Urbanity publishes a new ESG report. It reaffirms commitment to sustainable manufacturing campus development

The second ESG report highlights Urbanity's progress on environmental and social responsibility for 2023. All data and key indicators mapping the mission of developing next-generation manufacturing campuses were collected in collaboration with the expert team at Frank Bold Advisory.

We started ESG reporting with Urbanity in 2021 and together we have prepared a robust ESG strategy and the first unregulated report for 2022.

This earned the real estate group the first ever real estate company to be ranked in the ESG Rating 2023 announced by the Corporate Social Responsibility Association. They have thus ranked among the Top 10 companies in the SME category and are continuing the trend set. In the past period, Urbanity expanded the energy self-sufficiency of its production campus in Tachov and prepared for the construction of another one in Bruntál.

‍„Our strategy is to build next-generation manufacturing campuses that meet the highest standards while creating value for society. We want to do things in a way that has a real positive impact on local communities and on the employees who work on our campuses. We strive for real mitigation of negative environmental impacts and, where possible, even positive impact,“ said Roland Hofman, CEO Urbanity.

Urbanity's key milestones in the ESG report:

• Urbanity Campus Tachov was awarded BREEAM Communities certification at the Excellent level, making it the first ever urban district with this award in the Czech Republic and the very first such certified project with a manufacturing focus in the world. The site uses green energy from solar panels, which last year covered 40% of the site's energy needs
• Significant investments in renewable energy in Tachov include the extension of a rooftop solar power plant with a capacity of 5 MWp and the installation of a battery storage with a capacity of 1.4 MWh, which ensures greater energy independence.
• ​Urbanity also focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2023, energy consumption in existing buildings on the Tachov campus was reduced by more than 80% through building renovations, including the installation of LED lighting and new insulation materials.
• ​​Urbanity has started to prepare the construction of another campus: Urbanity Campus Bruntál will bring more than 55,000 m² of new production and logistics space, supporting local employment and development.

"The year 2023 was a confirmation for us that the path we have chosen is not only the right one in terms of value in terms of the high sustainability and architectural demands we have on our industrial sites, but is also appreciated in practice by our clients, local residents and the professional community. With the Urbanity Campus Tachov project, we scored points in the prestigious Estate Awards 2023 competition, where we won in the Sustainability and Ecology category and were also awarded Best Industrial Project. In the 25th edition of the prestigious "Best of Real Estate" competition, the campus also won first place in the Industrial and Logistics Campus category," adds Hofman.

But it doesn't end in 2023. In April 2024, Urbanity Campus Tachov was ranked among the best sustainable projects in the Czech Republic. It won a competition at the Czech & Slovak Sustainability Summit. In addition, in September, the GAMA building at Urbanity Campus Tachov was awarded the prestigious prize of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic awarded in the Building of the Year competition of the Pilsen Region. The jury appreciated the modern technical solution and highlighted the concept of the adjacent surroundings with plenty of greenery and relaxation zones.

‍New ESG report includes a strategic outlook‍

Urbanity wants to continue to focus on new construction in brownfield sites and renovation of existing sites, and the use of renewable energy sources is important. This year Urbanity is working on further investments in sustainable technologies, including the expansion of photovoltaic power plants and the introduction of new environmental standards in all our projects. "The year 2024 is not only marked by further growth of our project in Tachov, but we are also opening the next chapter in our vision of brownfield transformation. In fact, we are starting the long-planned construction of the Urbanity Campus Bruntál, for which we have equally ambitious bigger plans," emphasises Hofman.

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