At Cromwell we’re always looking to implement circular practices and reduce our carbon emissions. Materials such as concrete, steel and glass are the most carbon-intensive and also represent the biggest opportunity for reducing our carbon footprint. That’s what makes AGC Low-Carbon Glass a perfect fit for us and our strategy and that’s why we wanted it for Nervesa 21.
Low-carbon materials: a wise investment
Investors and building owners are increasingly demanding that sustainable materials be used in their projects to reduce their ecological footprint. There are also financial arguments for investors and owners: healthy and ecologically sound buildings deliver higher rents and sales prices, which in turn expands the potential for a long-term increase in the value of the investment.
Nervesa 21 is our first major refurbishment project in Italy. It is our benchmark for the office of the future, an innovative and technologically advanced building. The project, consisting of two interconnected towers totalling 10,000 m² of office space and featuring the best ESG credentials, is located in Milan’s vibrant and bustling Porta Romana district.
Building sustainably: a Group strategy
“At Cromwell we are committed to sustainability – not just talking about it but also taking real action.” Francesca Nolli continues: “Cromwell Group has pledged to achieve net zero for Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions across all projects, and that includes tenant emissions, by 2045.
Of course we have a significant carbon footprint in Scope 1 and 2 but the major one is Scope 3, so we are trying to work with our tenants to influence their behaviour to reduce their carbon footprint so they can join us on our journey towards net zero.”
Marco Amosso explains how Lombardini 22 is used to delivering sustainable building designs: “For us it’s perfectly normal since we have sustainability teams that work with design and development. All of our teams are focused on trying to reach the best level of sustainability. But of course it’s a process, that begins with the concept itself.”
“The building itself is a glazed building and you have to choose the right glass to achieve a good level of transparency and performance. The advantage of Low-Carbon Glass is that the quality of the glass in terms of aesthetics, performance and strength doesn’t change so I don’t have to compromise. It’s an easy choice. It’s the production process itself that has a smaller carbon footprint.” Amosso confirms: “Very soon, the carbon footprint will be the next item to check when selecting the right material.”
Part of our brief was to achieve the best LEED rating for the building itself and the best WELL rating for potential tenants.”
Nervesa 21 will have WELL Platinum and LEED Gold certifications. These levels are achieved by the circular practices implemented by Cromwell Group to reduce their carbon emissions. Francesca says: “Materials such as concrete, steel and glass are the most carbon-intensive and also represent the biggest opportunity for reducing our carbon footprint. That’s why AGC Low-Carbon Glass is a perfect fit for us and our strategy and that’s why we wanted it for Nervesa 21.”
“We know tenants are looking for green buildings and we would like to be the market leader in that space. They are scouting the market and we know they choose Nervesa because we have the best ESG credentials.”