Mr Ippolito, you head a multidisciplinary architecture and design consultancy. What role does the sustainability megatrend play in your global projects?

The sustainability idea is now so deeply rooted in society that we no longer ask ourselves whether we should discuss the subject, but rather the extent to which we should give it consideration. How high the sustainability standard is and which specific aspects are important depend ultimately on the customer and their objectives. And there are certainly differences in this respect.

Where exactly are these differences to be found?

A good example is the head offices for Ritter Sport, which we finished last year. This family-run company is highly committed and goes to a lot of trouble, for example, when sourcing sustainable raw materials. This relevant part of the brand concept must also be reflected in the company’s physical environment. Anything else would lack credibility.

There is another factor when it comes to investment projects. And this is when ecology quickly becomes a serious economic factor. There are now very effective levers that force developers to think in a climate-friendly way because, without a sustainable approach, they would not be able to realise their projects. And this applies to both financing and marketing. Today, it is virtually impossible to find tenants for a new building without a sustainability certificate. Hence, the projects are usually distinguished by very high standards. In Germany, for example, many property developers aim for DGNB certification (German Sustainable Building Council) – preferably in gold or platinum. We received the gold award for our ‘Ritter Sport’ project.

Is this primarily a European development?

We work all around the world and see the same trend everywhere, even if it is perhaps not equally pronounced in all regions. In Europe, regulations such as the EU taxonomy or the ‘CSR Directive’ are accelerating this process significantly. However, the subject is also very much to the fore in China, where we have our own offices. Sustainability does not necessarily have to be based on ideological grounds. It's about limited resources, expensive energy and the preservation or restoration of living space. Nobody needs a city with continuous environmental pollution.

What specific effects are the new guidelines having on fixtures and fittings in the property sector?

They influence all processes from the initial design stage to implementation. If you think in terms of the circular economy, for example, you are not simply planning an object, but more or less a complete material store. A carpet, for example, is laid for a certain period of time until it is removed and the raw materials recycled. However, this also means that I must be flexible when designing the interior. At Ritter Sport, for example, we comply with the ‘Cradle to Cradle’ criteria, which ensures that all materials can be recycled at the end of their life span.

You mention certificates a lot. What role do they play for you in property furnishing?

Certificates are becoming increasingly important when it comes to choosing materials. After all, we are of course just as concerned with supply-chain verification as any other industry. The higher the level of processing, the more networked and therefore complex the supply chain becomes. Individual companies or developers cannot do this at all. Therefore, we are reliant on trustworthy systems, especially for furnishing objects. Certificates and labels such as those in the textile sector create benchmarks and, despite the large number of certifiers, ensure a high degree of comparability. This makes our work much easier.

Some people are critical of ‘compulsory certification’. How do you think the situation will develop?

Regulation and certification will certainly become more important. For example, we have just been awarded a major project precisely because we have been certified as a sustainable consultancy. Although this is all rather time-consuming, it is also helpful. Ultimately, these systems simplify the innovative process by providing a structure that you can work through. During our certification process, we discovered some areas that were already very well covered, but also some that we had previously paid less attention to and have now tackled. This means more pressure, but in principle, pressure also increases the power of innovation. Accordingly, I regard this development as simply being a great opportunity for all players to become even better.

Looking ahead: how will the subject of sustainability develop in the contract business?

Subjects such as sustainable materials are one aspect that is obvious and comprehensible for everyone. For us, the challenge begins much earlier: How can we design projects that will really endure in our rapidly changing world? The reality is that I cannot know how the premises I am planning now will be used in five years' time. Corporate headquarters or working environments that can only accommodate one form of organisation are no longer sustainable. That's why we now factor in openness of use from the outset and create buildings that are as strong as possible with a personality that favours the process of adaptation. After all, what good is it if I erect a certified sustainable building that nobody is likely to need after only a short time?