Sustainability: guide to key definitions

AEROBIC DIGESTION

It´s the process by which organic matter (usually animals, food, wastewater) decomposes into carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and water. This process is driven by bacteria and requires water and oxygen.

ANAEROBIC DIGESTION

It’s the process by which organic matter decomposes into carbon dioxide, methane, water, and gas. No oxygen is required, unlike aerobic digestion. This process is commonly used to create biogas. Biogas (a mix of methane and carbon dioxide) can be used to produce heat and electricity and can be mixed with vehicle fuels. Global biogas revenues are expected to exceed $50 billion by the middle of this decade.

BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and converts it into electrical energy. Since the 1990s, rechargeable batteries and the use of batteries to store excess energy from renewable sources have been strongly promoted. The goal now is to create batteries that are sustainable throughout their lifecycle. A battery should be long-lasting, recyclable, repurposed, and capable of being remanufactured at the end of its natural life.

BIM (BUILDING INFORMATION MODELING)

It’s the information created and accessed during the development of a building. Essentially, it’s a digital blueprint that captures all elements of the construction process. BIM allows for a more integrated and potentially cost-effective and environmentally efficient approach to construction.

BIODEGRADABLE

It’s the ability of a material to decompose through interaction with bacteria and fungi. It’s important to recognize that not all materials decompose at the same rate or in the same way.

BIODIVERSITY

It refers to the variety of living species on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria, and fungi. Biodiversity is key to our own survival on the planet. The development of ecosystems, the relative generation of food and materials, and the contribution to economic stability depend on achieving a balance across our entire planet.

BIOFUEL

It’s the fuel derived from living matter, such as plant materials and animal waste, unlike fossil fuels. Biofuels, which burn cleanly, replenish quickly, and are neutral in terms of their environmental impact, are considered key to helping mitigate the negative impact of traditional fuels.

BMS (BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM)

It’s a computerized system that controls heating, lighting, ventilation, and energy. A properly used building management system aims to automate decision-making around these aspects to provide efficient results for occupants and the environment.

BREEAM (BUILDING RESEARCH ESTABLISHMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT METHOD)

It’s the most technically advanced method of evaluating and certifying sustainability in building construction and is the world leader in the number of certified projects since its creation in 1990.

BROWNFIELD CONSTRUCTION

This refers to any previously developed land that is not currently in use. The interruption of its development may be due to contamination or other environmental issues. Converting a former industrial site into a new logistics depot or new housing offers positive social and economic benefits, but certain remediation measures can drastically increase costs and limit the window of opportunity.

CARBON

It’s a non-metallic element, solid at room temperature. The human body is composed of 20% carbon, not as an isolated element but bonded to atoms of other elements. All living beings are primarily made up of compounds that contain carbon.

CARBON DIOXIDE

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas composed of one part carbon and two parts oxygen. It’s known as a heat-trapping gas (greenhouse gas), released through the burning of fossil fuels (the combustion process causes the carbon in fossil fuels to combine with the oxygen in the air to form carbon dioxide and water vapor), deforestation, and the simple process of respiration.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

It’s the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) generated by our actions. To calculate the total carbon footprint, all scopes are summed in relation to who “owns” those emissions and the level of control applicable to change those emission levels at each stage.

CARBON CREDITS

Carbon credits are measurable and verifiable emission reductions from certified climate action projects. These projects reduce, eliminate, or avoid greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They also provide a range of other positive benefits, such as empowering communities, protecting ecosystems, restoring forests, or reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Projects must meet a rigorous set of criteria to pass verification by external agencies and review by a panel of experts under a leading carbon offset standard like Verra or Gold Standard. Once an organization or individual purchases a carbon credit, the credit is permanently retired so it cannot be reused.

CARBON OFFSET

It’s a reduction of emissions made to offset emissions produced elsewhere.

CARBON NEGATIVE

It’s the net effect of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere instead of adding it.

