Part 5 in the article series “Inside the Criteria Council”
What do property owners have to do with interiors? A lot, says Tracy Makaraba, Senior ESG Specialist and Sustainability Consultant at JLL, and a member of the Criteria Council for the HI certification. When sustainability strategies are put into practice, it becomes clear that interiors are not a side issue but a central part of the whole. And the property owner is in a key position.
“The layout and furnishing of an office impacts both the building’s carbon footprint and the behaviour of its tenants. If we ignore that in our sustainability work, we miss a crucial piece of the puzzle.”
– Tracy Makaraba, Senior Associate ESG, JLL
A blind spot in many projects
Tracy works with environmental governance in construction and real estate projects. She often sees how interior issues come in late—or not at all—in sustainability efforts, despite affecting both environmental goals and user experience.
“We talk a lot about energy, materials and building systems. But furniture, finishes and reused interiors are rarely included in carbon assessments or certification systems. That needs to change.”
The HI certification aims to change that. By defining criteria for sustainable interiors, HI provides a framework that allows for requirements, follow-up, and communication in an often overlooked area.
A tool for collaboration and prioritisation
Tracy emphasises that interiors in tenant adaptations often result in significant emissions and complex trade-offs. The lack of decision support means that environmental benefits are often overshadowed by budget and time constraints. By using HI as guidance, sustainability in interiors can be raised as a clear decision factor.
“In our projects, decisions often hinge on time, budget and quality. With HI, we can add the sustainability of interiors as a fourth factor—supported by concrete data.”
She also highlights the need to connect HI to established certifications and technical requirements. Clear guidelines are needed for how reuse can best be combined with demands for energy efficiency, material performance and chemical safety.
“When we have a shared framework for sustainability, it becomes much easier to drive change—both internally and in dialogue with tenants.” – Tracy Makaraba, Senior Associate ESG, JLL.
Four values from the property owner’s perspective
During the Hållbar Interiör project, a focus group of property owners identified four added values of the HI certification:
- Shared responsibility and tenant engagement – HI creates a common language between property owners and tenants, enabling joint responsibility for reuse and long-term use.
- Effective lease dialogue and support for green leases – The criteria can be used as a tangible tool in negotiations and as part of green lease agreements.
- Basis for sustainability reporting – As HI moves toward CO₂-based data, both owners and tenants gain quantifiable results for reporting (e.g. GRI, CSRD).
- Stronger brand and credibility – A recognised label strengthens the image of the building as future-proof and circular.
“When we have a shared framework for sustainability, it becomes much easier to drive change—both internally and in dialogue with tenants.”
Bringing dual perspectives into the Council
As a member of the Criteria Council, Tracy sees it as especially valuable to contribute insights from both the property owner and tenant sides. She hopes to influence the development of HI towards solutions that work in real-world projects.
“We work closely with both parties in our assignments and understand the needs on both sides. That gives us a good sense of where tools like HI can make the biggest impact.”
She also sees potential to develop more detailed decision support—such as climate data on furniture or component level:
“We need to show what is truly climate-smart, not just what feels right. Then we can make better decisions—for both the planet and the budget.”
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