Sustainability at SBB Real Estate
As part of the integrated railroad, SBB Real Estate makes a significant contribution to environmental sustainability. What does this mean from a facility management perspective? Where does the focus lie? A brief overview.
SBB is committed to comprehensive sustainability and takes sustainability criteria into account along the entire value chain - from procurement through production and use to disposal. In doing so, it aims to act as a role model in Switzerland. SBB's sustainability strategy with regard to ecology gives rise to four fields of action for SBB Real Estate: Climate neutrality, energy efficiency, sustainable construction and circular economy.
Climate neutrality
By 2030, SBB will have halved its CO2 emissions. This means using 100 percent renewable energies, expanding photovoltaics and saving energy. SBB Real Estate is making a major contribution to this. The focus is on replacing all fossil-fuel heating systems. Beatrice Bichsel, Head of Facility Management at SBB Real Estate, explains: "We are on track and are pushing ahead with the replacement of our heating systems.
Since 2016, SBB has not used oil or gas heating systems in new buildings and building renovations.
Energy efficiency
"Since the launch of the Energy Saving program in 2012, we have implemented numerous measures. Today, we continuously measure, document and monitor energy consumption and energy efficiency in the largest buildings. This is the basis for regular and ongoing operational optimization to further reduce energy consumption," says Beatrice Bichsel. An important tool for facility management is the Energy Controlling System (ECS), which will be extended to all buildings by the end of 2024.
Sustainable building
Building to sustainability standards is a prerequisite at SBB. Since 2012, SBB Real Estate has been constructing all its new buildings in accordance with recognized sustainability standards. Building refurbishments are central to facility management. The new "building condition report" process is intended to serve as a basis for the refurbishment of existing buildings. Other aspects include climate change with the heat island effect in cities and biodiversity. Topics such as the unsealing of asphalted surfaces, the upgrading of existing green areas, and greening on sites, roofs and facades are becoming more important. This poses new challenges for facility management in building operation and environmental maintenance.
Circular economy
SBB actively promotes the circular economy in its construction projects. The demand for resources is reduced, gray energy is cut, material cycles are closed and recyclable materials are used. Added to this is the optimization of circularity in (waste) disposal. "We are systematically reducing and separating waste at operating properties and stations. By 2030, we will thus cover 80 percent of user frequencies in the stations," says Beatrice Bichsel. It also involves creating circular customer offerings at stations, such as sharing economy.
SBB AG
Real Estate
Trüsselstrasse 2
3000 Bern 65
