“Why is ESG so important?”
We are Utopi, a specialist ESG technology platform for the multi-tenant real estate sector. We are pioneering the use of IOT to help clients make a positive impact against climate change. Using real-time data and insights, we support building owners and operators on the journey to Net Zero by reducing carbon emissions and improving the ESG performance of their buildings.
93% of investors now include ESG criteria in their decision making. And demand has never been higher for sustainability disclosure. But disclosure needs data. That’s where we come in. Utopi provides live, actionable data so that building owners can prove to investors, government bodies and accreditation schemes that their assets are at the forefront of green building technology.
We understand that reaching Net Zero in buildings will require speed and accuracy. That’s why our multisensors take less than 2 minutes to install, and report live data every 15 seconds, giving you a clear picture of resident engagement, energy use, and indoor environmental conditions. With easy deploy sensors, buildings can be brought up to speed on ESG reporting quicker and cheaper than ever before. It’s a breakthrough for building owners. That’s why our technology has been adopted by major players in the UK multi-tenant sector.
From the perspective of investors and fund managers, environmental risk factors are a serious threat to asset value. Reducing emissions and using renewable energy helps to offset the threat of stranded assets and legislative change, ensuring that buildings are future-proofed. For investors, this improves the performance of risk-adjusted investments. For owners, it also increases asset value here and now, reducing operating costs and supporting a bid for green finance. Sustainability and profitability are, going forward, two sides of the same coin.
Of course, buildings also have an impact on their occupants, and the wider community. This has been a selling point for multi-tenant accommodation for years (ensuring the health and wellbeing of residents while, at the same time, creating a safe community environment with on-site amenities). But it wasn’t often recognized as a factor in loan underwriting. Today lenders are increasingly aware that responsible investing means considering social impact, the S of ESG. And this extends beyond residents to the urban neighborhoods around the building, where inclusive design like level access, public transport, charging stations and other amenities make a tangible and intangible difference.
As mentioned above, the Utopi multi-sensor records data on light, sound, air quality and temperature, humidity and motion giving owners and residents access to vital wellbeing data, helping to create happy, healthy multi-tenant communities. The modern tenant is climate aware, and the Utopi resident app is a great way for owners to reach out to communities, enabling them to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, and costs, and helping them to play their part in solving the climate crisis. In tandem with smart energy submetering, this allows us to decrease asset energy use by 5% on average.
Giving real-time building data to residents through the app can significantly improve their living experience. Helping to educate and support residents through gamification and incentives can even improve individual behaviors, leading to lower energy use and healthier communities. And the insight that comes from people counting allows us to understand intuitively how building amenities are being used, improving future design.
Acting on live data means that owners can reduce energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, increase the value of their asset, improve GRESB and BREEAM-in-Use results, and ensure healthier, happier communities.
To learn more about ESG, head over to our website: www.utopi.co.uk