Allreal participated in the pilot phase for the new Swiss Sustainable Building Standard (SNBS) – Existing and In Operation. What motivated the decision?

David Guthörl: We have been involved in the Swiss Sustainable Building Network (NNBS), the body that also awards SNBS certifications, since 2023. By taking part in the pilot phase for the “SNBS – Existing and In Operation” certificate, we saw a tangible opportunity for us to incorporate our practical knowledge directly into developing a corresponding sustainability label.

Silvan Zehnder: At the end of last year, just over 40% of Allreal’s rentable space had been certified with a sustainability label. Above all, the buildings have certificates relating to construction, in particular Minergie certificates. In recent years, as part of our sustainability strategy, we have implemented targeted measures in existing buildings in order to enhance their ESG performance. We want to make these efforts more visible to the outside world by means of suitable certification by an independent third party.

David Guthörl: In addition, we are already consistently focusing on “SNBS Building Construction” for construction and renovation. It is therefore obvious for us that we would also like to adopt SNBS for our portfolio. During the pilot phase, we gained important experience and fresh insights into the operation of our properties.

What are the key focus areas of the “SNBS – Existing and In Operation label”?

David Guthörl: The standard covers social, environmental and economic aspects with 18 evaluation criteria. These include topics such as energy efficiency, resource conservation, user comfort and biodiversity. It provides a holistic assessment basis that helps us to implement our sustainability goals in a practical and effective manner.

Silvan Zehnder: At Allreal, we manage our portfolio ourselves. In terms of portfolio management, property management and technical building management, we have all the expertise we need in-house to operate our properties in a way that optimises income and costs. This also helped us to efficiently implement the comprehensive questions and data collection for the 27 existing properties in the pilot phase.

What were the biggest challenges in the process?

Silvan Zehnder: Collecting the huge volume of data from various internal and external sources was particularly challenging. In addition, there was the extensive preparation of the necessary evidence and coordination with many stakeholders. That was time-consuming. In addition, there were also on-site inspections. However, these are essential in order to check and document compliance with the sustainability criteria.

As you mentioned, we took part in the pilot phase with a fairly large sample of 27 properties. Why did we opt for such a large sample?

Silvan Zehnder: We wanted to analyse as representative a picture of our portfolio as possible, which is why we took into account various uses as well as large, complex properties. This makes sense with regard to future certification. After all, we also have the greatest impact when it comes to reducing emissions, especially when it comes to large and complex properties.

The pilot phase has been completed and NNBS has announced that the official launch of the new label will take place at the end of the year. Will the Allreal buildings from the pilot phase automatically receive the SNBS – Existing and In Operation certificate?

David Guthörl: No, it's not automatic. The findings from the pilot phase will likely lead to some adjustments, so we will have to check again where there may be differences. Still, we have laid good groundwork and should therefore be able to implement definitive certification more quickly. Regardless of the certification, we are already benefiting from an improved data base and optimised property operations.

Silvan Zehnder: We expect the properties from the pilot phase to be certified by spring 2026. SNBS has a very broad base. Private and public property developers get involved via the network and help to develop the standard. In our view, these are the best prerequisites for creating a standard that also enjoys a high level of acceptance on the market.

It has already been said, certification is time-consuming. Is it worth the effort in terms of the market value of a property?

Silvan Zehnder: A good ESG performance has a positive impact on the value of a property. On the one hand, we are seeing a trend towards lower operating costs and, on the other hand, there is also potential for rental premiums. These findings are also confirmed by independent, international studies. We are also seeing increasing demand from tenants and investors, particularly if a certified building help them meet their own ESG goals. However, location remains the most important factor when it comes to pricing.

David Guthörl: A certificate also demonstrates that we have the processes involved in creation or operation under control. The certification journey itself is informative, as it can be used to derive specific measures to optimise operations and reduce emissions. ESG-compliant, certified buildings are also more future-proof and lower-risk in terms of regulatory requirements as well as rentability and operating costs. 

What is the difference between a sustainability label that is awarded for the construction of a property and proof that a property is being operated sustainably?

David Guthörl: The biggest difference is that many certificates relating to operations have to be renewed periodically. Given that the significantly larger share of emissions are generated over the lifetime of a property, it naturally makes a lot of sense to focus on this as well. Finally, a certificate provides information on the processes and the measurement of material or energy flows, and this knowledge can be used to implement measures that lead to a more efficient operation of a house: ecologically, socially and economically.