Vision

DivcoWest has embraced sustainability and made it an integral part of company culture, which we believe will achieve the objectives of both tenants and investors.

Mission

DivcoWest proactively seeks ways to improve energy efficiency, waste management, water conservation, and indoor air quality for all of our operating assets. This approach serves to promote environmental stewardship, reduces operating expenses for our tenants and translates into higher returns for our investors. DivcoWest is committed to the responsible use of natural resources, sustainable property operations and green construction as a means of reducing our carbon footprint.

Goals and Targets

We pursue the following sustainability goals and targets in the operation of our business. Separate policies exist or are in development for each of these goal areas.

Performance

GRESB

DivcoWest is a member of the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB). GRESB is an industry-driven organization committed to assessing the sustainability performance of real estate investment portfolios. DivcoWest reports our annual sustainability performance through the GRESB survey. In 2016, we achieved an overall score of 56 as well as the Green Star designation. The Green Star is measured by earning a score of over 50% in two parent categories: Management & Policy and Implementation & Management. This achievement places the company in the top half of the GRESB survey.

ENERGY STAR

DivcoWest benchmarks all of our properties using the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager. The majority of the company’s portfolio have earned the ENERGY STAR certification with an average score of 75.

 

Corporate Sustainability Policy


OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

Energy Efficiency:

  • Reduce energy consumption
  • Replace fossil fuel sources with renewable sources
    of energy

Water Efficiency:

  • Reduce water consumption

Waste Minimization:

  • Reduce waste volume generated
  • Reduce Volume of Landfilled Waste
  • Increase reuse, recycling, composting
  • Increase construction salvage
TARGET


  • 20% reduction by year 2025; baseline 2015
  • 10% of energy provided by renewable source by 2025



  • 20% reduction by year 2025

Property Operations:

  • 20% reduction in annual volume of waste by 2020
  • 50% recycling rate by 2018
  • 75% recycling rate by 2020
  • 90% recycling rate by 2025

Construction and Renovation:

  • 75% recycling rate for construction materials by 2020
CLIMATE CHANGE

Reduce Impact on Climate Change:

  • Reduce GHG emissions

Develop a Corporate Strategy for
Climate Change:

  • Establish a climate change policy
  • Establish a resilience plan
TARGET

  • Ongoing commitment
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND
LIVING SYSTEMS

Protect Air Quality:

  • Prevent air pollution
  • Improve indoor air quality

Steward Land Resources:

  • Preserve farmland
  • Restore degraded land

Water Quality:

  • Protect quality of surface water and
    groundwater resources

Ecosystem Integrity and Viability:

  • Protect and preserve ecologically valuable
    ecosystems (marine, riparian, and terrestrial)
  • Protect and restore biodiversity
TARGET


  • Refrigerant management policy for chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) by 2017
  • Policies developed for existing centers and new construction by 2018





  • Adopt site development and operational practices that protect water quality


  • Adopt a site management policy by 2018
  • Adopt a Habitat Restoration Policy by 2018
IMPACT ON PEOPLE AND
COMMUNITIES

Positive Economic Impact on
Local Community:

  • Provide jobs
  • Minimize disturbances
  • Contribute to economic vitality of local businesses
  • Support small businesses
  • Support local programs and nonprofits

Provide Value to Tenants:

  • Offer competitive prices
  • Assist tenants to improve their operating costs

Provide Value to Investors:

  • Minimize energy, waste and water costs

Provide a Quality Workplace to Employees:

  • Offer competitive pay
  • Generate no health and safety violations
  • Achieve high employee satisfaction ratings

Effective Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Obtain consistently high ratings from stakeholders

Sustainable Supply Chains:

  • Incorporate sustainability attributes into supply
    chain choices
TARGET


  • Develop metrics and measure number and economic impact of job creation by 2018
    • Number and value of direct jobs
    • Number and value of contracts let to local businesses
    • Number and value of contracts let to small businesses
  • Measure and report philanthropic giving to each community by 2018

  • Audit competitive pricing annually and document findings



  • Reduce utility and waste costs by 10% by 2020