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ECOLOGY

In the area of sustainable development, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE makes a commitment through practical campaigns that aim to reduce the energy impact of buildings, and also encourages its clients and partners to be aware of the advantages and economic and environmental stakes of ecological housing conditions.

SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE initiated, well before other players on the French-speaking property market, several campaigns for its clients (owners and tenants) and suppliers, but also its employees.

• The 'Green Label', to reduce energy consumption. Since September 2008, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE has participated in the 'Green Label' programme (click here), developed by USPI Genève (www.uspi-ge.ch), formerly the Société des Régisseurs (Association of Real Estate Agents). For 2009, this programme aimed to make considerable savings in shared costs of properties under management. Its objective is to cut the energy bill by at least 10% over the whole of the Geneva housing stock by fitting ecological light bulbs and dimmers. This campaign is part of a wider project called éco21 (www.eco21.ch).
  
  
• The ecological light bulb, a gesture to encourage and strengthen commitment. SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE sent all of its tenants, co-owners and employees, an ecological light bulb. In order to do this, it entered into partnership with MIGROS Geneva. Each tenant or co-owner was able to obtain a 'green' light bulb from MIGROS Geneva stores, in exchange for a coupon provided by SPG (article published in the MIGROS GE magazine of 27 April 2009 Click here). The company hopes to encourage its tenants and co-owners to replace all of their high-energy consumption lighting with more economical light bulbs.
  
  
• Immolabel, the green label for buildings. Since it is aware of cutting the energy bill and limiting the ecological footprint of its properties, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE offers owners a complete energy assessment of the properties it manages. In cooperation with the sustainable development consultancy company SIGNA TERRE, it assesses, measures, analyses and quantifies heat loss, energy wastage, any water leaks and CO² production of properties. The building then obtains an energy label grading its level of energy consumption from A to G. Please click here to read the article immolabel in IMMORAMA n° 26 of Spring 2010.
  
  
• Ecological quotations for work on residential properties. For several years now, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE has systematically requested an ecological variant from its suppliers before carrying out work on tenants' premises. The idea is to encourage service providers to offer less polluting techniques and materials that use less energy than those used traditionally. SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE is committed to encouraging the owner to accept the correct ecological quotation – which is often more expensive.
  
  
• Minergie, the green label for construction. Minergie is a recognised ecological standard in the construction industry, and is required for many developments or extensive renovation projects organised by SPG Asset Development, the property development department of SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE.
  
  
• Green renovation, to give your property more value in the long-term. As its name suggests, the principal task of SPG PRORENOVA, which is connected to the Management Department, is to renovate and convert properties or premises. The work is carried out in compliance with environmental standards in order to improve the thermal envelope of buildings (windows, facades, roof, attic), but also to integrate renewable energies into each project contracted to it. Furthermore, before leaping into renovation work, a feasibility study involving 'energy – environment' aspects is systematically carried out (click here to see 'The 14 targets').

In house, each employee is made aware of environmental protection through a number of eco-gestures performed every day.

• Non-motorised transport, to live each day better. As part of the Green Label of USPI Genève, but more widely, as part of its environmental approach, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE provides its employees with a fleet of ecological vehicles for work-related travel, and also encourages them to use public transport, bicycles and… the stairs whenever possible.
  
  
• Eco-gestures, every action counts. On an everyday basis, each SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE employee collects and sorts waste (batteries, paper, plastic, cardboard, mobile phones, etc.). Glass water bottles have been made available to employees and tap water has replaced mineral water in plastic bottles. Low-consumption lights have also been installed in all the offices. Furthermore, everyone tries to reduce electricity consumption by turning off lights that are not being used and turning off computers and printers each evening.
  
  
• Water, an essential element. To save water, the toilets have been equipped with dual flushes. The objective is to save almost 10,000 litres of water per year by using pressure-reducing valves on the taps for example.
  
  
• Ecological paper to prevent deforestation. SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE has chosen to use only recycled or FSC certified paper for all its letters, envelopes and accounting and administrative documents. Despite the additional cost of this approach, it is committed to doing the same for printing its publications: the INFORMATION IMMOBILIERE magazine (more than 70,000 copies three times per year), the IMMORAMA magazine (more than 280,000 copies twice per year) and its newsletters (almost 60,000 copies per year). Recycled paper and the FSC label comply with strict production standards and help to protect the environment. These labels are granted by independent organisations. Furthermore, to promote reforestation, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE has decided, during its 50^th year, to give the Nordesta Reforestation and Education Association, for each new lease signed during 2010, a contribution towards replanting two thousands trees in the Brazilian Amazon in the State of Tocantins (click here to see the Nordesta certificate). Therefore, for each new tenant, a tree is replanted. Besides these concrete actions, it also encourages environmentally friendly policies in-house: reducing printing, use of both sides of the paper, using the blank side of used paper for taking notes.

• Eco-gestures. With regard to paper recycling, in 2009 SPG recycled 14,247 tons of paper (Papirec certificate and Katana certificate).

• The green signature, the need to be aware. Again to reduce paper consumption, SOCIETE PRIVEE DE GERANCE encourages people to be more aware of environmental protection issues by means of a green signature, specially created and inserted at the end of all emails sent by the company (SAVE TREES: ONLY PRINT THIS MESSAGE IF YOU HAVE TO!).
  
  

PUBLICATIONS:

• Publications can be read and/or ordered free of charge at: publications@spg.ch
  
  

Newsletters

SPG PRORENOVA: Renovation and green subsidies

SPG ASSET DEVELOPMENT: Eco-districts

To find out more contact: philippe.buzzi@spg.ch, nicole.saint-jal@spg.ch