Despite their optimism, those surveyed noted several significant barriers that impede their efforts. When asked which three obstacles most hinder progress, respondents cited:
- Managing costs: 88%
- Measuring sustainability or a lack of expertise: 60%
- Gaining senior leadership support: 50%
The survey also revealed that companies are investing strategically to accelerate decarbonization and improve overall building performance. While respondents note a wide range of specific efforts, a substantial majority (80%) mention an on-site energy management system as one investment they’ve made to enhance the sustainability of their building operations.
The Honeywell Building Sustainability Manager powered by Honeywell Forge helps meet two pressing, yet often conflicting, objectives – optimizing a building’s IAQ while still reducing its environmental impact – with the aim of helping meet carbon neutral goals.
“Incorporating the way buildings operate into sustainability plans is an ongoing process with no fixed endpoint,” said Liam Dowd, Industry Lead – Sustainable Business, Reuters Professional. “While the organizations surveyed differ in how far they’ve progressed toward developing strategies and solutions to support this process, the first step is to benchmark the carbon output of buildings and define the current state of the portfolio.”
America’s Top 5 Corporate Solar Users
The importance of improving building operations reinforces the emphasis organizations are placing on sustainability as detailed in the recently launched Honeywell Environmental Sustainability Index,² a quarterly global survey that captures key trends in corporate sustainability initiatives and other efforts to mitigate climate change. Sixty-five percent of organizations surveyed in the Honeywell Environmental Sustainability index are prioritizing sustainability above other initiatives and 48% of surveyed organizations likely to increase sustainability budgets up to 20% in the next 12 months.
Notes
¹ World Economic Forum, “Why building greener is crucial to meeting Paris climate targets,” Patrick Henry, November 1, 2021. [Accessed Nov. 2, 2022]
² Honeywell, Honeywell launches Environmental Sustainability Index showing sustainability leaders’ sentiment on past progress and future expectations towards corporate environmental goals, October 20, 2022.