Biodiversity

GRI 3-3

Biodiversity promotes the stability of ecosystems. Diversity among plants, animals and microorganisms, for example, has the potential to slow down global warming or protect plants from pests. Plants in and around buildings and a respectful approach to animals also make for positive perceptions of a residential district and contribute toward 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.

Every year, a considerable amount of land in Germany is used for the construction of new housing and infrastructure, which has a significant impact on natural habitats and biodiversity. Volkswagen Immobilien is aware of its responsibility not only to create high-quality housing, but also to take high-quality measures to preserve and promote biodiversity directly at or in buildings or adjacent outdoor areas.

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

In 2022, these guiding objectives were incorporated into the BLUE BUILDING 2022 standard and made mandatory for all new buildings by means of specific guidelines. We also strive to achieve all seven objectives for each biodiversity measure we take. In addition to individual flagship projects, we are currently prioritizing the guiding biodiversity objectives in order to ensure a gradual rollout across the entire portfolio alongside the major projects. Since 2022, the biodiversity projects have been accompanied by a biologist before, during and after implementation. Retrospective monitoring is commissioned for the next five years in each case.

Our guiding biodiversity objectives follow an integrated implementation principle. In connection with Objective 1 (“Improving the Quality of Biotope Areas”), for example, we aim to assess and prioritize brownfield sites for construction projects, limit soil sealing in connection with newbuilds (max. 70%), unseal soil within the portfolio, improve rainwater drainage, observe minimum requirements for newbuild landscaping (25%) and 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 “Water Usage Strategy”).

Objective 2 aims to promote the diversity of animal species. We promote biodiversity by explicitly taking measures to attract animals to the property, such as bee meadows and nesting boxes.

As the habitats of many plant and animal species are being constricted and fragmented by the sealing of soil and the expansion of cities, isolated habitats are emerging in which genetic exchange between populations is no longer possible. To prevent this,⁸ we connect existing biotopes with each other (Objective 3).

Proper maintenance of near-natural areas is crucial for their continued existence. As a result, we have defined specific requirements for professional green maintenance as part of Objective 4 that include leaving “wild corners,” where we forgo the use of pesticides against weeds in our gardens.

Objective 5 governs the use of non-native plants. We exclude invasive plants that displace native plant species, such as Japanese knotweed or giant hogweed, from our planting concepts and follow a range of guidelines in this regard, including those published by the DGNB.

The achievement of these goals is flanked by monitoring measures (Objective 6) and the involvement of residents and staff (Objective 7). In order to achieve the highest possible level of acceptance, we always invite tenants to get to know the planned concept behind flagship projects and ask questions.

We initiated additional biodiversity measures in 2023.
In the first project, we set up an insect hotel made by employees of Lebenshilfe, a self-help association for people with intellectual disabilities. In order to promote insect diversity and create habitats, the vegetation – including flowering areas and shrubs – was also adapted accordingly. For this purpose, old laundry areas were unsealed and material was reused to create new biotope areas in a space measuring approximately 1,500 m² in total. In addition, light soil excavation modeling was carried out to provide insects and vegetation with water for longer. Benches and rotary dryers were installed for our residents without sealing the ground.

In another neighborhood, we created a butterfly garden. Apart from suitable planting with shrubs, perennials, meadow mixtures and more, watering points with clay seals and a dry stone wall were created. The new habitat also includes dead wood, piles of stones and oak poles with holes drilled in them. In addition, a 75 m² laundry area was dismantled and planted. 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.

In addition to our self-imposed goals, we adhere to the legal requirements for minimizing, avoiding and compensating for interference in nature and rural areas. Among other things, compensation obligations under the German Building Code and the Federal Nature Conservation Act are taken into account.

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, there are financial considerations associated with the responsible use of freshwater and the reduction of wastewater, as well as protecting the ecosystem, 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. Our basic approach to dealing with rainwater is to first collect it in the green area at the rear of the building and turn it into a visible feature. In this context, the discharge into the sewer system is significantly reduced. We are trying to reduce freshwater consumption, which is heavily user-dependent, by installing modern sanitary installations. For example, water-saving fittings are specified as the standard in our renovation plans. This gives our tenants the opportunity to make their own individual contribution to saving water right from the start. In addition, water-saving sanitary installations will also be installed in our apartment renovations going forward.

⁸ Explanation of terms: A space is considered “connected” if it is linked to other open spaces by way of a broad connecting corridor through linear biotopes such as edges, hedges and tree avenues. Doing so helps support the migration of animals (including small mammals, birds and insects) and ensure the exchange of species.