Circular Economy

At Vonovia, we are strengthening our commitment to efficient waste management in our residential neighborhoods. We are continuously driving the expansion of sustainable recycling and recovery methods across our neighborhoods. As part of a pilot project, we systematically analysed green waste recovery and the separation of recyclables in a selected neighborhood in Essen and will apply the findings to additional neighborhoods in the future.

For renovations and new constructions, we place great importance on installing energy-efficient electrical appliances and increasing the use of secondary raw materials.    In response to the increasingly stringent regulations surrounding material disposal, we avoid using hazardous or toxic substances from the outset. Effective waste separation concepts for good waste management and the promotion of recycling play a particularly important role in our construction and refurbishment work, as they enable us to reuse valuable resources like windows.

A significant portion of the apartments in our portfolio were not constructed by Vonovia. Some of these buildings contain materials that were state-of-the-art at the time of construction but are now considered hazardous upon release. Materials such as asbestos, "old" artificial mineral fibers (AMFs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), or lead-based paints in existing buildings are typically removed during maintenance or refurbishment projects or when a new tenant moves in, and are replaced with suitable materials. When the disposal of hazardous or contaminated building materials requires careful professional handling, we expect all of our service providers to comply with applicable legislation and regulations, particularly those concerning health, safety, and environmental protection. Our employees receive regular training on these subjects.