Biodiversity

GRI 3-3, 304-2, 304-3

Biodiversity safeguards the basis of our existence: healthy food, clean water, fertile soil and a balanced climate. Plants in and around buildings and a respectful approach to animals also make for positive perceptions of a residential district and contribute towards a property being viewed as higher-quality. It is therefore very important to Volkswagen Immobilien to foster the establishment, preservation or broadening of biodiversity immediately around its buildings or in adjacent outside spaces.

Our measures are aligned with our own biodiversity strategy, which is guided by the following objectives.

We pursue these guiding objectives via concrete specifications, which form part of the BLUE BUILDING 2022 standard. For example, in connection with the objective “Improving the quality of biotope areas”, we undertake to assess and prioritize brownfield sites for construction projects, to limit soil sealing in connection with newbuilds (max. 70%), to unseal soil within the portfolio, to improve rainwater drainage, to observe minimum requirements for newbuild landscaping (25%) and to restore green spaces within our portfolio. Prior to initiating any newbuild project, the BLUE BUILDING 2022 standard also requires us to check whether the chosen site is in an area where there are signs of water stress or where there are special requirements for saving water and protecting bodies of water (see section “Water Usage Strategy”).

We initiated a number of biodiversity measures in 2022. One particularly noteworthy initiative is a pilot project to enhance biodiversity at our residential districts in Wolfsburg’s Beethovenstraße. Many of the guiding objectives have been implemented across an area spanning approximately 2,500 m² to help nature reclaim its space. This included unsealing and renaturalizing three former laundry areas, integrating a former sandbox into the space and planting varied vegetation. As well as providing new habitats for insects and birds, this renaturalization project also created new green spaces where tenants can sit to relax and chat, thereby upgrading their living environment.

To bring the subjects of biodiversity and sustainability to life for employees as well, VWI held a climate awareness day for its whole workforce in September of the reporting year. As well as sharing theoretical insights into the climate and biodiversity, this also included practical exercises. Attendees created their own biodiversity areas at four sites belonging to the VWI portfolio. They also made and set up bug hotels and bird boxes.

In our efforts to develop a strategy to promote biodiversity and to identify potential and opportunities for the seminatural landscaping of our developments, we are supported by our in-house gardening and technical teams as well as by the Volkswagen Group’s biodiversity specialists, external biologists and experts from the Heinz-Sielmann-Stiftung.

In the long term, we intend to use the biodiversity strategy as the basis for developing a system to measure the degree to which the biodiversity plan has been implemented. This is also incorporated into our sustainability road map as a goal.

GRI 3-3

The real estate industry faces various challenges with regard to the use of water. On one hand, the use of land and soil sealing prevent rainwater from seeping away and disrupt the soil’s natural water balance. On the other hand, as well as protecting the ecosystem, there are financial considerations associated with the responsible use of freshwater and the reduction of wastewater, as simple structural measures to save water and limit wastewater can reduce operating costs during the building’s useful life.

VWI is committed to making responsible use of water as a resource and has therefore set out extensive requirements in its BLUE BUILDING 2022 standard. These include checking whether the chosen site is in an area where there are signs of water stress or where there are special requirements for saving water or protecting bodies of water. Moreover, the document stipulates that water-saving fittings must be used in line with the maximum flow rates defined in the EU Taxonomy. The standard now also includes the use of equipment to hold back and/or collect rainwater, which can be used for watering or other purposes, such as flushing lavatories.

Furthermore, the districts’ existing infrastructure should be utilized to optimize local rainwater/wastewater disposal, including rainwater drainage, wherever this is technically feasible and lawful. Construction site staff such as site managers and tradespeople are required to complete training courses on soil and groundwater preservation to ensure that they acquire and retain the necessary skills for sustainable water usage. Measures include extensive roof planting to reduce the runoff coefficient in connection with the Mozartstraße refurbishment project.