Panattoni, the world’s most active industrial real estate developer, is taking an active approach to the increasing demands of sustainable construction and ESG regulations. Emilia Dębowska has been promoted to the position of Head of Sustainability Europe. In her new role, she will be responsible for Panattoni’s integrated sustainable development strategy encompassing both the company’s business goals and the development of its projects in Europe for every country in which the developer is active.
In her new position, Emilia Dębowska is to concentrate on adapting the developer’s portfolio of buildings in Europe to meet ESG criteria. These activities will include development projects, capital considerations and reporting. Emilia Dębowska is also responsible for setting the ESG targets for the Panattoni Group in compliance with regulatory requirements. Under her management, just some of these tasks will include overseeing the roadmap to decarbonisation both at the level of the group and of its assets, implementing reporting standards in compliance with the CSRD and the European Taxonomy, managing relationships with stakeholders, both internal and external, and finally overseeing and working with an interdisciplinary team to integrate ESG data into financial models and assess risks.
“My appointment to a new position within the organisation is not just a personal honour for me but also it is above all a sign of the strength of our team while at the same time being an acknowledgement for the the entire Sustainability department. I am convinced that success in sustainable construction is only possible through working together, exchanging knowledge and being passionate about creating a better business. Together, step by step, we are improving industrial real estate and demonstrating that business and being responsible for the environment go hand in hand together,” says Emilia Dębowska, the Head of Sustainability Europe at Panattoni.
Emilia Dębowska has been working in commercial real estate for 15 years having previously begun her professional career in the banking sector. She has been with Panattoni for almost 10 years. She was responsible for implementing the developer’s ‘Go Earthwise with Panattoni’ strategy, which resulted in significant changes to the normal practices of the industrial real estate industry with regard to ecology and society. Panattoni was the first developer to include a BREEAM assessment as part of the standard for its developments, first with a rating of Very Good and later with a rating of Excellent, which is of a similar level to DGNB Gold. To date, the developer has certified a combined area of 14 mln sqm across Europe (with a further 6 mln sqm currently under environmental assessment). This includes the first developments in the market to be certified at the highest possible rating level with 430,000 sqm having been awarded BREEAM Outstanding or DGNB Platinum certificates (and a further 320,000 sqm now under assessment for such ratings).
These rising certification ratings result from the increasingly stringent environmental standards that Panattoni applies to its projects. Many of these practices go significantly beyond the requirements of building regulations such as promoting emissions-free transport, counteracting light pollution, creating green recreational areas for workers, consulting with an ecologist to increase the biodiversity on the grounds of a project and preparing buildings for the future installation of solar panels. All of the developer’s new centres not only save energy and water but have also been prepared for the effects of future climate change. By applying LCA analysis, the inherent carbon footprint for each development can be reduced on average by 20% through such methods as carefully selecting building materials with low emissions and EPD certificates as well as recycling over 90% of all items on Panattoni’s building sites.
“The policies we have implemented so far have maintained Panattoni’s position as the leader in sustainable change with a portfolio of properties that are attractive to tenants and investors as well as to banks and funds. These activities combined with rigorous BREEAM certification have significantly raised the value of Panattoni’s properties by attracting capital interested in sustainable development. We are convinced that Emilia’s vision and determination as well as her experience so far will continue to strengthen our company in the European market,” comments Robert Dobrzycki, the CEO and co-owner of Panattoni in Europe and Asia.
Emilia Dębowska graduated from the Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) at the University of Cambridge. She completed a postgraduate course from the Warsaw School of Economics at the Collegium of Management and Finance. She also holds a degree in management and marketing from the WSB National Louis University. Being an expert in the field of sustainable construction, she plays an active role in the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC) as the member of the board responsible for climate change and biodiversity and she also takes part in working groups on the application of the EU Taxonomy organised by the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology and RICS Poland.
