JLL made the announcement with the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) on the opening day of Climate Week NYC, underlining its continued focus on taking bold climate action. In September 2019, JLL became the first property consultancy in the UK to sign up to the WorldGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment (NZCB), which helped establish a blueprint for JLL’s global NZCB Commitment.

The WorldGBC NZCB Commitment is unique in positioning energy efficiency as a central component to achieving decarbonization across global portfolios, in addition to generating and procuring renewable energy to meet reduced energy demand.

The majority of JLL’s reductions will be achieved through the implementation of measures to deliver its science-based target by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), as aligned to the 1.5C ambition of the Paris Agreement. Any residual emissions will be addressed via the purchase of eligible carbon offsets. JLL will seek to minimize the purchase of offsets by driving the take up of renewable energy and improving the energy efficiency of its portfolio as a priority. 

JLL’s Net Zero Carbon Building Commitment in numbers:

• 460 buildings
• 474,967 sqm total floor area
• 27,761 tonnes of CO2e portfolio carbon emissions
• 93,000 employees

 “As real estate is responsible for 40% of the world’s carbon emissions, JLL is dedicated to reducing our own emissions and also to partner with our clients to help them do the same,” says Richard Batten, Global Chief Sustainability Officer, JLL. “Having committed to a science-based target, JLL is proud to be a signatory of the WorldGBC’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment covering all of our global operational buildings portfolio. We encourage all in the real estate sector to join this Commitment to create a decarbonized built environment; there is an urgency for us all to work together to achieve this important goal.”

JLL’s Net Zero Carbon Building Commitment will be delivered by five actions:

• Commit to only occupying assets that achieve net zero operational carbon globally by 2030
• Measure, assess and publicly disclose the energy and carbon emissions performance of portfolio via annual JLL Global Sustainability Report
• Increase energy-efficiency measures in both new and existing buildings; switch to electric, low emission and alternative fuel vehicles; use renewable energy in offices; buy renewable energy certificates when there is no direct supply
• Verify Scope 1 and 2 emissions and related energy consumption annually through assurance at a site and portfolio level, in accordance with internationally recognized standards
• Commit to educating and influencing clients and suppliers to mainstream net zero carbon, influence policymakers and decisions, and drive action through industry engagement