CARBON NEUTRAL

It’s balancing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by “offsetting” (or removing from the atmosphere) an equivalent amount of carbon for the amount produced. This can be achieved by investing in “carbon offset” projects, such as renewable energy production or reforestation.

CDP (CARBON DISCLOSURE PROJECT)

CDP is an international non-profit organization that helps companies publicly disclose their environmental impact.

CLIMATE CHANGE

It’s a scientifically proven long-term change that we are witnessing in temperature highs. Compared to the historical average, since the beginning of the industrial revolution, scientists recognize that we are seeing much higher temperature levels.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY

It’s replacing a linear “make, use, dispose” model with a circular model where the goal is to maximize the use of a product for as long as possible and then work to reuse the different elements of a product in a different way.

CLIMATE JUSTICE

It’s a term and a movement that recognizes that climate change can have different economic, social, public health, and care impacts on disadvantaged people and communities.

CLOSED LOOP

It occurs when a company reuses, recycles, or composts all materials used in its operation.

CONSCIOUS CONSUMPTION

It’s a social movement based on growing awareness of the impact that individual and collective purchasing decisions can have on the environment, consumer health, and everyone’s lives. Along with price and quality, environmental considerations play an increasingly important role in purchasing decisions.

CSR (CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY)

CSR is a movement that began in the late 1980s to standardize the implementation of sustainability measures and good corporate citizenship in the business world. CSR represents a company's efforts to have a positive impact on its employees, consumers, the environment, and the community at large. It is a form of self-regulation that most large companies report on annually.

CRADLE TO CRADLE

It’s the development and production of products with the goal of ensuring they can truly be recycled at the end of their life.

CRADLE TO GRAVE

It’s the awareness and responsibility for a product or asset from its inception to its disposal.

CRYPTO CURRENCY

Produced by massive computing power, the development and transactions of this digital currency are verified and recorded in a decentralized system using cryptography. Examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin. Recent information about the enormous electricity consumption required to mine the remaining coins may impact the general perception of cryptocurrencies.

DECENTRALIZED ENERGY

It’s the production of energy near the place where it’s needed. Decentralized energy typically comes from renewable energy sources: wind, solar, biomass, etc. The importance of decentralized energy is multifaceted: greater security of supply, lower emissions, and fewer distribution challenges.

ELECTRIFICATION

It’s switching from burning fossil fuels to using electricity to meet a building’s energy needs. The transition to greater use of electricity in commercial buildings is important to take advantage of increasingly decarbonized electricity.

EMBODIED CARBON

These are the total GHG emissions generated to produce a building. These emissions include those produced by the manufacturing, transportation, and assembly of each product.

ENERGY RECOVERY

It’s the creation of energy through the conversion of waste materials into electricity. Energy recovery would reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills and decrease emissions by eliminating the need to burn fossil fuels.

ENERGY RESILIENCE

It’s having a regular and reliable energy supply and measures to compensate for any negative issues that occur due to a power outage. As access to energy becomes potentially less stable and is managed by a wider range of companies, the resilience of a country's energy supply will become increasingly critical for governments.

ENERGY STORAGE

It’s capturing and storing energy for later use. The purpose is to save energy for use during times of higher demand.

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE

It’s the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of gender, color, background, or income, in understanding, developing, and implementing environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

ESG (ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE)

It refers to environmental, social, and governance standards. The material issues in each of the ESG pillars and the operational/business approach to ESG vary depending on the business, the company, the stakeholder group composition and values.

FAIR TRADE

It’s a recognized way to ensure that producers, sellers, and operators in parts of the world with lower wages receive a “fair” treatment for the products they produce. There are different fair trade associations and various parameters at play.

FAST FASHION

It’s the media name for the trend of producing, selling, buying, and discarding clothing at a faster pace. Another term often used is disposable fashion, where a garment can be bought for less than the price of a coffee and the cost of repair is often higher than the price of the item itself.

