Planet
Minimizing Our Impact
GRI: 102-11 | 102-29 | 201-2 | CRE8 | 419-1 | 416-2
Ventas is committed to understanding our footprint, reducing our environmental impact and ensuring our portfolio is resilient against climate-related risks. This commitment is reflected in the more than $100 million of investments in energy, water and waste efficiency upgrades throughout our portfolio since 2014.
Green Buildings 1
Energy Saved
Annually
Gallons of Water
Saved Annually
Annual Returns 2
Actionable Sustainability
Click to See How We Achieve Sustainability
Energy & Emissions
$29M Energy Efficiency Investment
12.7% Return on Investment
25,500 MWh Electricity Saved
Water
$900K Water Efficiency Investment
9% Return on Investment
46M Gallons of Water Saved
Waste
14 Composting Programs at Seniors Housing Properties
100+ Properties with Active Recycling Programs
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA TABLES
Ventas defines its environmental boundary for energy, water, and waste reporting in alignment with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol's Operational Control approach. Development and major redevelopment projects are excluded from our control boundary until they are operational; JV and unconsolidated assets are also excluded. As of December 31 , 2019, we had 38 properties under development; our environmental control boundary for the 2019 calendar year includes 641 properties.
Green Buildings3
| BUSINESS MODEL / PROPERTY TYPE |
ENERGY STAR®
CERTIFIED4 |
LEED®
CERTIFIED5 |
IREM® CERTIFIED
SUSTAINABLE PROPERTY |
TOTAL
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property Count |
Square Feet |
Property Count |
Square Feet |
Property Count |
Square Feet |
Property Count |
Square Feet |
|
| SHOP PROPERTIES | 110 | Total 10.0M Sq. Ft. | 16 | Total 1.9M Sq. Ft. | 1 | Total 0.1M Sq. Ft. | Total Properties 123* | Total 11.6M* Sq. Ft. |
| MEDICAL OFFICE PROPERTIES | N/A | N/A | 7 | Total 0.7M Sq. Ft. | 3 | Total 0.3M Sq. Ft. | Total Properties 10 | Total 1.0M Sq. Ft. |
| RESEARCH & INNOVATION PROPERTIES | 2 | Total 0.4M Sq. Ft. | 25 | Total 5.9M Sq. Ft. | - | - | Total Properties 26 | Total 6.0M Sq. Ft. |
| NNN PROPERTIES | 7 | Total 1.0M Sq. Ft. | - | - | - | - | Total Properties 7 | Total 1.0M Sq. Ft. |
| TOTAL PROPERTIES | 119 | Total 11.4M Sq. Ft. | 48 | Total 8.5M Sq. Ft. | 4 | Total 0.4M Sq. Ft. | Total Properties 166 | Total 19.7M Sq. Ft. |
| IN BOUNDARY TOTAL | 112 | Total 10.4M Sq. Ft. | 40 | Total 7.4M Sq. Ft. | 3 | Total 0.4M Sq. Ft. | Total Properties 150 | Total 17.5M Sq. Ft. |
| % TOTAL PORTFOLIO | Total 20% Sq. Ft. | |||||||
| % IN BOUNDARY PORTFOLIO | Total 31% Sq. Ft. | |||||||
CLIMATE CHANGE
GRI: 102-11 | 102-15 | 102-18 | 102-19 | 102-20 | 102-27 | 102-29 | 102-30 | 102-31 | 416-1 | 416-2
Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures 
Ventas is committed to managing climate-related risks and opportunities in our portfolio. Our climate disclosures in this report are aligned with the TCFD recommendations, which provide an effective way to understand, prioritize and disclose the climate-related risks and opportunities Ventas faces. As a long-term holder of real estate, Ventas considers risks and opportunities up to 10 or more years in the future, as well as near- (0-1 Year) and medium-term (1-3 years) risks.
The TCFD divides climate risks into two categories:
TRANSITION RISKS:
From the transition to a lower-carbon economy including carbon regulations and shifting consumer preferences.
RISKS:
State & local carbon regulations and energy benchmarking ordinances that could result in fines, require efficiency investments in our buildings or increase construction and redevelopment costs.
OPPORTUNITIES:
Investing in energy efficiency projects in our buildings has the potential to minimize our environmental footprint while generating meaningful cost savings, contributing to net operating income (NOI) growth and increased shareholder value.
PHYSICAL RISKS:
From the physical impacts of climate change such as extreme weather and rising sea levels.
RISKS:
Increased frequency and severity of extreme weather, primarily hurricanes and blizzards arising from climate change. Unmitigated, this could result in increased insurance premiums and other costs such as emergency evacuations.
OPPORTUNITIES:
Improving the resilience of our buildings to withstand extreme weather and ensuring that we have emergency plans in place across our portfolio.
Maintaining a limit on high-risk flood properties (FEMA Zone A) to less than 10 percent of NOI.
TCFD Index
GOVERNANCE
Our ESG Steering Committee, chaired by Ventas Chairman and CEO, Debra A. Cafaro, has direct oversight of climate-related issues and provides regular updates to our Board.
Climate change risks and opportunities are evaluated and prioritized through a collaborative process that includes our executive leadership team, risk management, investments, asset management, legal and Sustainability department.
STRATEGY
Transition Risks and Opportunities
Risks to Ventas include state and local carbon regulations and energy benchmarking ordinances. To address these risks, we have set ambitious new goals to reduce our emissions, energy, water and waste, and invest in energy efficiency upgrades in our portfolio.
Physical Risks and Opportunities
Our portfolio faces potential risks from increased extreme weather (primarily hurricanes and blizzards), which could increase insurance premiums and other costs (e.g., emergency evacuation). To mitigate, we maintain a geographically diverse portfolio and evaluate such risks with every acquisition.
RISK MANAGEMENT
Ventas has an integrated, multi-disciplinary, company-wide risk management process, managed through our Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Committee. Climate change risks and opportunities are integrated into this process.
METRICS & TARGETS
In 2020, Ventas set ambitious new targets to reduce our GHG emissions (aligned to a well below 2° scenario), energy, water and waste.
We also have company goals to maintain emergency plans for all assets in our operating control and have a target to limit high flood risk properties to less than 10 percent of NOI.
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM):
Ventas has an integrated, multi-disciplinary, company-wide risk management process, managed through our Enterprise Risk Management Committee.* In line with TCFD recommendations, climate change risks and opportunities are integrated into this process. Convened quarterly, the Committee evaluates both known and new risks for inclusion on our ERM Heatmap to determine risk likelihood or impact to Ventas, and mitigation strategies are updated as appropriate. Results are discussed at our quarterly meetings with the Ventas Board of Directors.
- ERM Commiee members include: CEO; CFO; General Counsel; VP, Internal Audit; Assistant General Counsel, Corporate & Securies
- ERM Commiee members include: CEO; CFO; General Counsel; VP, Internal Audit; Assistant General Counsel, Corporate & Securies
- Green Buildings defined as LEED® and/or ENERGY STAR® and/or IREM® Certified Sustainable Property
- Based on historical spend and estimated returns 2013–2018
- Represents all properties with active, independent third-party certifications as of 12/31/2020
- Number of buildings with an active ENERGY STAR® label; ENERGY STAR® Certification is not available for the following Ventas property types: Medical Office, Laboratory, Skilled Nursing, IRFs, LTACs
- Includes 11 developments where LEED certification is pending
*Five SHOP assets are both LEED and ENERGY STAR Certified