Environmental

We are committed to protecting the environment and engage in research and development. Our climate strategy aims to contribute to stemming the negative consequences of climate change. Current environmental concerns are taken into consideration when making any decision. Whether it’s an increasing scarcity of resources or threats to biodiversity: We develop solutions, implement countermeasures and embrace responsibility.

The European Union should achieve climate neutrality by 2050 – that’s the goal of the “European Green Deal”. In line with the UN climate conference in Paris and the Sustainable Development Goals, this action plan aims to provide further impetus for efficient energy use. Future-proof construction standards, alternative energy, and sustainable equipment and fleet management are all in demand in the construction industry. Furthermore, at PORR we rely on advanced certification systems, implementing the energy efficiency guidelines and conducting regular energy audits. Following the successful rollout in Austria of the ISO 50001 energy management system, full implementation with complete coverage is planned.

By bundling all equipment and vehicles, the Group-wide standardization reduces the variety of makes and types and subsequently lead to a reduction in airborne emissions. Measures to reduce the energy consumption of on and off-road equipment include:

• Regularly updating the vehicle matrix (on-road equipment) including shortening the period in use.
• When acquiring new off-road equipment, only buying that which conforms to the best available emissions standards on the market.
• Continuation of the “automatic-stop function for construction equipment” project and purchase of additional electric cars and construction equipment with electric drives, as well as hybrid construction vehicles.
• Reducing business trips and focusing on train travel.
   

One important aspect in enhancing efficiency is construction site logistics. Digital solutions allow us to manage the construction process with greater precision. In the field of road construction, these tools have already been rolled out successfully in Austria and Germany. They are under development for tunnelling, building construction, earthworks and structural engineering.

For environmental and climate protection, not only a sustainable and thus future-proof construction method is of great importance, the completed building must also have the lowest possible CO2 footprint in the various life cycles. Possible environmental impacts after completion must therefore also be taken into account during planning. Not only internally, but also from our suppliers, we demand sustainable action and promote sustainable building standards. The focus here is on the following aspects:

• Maximum climate neutrality
• life cycle
• Use of renewable energy
• Realising concepts that are in line with demographic shifts
• Use of digital building data models 
• Green building certification
• EU taxonomy audits
• Carbon management and life cycle assessments

One proven method of achieving sustainability targets is building certification. 

• DGNB Platin & LEED Platin for Quartier Belvedere Central in Vienna
  For the construction of this urban and central business hub, PORR has received the highest awards from both, the DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) and in line with the design certificate "Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design" (LEED).
• Photovoltaics and intensive greening as focal points when revitalising PORR sites
  The PORR headquarters for Carinthia and East Tyrol in Klagenfurt meet the highest energy efficiency standards as a "plus energy building". Sustainability experts were involved right from the concept phase.
• DGNB Platinum Certificate for Frankfurter Allee in Berlin 
  This new residential and office district with six buildings received the DGNB Platinum Certificate in February 2022.
• DGNB Gold Certificate for PORR subsidiary Vorarlberg
  The PORR subsidiary Vorarlberg is characterised by a clear, flexibly designable office structure. The flat roof is designed as an extensive green roof with photovoltaic panels. The building form and equipment were optimized during planning from a building physics and daylight point of view in order to offer employees a high level of comfort and cosiness.

The construction industry uses significantly less water than water-intensive sectors like textiles or food and drinks. Nonetheless, we are aware of the responsibility we have towards society to preserve this valuable resource. That’s why water as a resource is integrated into our internal resource management system.

The Water Policy forms an important basis for our work. The Water Officer evaluates the water consumption of the PORR Group together with the centre of excellence for resources. The areas with the highest specific water consumption are then addressed with the CR department, the Environmental Network and the R&D department to find solutions to reduce water usage and identify measures for recycling water. This includes, for example, measures to increase water efficiency during construction, water recycling systems, and units for soil and gravel washing.

In the construction industry, the use of building materials often has a sharp impact on the environment. That’s why PORR is committed to a closed-cycle approach – a concept that extends the lifecycle of a product or construction material. For example, construction rubble can subsequently be fed back into the economic cycle as a high-quality recycled product.

PORR also prioritizes the environment in its research and development activities. The focus is on developing alternative construction materials and methods, optimising the use of resources, environmental clean-up of contaminated soil, and recycling. One example here relates to tunnelling. Compounds containing excavated material from the tunnel are used as material in the construction. The benefit? Millions of tonnes of stone do not require disposal and the same amount does not need to be mined from quarries. This also reduces transport to and energy consumption at the construction site. Other innovative projects include:

Biodiversity is essential for the health and wellbeing of the population and the generations to come. That said, the direct impact a construction company can have is somewhat limited. After all, sustainable building starts even before the project development stage – with the urban planning and zoning. The PORR sites are located in commercial areas rather than in zones with high biodiversity. As a sustainable construction company, our mission is to maximise the use and value of the space.

PORR helps to promote biodiversity by greening flat roofs, building causeways and recultivating landfills. This happens on the one hand when substrate is produced from secondary raw materials like excavated soil and recycled construction materials. On the other hand, the buildings themselves are fitted with these improvements. What’s more, we take care to ensure planting that is appropriate to the respective site and compatible with the native flora. This not only encourages biodiversity (insects, birds and wild animals), but also makes the habitats more attractive for every user.