FOSSIL FUELS

These are fuels that come from natural resources found on our planet. Oil, gas, and coal were formed from living organisms over the past millions of years. There is a finite supply, and these fuel sources are non-renewable. Besides being non-renewable, using these fuel sources releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing climate change and the warming of our planet.

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY

The word geothermal comes from Greek and literally means "heat from the Earth." The Earth stores its heat in the form of water and steam, which can be drilled in the same way as oil, and then the steam’s converted into energy through turbines, generators, and transformers. It’s increasingly considered the best source of residential heating.

GLOBAL WARMING

It’s the constant increase in the planet’s average temperature as a result of the use of fossil fuels and the carbon dioxide they release into the atmosphere.

GREEN BONDS

They’re fixed-income instruments linked to projects focused on promoting a lower-carbon environment and a socially sustainable future.

GREENFIELD CONSTRUCTION

Greenfield sites are undeveloped agricultural areas now being considered for development. The development of greenfield sites was motivated by environmental concerns focused on minimizing the loss of fields and wildlife. There are also warnings about the increase in pollution related to traffic growth; the phrase urban sprawl is often used when discussing the requirement for green spaces in an area.

GHG (GREENHOUSE GASES)

They include carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, and chlorofluorocarbons, which absorb and emit radiation produced by the solar heating of the Earth's surface.

GREEN LEASES

They’re agreements made between tenants and owners to increase transparency, consolidate services, and develop innovative practices together. The goal is to share knowledge and make greater efforts to achieve lower emission levels.

GREENWASHING

It’s making actions visible with the intention of appearing to be doing the right thing regarding the climate. It’s a deceptive practice that can make an individual, a company, or a country seem “greener” than they really are.

GRESB (THE GLOBAL REAL ESTATE SUSTAINABILITY BENCHMARK)

The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark was established in 2009 to help real estate investors assess the sustainability performance of commercial real estate portfolios globally. The annual GRESB assessments are guided by what institutional investors and the commercial real estate (CRE) industry consider relevant issues in the sustainability performance of real asset investments. Institutional investors then use the GRESB Assessment results to monitor their investments, engage with their managers and make decisions that lead to a more sustainable and resilient industry.

GRI (GLOBAL REPORTING INITIATIVE)

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the issuer of global standards for sustainability reporting, creating a common language for organizations to use in their reporting.

GROUND SOURCE HEAT PUMP

It’s the extraction of natural heat from the ground through a series of pipes distributed underground. The vapor compression cycle concentrates the heat and transfers it to buildings without the need to use fossil fuels.

HEAT PUMPS

It’s the movement of heat from a warm place to a cold place using mechanical energy. Both ground-source and air-source pumps facilitate this process: one naturally extracts heat from the ground while the other captures heat from the outside air. Ground-source pumps are more difficult to install but tend to be more effective. Air-source pumps are easier to install but less effective.

HFC (HYDROFLUOROCARBONS)

They are organic compounds composed of hydrogen, fluorine, and carbon. They replaced the much-maligned halons and chlorofluorocarbons that contributed to the depletion of the planet’s ozone layer.

ICE CAPS/SHEETS

Polar ice caps are areas of ice measuring less than 31,000 km². Ice sheets are dome-shaped glacier ice masses that cover the surrounding terrain (such as the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets) and measure more than 31,000 km².

IPCC (INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE)

It was created to provide policymakers with periodic scientific assessments on climate change and its implications and potential future risks, as well as to propose adaptation and mitigation options.

ISO 14001

It’s a recognized and internationally accepted method for implementing an effective environmental management system, balancing corporate business objectives with environmental responsibilities.

ISO 14040

LCA series standards (Life Cycle Assessment) address quantitative assessment methods for evaluating a product or service at all stages of its life cycle. ISO 14040 is a general standard that covers the four phases of LCA. The four main phases are: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation.

ISO 14044

It specifies the requirements and provides guidelines for LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), including the definition of the goal and scope of the life cycle assessment, the life cycle inventory (LCI) phase, the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) phase, and the life cycle interpretation phase, reporting and critical phases, LCA review, LCA limitations, the relationship between LCA phases, and the conditions for the use of value choices and optional elements.

