"For the Norwegian Green Building Council, having OTG as a member makes a difference"

Acquiring and sharing expertise in the Norwegian Green Building Council 

"For the Norwegian Green Building Council, having a real estate company like the OTG among its members makes a difference. They are the largest private real estate company in the country and unlike lots of other major companies, the OTG has properties in every corner of the country, not only in the cities," says Kjell Petter Småge, a consultant with the Norwegian Green Building Council.

In 2019, the Olav Thon Group (OTG) became a member of the Norwegian Green Building Council. This non-profit member organisation is committed to achieving a greener real estate industry. 

"The Olav Thon Group is an active member that is good at both acquiring and sharing expertise and knowledge in our forums," adds Småge.

Analyses and monitoring ensure greener operations in the Olav Thon Group 

With expert guidance from such consultancy services as the Norwegian Green Building Council, together with detailed analyses and especially close monitoring, the OTG is making new strides towards greener operations and management with lower emissions. 

"Compared to such organisations as Entra and the Norwegian Directorate of Public Construction and Property, the Olav Thon Group may be new to this topic, but is making progress all the same," says Jarle Andersen Aasness, head of the energy and environmental engineering division in the OTG. 

Before sustainability was prioritised in the group, the lack of a proper emissions overview posed a challenge in the OTG. Without an overview, it is difficult to determine where to reduce emissions. Together with operational optimisation, analyses are therefore essential for pursuing an effective sustainability strategy. 

"The year 2030 is right around the corner, but part of the sustainability strategy has been to analyse possibilities to use renewable energy. We have seen, for example, that solar panels have excellent potential for the OTG, which has lots of large roofs.

The Olav Thon Group's energy conservation efforts will have a positive ripple effect throughout the country 

The fact that the OTG is now fully committed to energy conservation on its properties – also in rural areas – is something that Småge believes will have a positive ripple effect. 

"Norway is a country with many small real estate companies spread across the entire country. The OTG may not be the pack leader in Oslo, where other property companies have been in the game for much longer, but in the more rural regions of the country, the direction now being taken will play a significant role." 

Småge believes that the OTG's efforts related to the environmental certification system BREEAM In-Use will have an especially large impact.