Infinity earns Europe’s first LEED Zero certification
Encon’s office in Bilzen, Infinity, has been awarded another certificate. Since 12 March, we have held the first LEED Zero certificate in Europe. This means that our building operated with zero CO2 emissions over a period of one year (2019–2020). At Encon, we not only want to play a pioneering role in sustainability within the business world; we also believe it is very important that our employees can work in a sustainable environment. This certificate is, in any case, further proof of our sustainable business practices.
To achieve this certification, we mapped out energy consumption from sources such as solar, wind and the grid, as well as staff travel patterns. We then calculated the building’s carbon footprint using the LEED Zero methodology. To ultimately obtain the certification, this footprint must be less than or equal to 0 CO₂ equivalent, which was the case for Infinity. We are very proud of our internal team, who put their hearts and souls into this and made it happen.
At Encon, we believe in ‘leading by example’. LEED Zero certificates (carbon, waste, energy, water) are still relatively new: the first ones were awarded in 2019. We therefore hope to inspire other companies with this. Companies that are heavily committed to renewable energy, and which achieve this on a project-by-project basis, are certainly eligible for this, for example. It is a standalone, less stringent certification than LEED and BREEAM. It is not a menu of options, but you map out all your consumption and the calculations show whether you are operating in a CO2-neutral manner or not.
Some key aspects for achieving LEED Zero Carbon
- As few conventional energy sources as possible (standard electricity, gas, etc.)
- Number of employees and their travel routes (distance + type of vehicle)
- Solar panels and wind turbines on site, the energy from which is used on site, but above all the surplus that is fed into the grid
- Renewable/green energy that is purchased (instead of standard grid energy)
- Purchased CO2 offsets
Did you know, by the way, that there are hundreds of sustainability labels? Each with its own focus, and some already better known and/or more credible than others. At Encon, our specialists have thoroughly familiarised themselves with this subject matter, and we are able to guide our clients in obtaining the most leading labels that best suit the specific nature and sustainability goals of your company.