ISO 50001

A recognized and internationally accepted method for establishing an energy policy and objectives, along with the appropriate processes and procedures to achieve those objectives.

KEYSTONE SPECIES

It’s a species that has a disproportionate impact on the environment relative to its presence or scale. It helps define how many and what kind of other species evolve in a community.

LEED (LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN)

It’s a widely used green building rating system. Its advantage is that it offers a solution for most asset types and different projects: new construction, fit-outs, and renovations. The goal of LEED is to provide guidance to project leaders to create an efficient, healthy, cost-effective, and environmentally improved building.

LCA (LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT)

It’s the systematic analysis of the potential environmental impacts of products or services throughout their life cycle.

MATERIALITY

These are the elements that are relevant or help identify attributes that are substantial for the overall improvement of performance, success, outcomes, and viability of a building/organization. Currently, it’s the environmental, economic, and social impact that can influence business performance and the decisions related to sustainability. Essentially, how important is “this” when making decisions?

NATURAL CAPITAL

It’s the value of the “free” resources we have at our disposal: clean air, water, food, and recreational activities. Natural capital accounting assigns a financial value to these elements; current calculations indicate that the planet provides us with $72 trillion worth of value each year. Without them, the planet and the economy would simply fail.

NET ENERGY

It’s the energy available to drive economic growth once the energy required to produce the “new” energy is accounted for. A number greater than one means there is a net gain in the energy produced. Some examples are oil (4.5), natural gas (4.9), and solar energy (5.8).

NET-ZERO CARBON

It’s the balance of the amount of GHGs emitted with the equivalent amount of carbon offset or sequestered.

OFFSETTING (OF GHG EMISSIONS)

It’s the recognized method for claiming a reduction in GHG emissions by investing in projects that sequester or avoid GHG emissions to offset a company’s own GHG emissions.

ONSITE GENERATION

It’s a hyperlocalized form of decentralized energy, generating power at the point of use and producing energy as needed rather than having to buy/obtain energy from a provider. In some situations, the local energy producer can sell any surplus to the grid.

ONSHORE/OFFSHORE WINDS

It’s the use of onshore and offshore wind turbines to capture the energy of moving wind to create energy without GHG emissions.

PARIS AGREEMENT

It’s the primary global climate agreement signed in Paris at COP21 in December 2015. The agreement expresses "great concern" about the importance of keeping the global temperature increase to less than two degrees above pre-industrial levels. It focuses on pursuing efforts to reduce it preferably to 1.5 degrees. It is a legally binding international treaty.

PLASTICS
Plásticos

PRI (PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT)

It’s a network of investors supported by the United Nations that works to promote sustainable investment by incorporating environmental, social, and governance issues into analysis and decision-making.

PROCUREMENT

It’s the act of obtaining goods or services. This usually applies to businesses and refers to the final purchase but can also include the entire acquisition process leading up to the final purchase decision.

RECYCLED CONTENT

It’s the amount of a product that was made from recycled materials from previously used items.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

It’s energy from natural sources (wind, solar, hydro) that will not be depleted with use.

RESIDUAL WASTE

It’s waste material (of a non-hazardous nature) that can’t be reused or recycled and must be disposed of or sent for energy recovery. Residual waste includes materials from mining, agricultural and drilling processes.

RESILIENCE

Worldwide, the frequency, intensity, and impacts of natural disasters are increasing. These events can significantly affect the social, economic, and environmental functionality of communities and individual buildings. Resilience can be defined as the ability of commercial buildings and the businesses they house to properly prepare for such events and quickly return to full operations.

SCIENCE BASED TARGETS

It’s a set of goals developed by a company to define a clear path for reducing GHG emissions. A goal is defined as science-based if it was developed according to the scale of change needed to keep global warming between 1.5°C and 2°C. The SBTi (Science-Based Targets Initiative) was developed as a partnership between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). If all companies worldwide adopt agreed-upon measures and measurable targets in line with the SBTi, we have a much better chance of achieving the goals set in the Paris Agreement.

