Olympia Dolla, Head of Sustainability Program EMEIA at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions, discusses the new approach to sustainability regulation and how it impacts building projects now – and in the future, via a Q&A.
Q: Could you briefly explain changes in how both the industry and regulators will approach sustainability?
A: A landscape reset is taking place in how regulators – and therefore our industry – are assessing sustainability performance in buildings. Going forward, the focus shifts to whole-life carbon, not just operational usage, which of course remains important. This change has major practical implications for everyone, including for us at ASSA ABLOY.
We put a huge amount of work into optimising our supply chains across multiple markets, with constant improvements in responsible sourcing and operational processes at several manufacturing locations. This is an important shift buildings are responsible for more than a quarter of global energy-related emissions – and reflected in the practical help we offer our customers in meeting their own sustainability performance targets.
Q: Can you give us an example of how you’re working with customers?
A: The obvious place to start is with Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), where the situation is evolving especially fast. From 2026 onwards, construction product manufacturers will need to make available a declaration of results from an EPD as part of the CE Marking process – and therefore, essential to sell a product or solution to the European market. In fact, new commercial buildings in many countries already require EPDs to document likely emissions and whole-life carbon. Some customers report needing EPDs to secure a building sale.
At ASSA ABLOY, we just hit another milestone with the 60th EPD in our rolling publication programme, well ahead of the EU regulatory cut-off date. These product-specific EPDs are concrete proof of benefits already delivered by our investment in supply-chain innovations, in using more lower-carbon materials, and in embedding low-energy and eco-design principles at the earliest phase of product development and across our operations.
They contain detailed information which will be essential when the European Performance of Buildings Directive is implemented. Additionally, ASSA ABLOY EPDs are verified by an independent expert, so customers can rely on their information. They are based on the ISO 14025 standard, recognised internationally, including by green building assessment schemes like LEED and BREEAM.
Q: You mention green certification programs like LEED and BREEAM. What value can these bring, and how can ASSA ABLOY be involved?
A: The demand for green building certifications is growing among decision-makers in the built environment space, not least because of a so-called ‘green premium’ in property and rental values of certified buildings. ASSA ABLOY offers in-depth support for architects and developers seeking accreditation in any of six leading schemes: BREEAM, LEED, Green Star, WELL, DGNB and HQE. However, this is just one stage in the life-cycle of a building. Across our portfolio of door and access solutions, we target energy and sustainability performance enhancements over the full lifetime.
Q: Any concrete examples of the enhancements you can help customers achieve?
A: In our experience, delivering accurate, transparent, compliant specifications from the outset makes a big difference to project costs and sustainability performance outcomes. Dedicated ASSA ABLOY specification teams can bring expertise on local standards and certifications to a project, for example. These locally based experts can help customers choose solutions which reduce energy use, door products which improve the thermal efficiency of indoor spaces, and so on.
The choice of product has an impact from the very beginning: at installation stage. Fitting any building solution can be energy intensive. However, businesses reduce energy use by choosing a wireless digital access solution: ASSA ABLOY offers a range of options from smart-key operated access management systems to locking devices powered by energy harvesting technology.
With solutions which require no wiring around the door, there’s no drilling, which further reduces power consumption. There’s much less damage to the building fabric and because wireless installation is faster, fitters make fewer journeys to the site. After installation, use stage for any digital building system means ongoing energy consumption.
Here again the choice of battery-powered over wired solutions is a big improvement. Energy use in operation is eliminated altogether if locks are powered by energy harvesting technology, like our ABLOY PULSE smart key-based solution.
Furthermore, the option to deploy mobile keys stored securely on a user’s smartphone – instead of cards, fobs or traditional metal keys – reduces materials use and further cuts unnecessary travel. Granting or amending someone’s access is done over the air, with no need to visit an update point and no physical credential to issue or manage.
Q: On a practical level, how do you deliver this support?
A: All these considerations are already part of many architecture, design and construction workflows, of course. We work with customers with all levels of expertise. For those who already have BIM experience or anyone digitalising the process for the first time, embedding ASSA ABLOY expertise streamlines their project. Our software tool Openings Studio helps maximise the efficiency of the collaboration. It was designed to help everyone involved through the building life-cycle to work smarter and save time.
Openings Studio is a cloud-based, customisable configuration tool for the creation, visualisation, modification and management of door openings. This unique application provides access to complete door information at all stages, from product concept to aftercare, on the desktop and via a new mobile app, currently being rolled out.
With Openings Studio, you no longer need to rely on paper or spreadsheets to manage doorset data: all the information is always up to date and at hand, and all digitally managed in one place over the life of the building. Site staff can access specification data for every opening via intelligent tags and QR codes, drawing on a detailed database with colour, size, thickness and certifications for every product; as well as installation and compliance information, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and more.
It saves time and cuts mistakes. Openings Studio continues to play a valuable role long after building delivery, at maintenance and inspection stage. The mobile app enables instant sharing of any remedial action required and logs photos of completed work. This reassures building managers that premises are compliant and safe for all staff, visitors, service providers and other users. Working digitally with trustworthy specification data increases the transparency of the entire process.
To learn more about Openings Studio, visit www.openingsstudio.com
