many years and developing intelligent and sustainable mobility concepts for our centers in response. We support the German government's goal of increasing the share of electric cars. Already today, our shopping centers across Europe have more than 400 charging stations. By 2025, all ECE centers in Europe are to be equipped with e-charging stations. We also focus on car & bike sharing solutions and infrastructure for bicycles and e-bikes, as well as on good public transport connections to promote sustainable mobility for people in urban areas.

Green lease contracts

In order to achieve the goals we have set ourselves, we also rely on "green leases" and want to involve building users even more in ECE's climate protection measures by means of leases with green lease standard. This is intended to encourage tenants to use the property as sustainably as possible and the landlord to manage it as sustainably as possible. Today, we have already concluded around 9,000 green lease agreements. Our goal: By 2025, 90 percent of the lease agreements are to comply with the green lease standard.

Certified sustainable

Certification systems can help in assessing the sustainability of real estate. As an internationally active company, we support all well-known certification systems. To create binding framework conditions, all new construction projects are systematically built and certified according to the current certification criteria. Currently, our shopping centers are certified on the basis of around 90 certificates according to DGNB, LEED and BREEAM. We use this system for continuous further development, as the critical points identified as part of the certification process are optimized by us.

Green center roofs

Our center roofs are also becoming green, as more and more centers are making sensible use of the space for greater sustainability. For example, Frankfurt residents can rent and plant their own garden box on the roof of Skyline Plaza under the motto "Skyline Gardening". Additional insect hotels and a 50 m² wildflower meadow are used to attract bees and contribute to biodiversity in the city. Honey bee colonies have also moved into other centers in recent years. They found their new home in bee-friendly planted quarters surrounded by a species-appropriate catchment area. One highlight: visitors can gain an insight into the world of honey bees thanks to free guided tours by beekeepers.

Combined heat and power plant

At our campus in Hamburg and for the Alstertal shopping center, we are implementing a biogas-fired combined heat and power plant by 2023. This is expected to save an additional 1,400 metric tons of CO2 per year. In this pilot project, which is important for us, ecology and economy are intertwined, because CO2 pricing naturally also plays an important role for us.

Social Impact

Whether it's organizing "Corona Info Days" with foreign-language advice on the Corona pandemic, cooperating with charitable organizations such as Caritas or the "Helping Children" campaign - in our centers we support a wide range of social and regional offerings and reach numerous people in this way.

SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

Shopping centers as vaccination hubs: As part of the "Life not Lockdown" initiative, we are helping to increase vaccination rates with low-threshold vaccination offers in our centers. With more than 700,000 vaccinations in our German centers and another 150,000 internationally, we have more than succeeded in this and are further proof that we are setting standards and setting an example with our joint commitment to open trade.

Walk & Give

We support the Walk & Give campaign, in which at least 5,000 runners in Germany are expected to raise over two million euros in donations within a year. Each step is converted into a donation that benefits charitable projects. LAUFBAND ON TOUR turns our centers into event locations. In this way, we can attract a great deal of attention in a short space of time in various regions, as regional ambassadors in each center call for people to take part in the charity run.

Sale Lindt chocolate teddy for Budnianer Hilfe & Hamburger Tafel, December 2021

World Clean Up Day, September 2021

Wish tree of the Kindertafel, December 2021

Bags for the heart to retirement homes in Wolfsburg, December 2021