SCIENCE BASED TARGETS INITIATIVE (SBTI)

It’s an external approval organism that certifies whether an organization is setting carbon reduction targets aligned with climate science.

SHARING ECONOMY

These are goods and services that are shared rather than owned outright. For example, Airbnb or Uber Carpooling.

SINGLE USE PLASTICS

Definitions still vary, but essentially, it’s anything designed or that can be used once before being discarded or recycled: plastic beverage bottles, plastic straws, plastic bags, much of the packaging that wraps fruits, vegetables, food, and drinks. Many of these items are bought for on-the-go consumption, and the responsibility of finding an appropriate recycling container falls on the buyer. Some countries like Germany offer a deposit system that encourages returns to stores, and many companies are exploring biodegradable packaging or “naked” products to be sold in stores and taken home in consumers' own glass jars and bottles. The sight of coconuts wrapped in plastic or a single apple in a hard plastic shell promoted as a healthy snack to go is incongruent with the impact that packaging has on the planet’s health.

SOLAR POWER

It’s the energy that harnesses the power of the sun. It’s renewable, making it a clean and emission-free way to produce much-needed energy and electricity. Solar cells are most commonly used to produce solar power and can be found in solar farms and on the rooftops of businesses and homes.

SUPPLY CHAIN

These are the activities required by a company to deliver goods and services to a customer, i.e., a system of organizations, people, processes, information, and resources involved in supplying the goods or services in question to the customer.

SUSTAINABILITY

It consists of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (definition by the United Nations Brundtland Commission of 1987).

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)

The UN Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 interrelated global goals designed to be a blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

TCFD (TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE-RELATED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES)

Its goal is to improve and increase the reporting of climate-related financial information.

TRACEABILITY

It’s the tracking, measurement, and monitoring of all elements in the supply chain. Its goal is to ensure good practices related to human labor, the environment, anti-corruption, compliance, and the legal framework.

TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE

It’s a business concept that encourages companies to measure their environmental and social impact along with detailed measurements of their financial performance. The three Ps of the triple bottom line are well-known: people, profits, and planet. It has been repeatedly proven that it is possible to perform well and do good.

UNFCCC (UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE)

The UNFCCC came into force in 1994. Today, it has almost global membership with 197 countries having ratified the convention. The prevention of dangerous human interference with the climate system is the objective of the UNFCCC.

VALUE CHAIN

It’s a set of activities carried out by a company to create value for its customers. Increasing attention is being paid to understanding the environmental impact of each stage of the supply chain.

V2G (VEHICLE TO GRID)

It’s a technology that allows energy to be fed back to the electric grid from an electric vehicle’s battery.

WASTE FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

European Union framework on how waste should be managed. It requires that waste be managed without endangering human health or harming the environment, without risk to water, air, plants, or animals; without causing noise disturbances or emitting offensive odors; and without negatively affecting the landscape or places of special interest.

WASTE HIERARCHY

This hierarchy consists of prevention (no waste), preparation for reuse, recycling, recovery, and disposal (the four associated with waste). Waste prevention should be the preferred option.

WHOLE LIFE COSTING

It’s calculated by considering the total cost of a service or product over its lifetime. This can be measured in terms of cost (an electric vehicle may be more expensive initially than a gasoline-powered one, but its operating costs over its lifetime may be lower), or in terms of environmental impact. The initial production of a product may have a greater environmental impact than one developed for a similar purpose, but it may result in lower overall impacts during its lifetime and be easier to recycle.

ZERO WASTE

It’s a consideration in product development with a focus on its entire lifecycle, meaning it’s designed to be recycled, reused, and repurposed. It also applies to buildings/organizations that work to reduce their waste, possibly even seeking certification like TRUE zero waste.

ZERO-CARBON

It occurs when no carbon emissions are produced from a product or service.