Green Village: the first Geneva property development with the “One Planet Living” label
Geneva, 5 November 2019 – With the signature of an agreement between the stakeholders, Green Village has become the first Geneva development project to qualify for the One Planet Living label. The formal action plan covers ten principles representing a serious undertaking from the landowner, the developer, and the host municipality in particular. Party to the agreement, the “Association Suisse Pour Des Quartiers One Planet Living”, founded by WWF Switzerland and Implenia, promotes sustainable neighbourhoods. Implenia is also the developer of the Green Village project.
OPL labelled neighbourhoods aim to:
- Reduce CO2 emissions and gradually abandon fossil fuels, with buildings powered by renewable energy, solar panels, access to sustainable, combined mobility, and other initiatives
- Conserve and nurture biodiversity
- Improve the quality of life and well-being of the community
On the decision to apply OPL standards in Green Village, its property development, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), said: ‘The World Council of Churches is committed to protecting the environment locally and internationally alongside all its member churches. By applying the standards of One Planet Living to our Green Village property development, we are fulfilling our undertaking to fight global warming right where we live and work each day.’
Initiated by the WCC, Green Village will provide six new buildings in the municipality of Le Grand-Saconnex, arranged around the Ecumenical Centre, WCC’s historic listed building. The development includes administrative buildings, designed for international organisations and service-sector firms. A hotel and a residential building are also planned. Enjoying a world-class location, Green Village will be set in a landscaped park at the heart of Geneva’s international district.
Each Green Village building will symbolically bear the name of a key international treaty in sustainable development: Kyoto, Montreal, Rio, Lima, Durban and Stockholm. The first construction phase, with the Kyoto building (administrative) and the Montreal development (residential) should be completed by the end of 2022 or the start of 2023.
The constructions will respect all standards set by the OPL label, with priority given to construction materials from the local economy, and to recycled materials from the existing structures. The buildings will be powered by renewable energy, through photovoltaic solar panels and networked energy. The goal of zero waste will be reached via an on-site eco-centre and through the policy of waste reuse put forward by the Le Grand-Saconnex municipality. ‘Sustainability is one of the five values by which we align our actions. We are proud that with the Green Village project and the OPL standards developed together with WWF Switzerland we make a big and important step towards a future worth living for all.’ says Adrian Wyss, Head Division Development at Implenia.
ABOUT THE STAKEHOLDERS
Association Suisse Pour Des Quartiers One Planet Living
The organisation Association Suisse Pour Des Quartiers One Planet Living promotes the implementation of sustainable neighbourhoods in Switzerland based on the One Planet Living principles of Bioregional and WWF International, while certifying construction of them. The association was founded in 2018 by WWF Switzerland and Implenia, who have worked together for several years.
World Council of Churches
The WCC (World Council of Churches) – the stakeholder behind the project – is a global fellowship of 350 churches, representing over 500 million Christians worldwide. It calls on its members to seek unity, bear collective public witness to their values and serve others in a world where hope and solidarity breed justice and peace. By working alongside men and women of all faiths who seek reconciliation, the WCC aims to achieve justice and peace, and to cultivate a fairer world.
Municipality of Le Grand-Saconnex
The Green Village project is located in the municipality of Le Grand-Saconnex, which has, for several years, shown its firm commitment to promoting sustainable development. The municipality supports the project, strongly adheres to the principles of One Planet Living and has made commitments as part of the Green Village neighbourhood action plan.
www.grand-saconnex.ch/fr/vivre-au-Grand-Saconnex/environnement-nature/cite-de-lenergie-0-56
The Green Village project includes administrative buildings, a hotel and a residential building. Located in the heart of Geneva's international district, it is set in a landscaped park. (Image: Implenia)
Implenia press contact:
Corporate Communications
T +41 58 474 74 77
Implenia is Switzerland’s leading construction and construction services company. It also has strong positions in the German, French, Austrian, Swedish and Norwegian infrastructure markets, as well as significant building construction and civil engineering operations in Germany and Austria. Established in 2006, Implenia can look back on around 150 years of construction tradition. It brings the expertise of its highly skilled construction units together under the roof of a company active throughout Europe. With the broad offering of Implenia and the deep experience of its specialists, the Group can manage a building project through its entire lifecycle and deliver work that is economical, integrated and customer-centric. The focus is on striking a sustainable balance between financial success and social and environmental responsibility. Implenia, with its headquarters in Dietlikon near Zurich, employs more than 10,000 people in Europe and posted revenue of around CHF 4.4 billion in 2018. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (IMPN, CH0023868554). More information can be found at www.implenia.com.
