Our Commitment to Zero Carbon Living
Exploring New Paths Towards Sustainable Development
Since 2003, Windmill has led the real estate industry in sustainability. Our mission goes beyond constructing buildings; it revolves around creating vibrant, happy, and healthy communities while respecting the finite resources of our planet.
At the heart of our mission is One Planet Living – a vision and holistic framework for sustainable living, emphasizing that we have just one planet with limited resources.
A One Planet Living Company
One Planet Living serves as more than just a vision – it is also a third-party endorsement standard.
One Planet Living serves as a tool to guide real estate developers, like Windmill, to integrate the environmental and social imperatives of global programs like the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their projects. For Windmill, One Planet Living isn’t a replacement for other endorsements; it’s a complement, coexisting seamlessly with our pursuit of either LEED Platinum or the Zero Carbon Building Standard on each of our projects.
In 2023, Windmill achieved recognition as a One Planet Living Global Leader, affirming our dedication to this vision. We are not merely constructing structures; we’re on a mission to redefine industry standards, particularly in eliminating carbon emissions from our development projects. Zero Carbon is an essential part of who we are as a One Planet Living company.
To demonstrate this, we have made the bold decision to no longer use the combustion of fossil fuels for space heating or hot water in any of our buildings. This means using electric powered solutions like geo-exchange or air source heat pumps. This technology takes heat that already exists from the ground or the outside air, which is far more efficient than creating new heat.
Carbon in the Building Industry: Where to Start
The building sector’s role as a significant contributor to global carbon emissions is well-established, accounting for an estimated 40% of total global emissions. Recognizing the urgency to address this environmental challenge, we took a major step in 2023 by establishing a Zero Carbon Working Group. Guided by our consulting team at Urban Equation, this group has been instrumental in developing a standardized approach to zero carbon buildings, crafting essential tools and guidance, and setting key performance indicators and emissions reduction targets.
Charting a Course to Zero Carbon
To chart our course to zero carbon, we have established both short-term (2030) and long-term (2050) emissions reduction targets aligned with current science-based standards. Our new targets will push us to do better over the next quarter century, ensuring a clean future for generations to come.
Operational and Embodied Carbon Strategies
Windmill’s approach to zero carbon includes strategies to reduce our operational carbon through innovations like geo-exchange for heating and cooling, air source heat pumps, and the use of CO2 as a refrigerant in heat pumps for domestic hot water. Best-in-class energy efficiency and improved thermal performance are natural outcomes of our approach. Life cycle assessments for all our projects are driving innovative partnerships. Windmill is leading the way for mass timber adoption in mid-rise developments, integrating manufacturers directly into our design teams at the early stages of a project. When mass timber is not possible, we integrate low carbon concrete solutions to high-rise developments, using alternative mixes to reduce the embodied carbon inherent in cement.
While our current commitments to zero carbon focus on operational and embodied carbon, additional efforts are underway to find ways to engage our residents in ways that continue a journey towards one planet living.
A Zero Carbon Future
Windmill’s unwavering dedication to zero carbon development, paired with our determination to forge innovative strategies and partnerships, defines us as a sustainable developer.
By openly sharing our learnings, embracing cutting-edge technologies, and setting ambitious emission reduction targets, we aspire to pave the way for a more sustainable future in the building industry. One Planet Living serves as our guiding principle, demonstrating that environmental responsibility and successful real estate development are not mutually exclusive but can indeed go hand in hand. Reducing carbon emissions is a critical step towards creating a more sustainable and resilient future for our planet.