BuildGreen managed the certification process in which Coresi Business Park, the class A office project developed by Ascenta Management on the former Tractorul industrial platform from Brasov, Romania, obtained the BREEAM Very Good sustainability certificate for two of its first buildings, thus becoming the first green-certified property in Brasov. BuildGreen and Ascenta Management are now working together for the certification of the second phase of the project.
Buildings T39 and T42, part of the first development phase of Coresi Business Park, received the Very Good ranking under the BREEAM International 2013 regulations for new constructions and major refurbishments. The buildings were subject to a complex refurbishment and renovation program between 2012-2016, completed with the delivery of 14,000 sq m of modern office space, which are now fully let and accommodates international tenants such as IBM, Waters, Raiffeisen Bank, eValue, Siemens. Ascenta Management provided customized fit-out solutions, to ensure flexible and effective partitioning into individual, group and open-space offices, with an average of 85% net-to-gross efficiency.
“Transforming part of the former industrial area of Tractorul Brasov into modern, A-class, office space allowed us to preserve the iconic Tower Building, designed by Octav Doicescu in 1920, and to deliver unconventional, contemporary office areas with industrial architectural elements, like high ceilings and attic windows. At the same time, the refurbishment has generated significant savings: 10,000 m3 of construction materials, including concrete and brick, have been saved through preserving existing industrial structures and 50,000 m3 of residual materials have been reused, such as crushed concrete from demolitions. Our tenants may also enjoy the 20,000 sq m of landscaped green areas surrounding the building, which make Coresi Business Park a modern business campus“, commented Silviu Savin, Partner at Ascenta Management, developer of Coresi Business Park.
The converted A-class office space features unobstructed floor-to-ceiling height ranging from 3m to 6m in the loft style areas, natural light, raised floors, comprehensive HVAC solution and four-pipe fan coil units, state-of-the-art technical equipment, and unlimited and secure electricity supply. Reducing cooling and heating loads and thus keeping energy consumption low has been a key priority during the refurbishment, accomplished by optimizing the proportion of facade to volume and by using modern insulating materials, which ensure high thermal performance all year long.
The sustainability assessment and certification process for buildings T39 and T42 started in 2013 and was managed by BuildGreen. The consultant provided BREEAM consultancy and assessment services, sustainable design and procurement support including BREEAM strategy definition, thermal and energy modelling, life cycle assessment and costing, noise assessment and day-lighting. Ascenta Management and BuildGreen have also joined forces for the BREEAM certification of the second phase of Coresi Business Park Brasov, comprising three low-rise office buildings. The first one, L1 Building, is already built and scheduled for delivery in Q2 2016, while the other two are currently under development.
“We are proud to contribute to the sustainable certification of Coresi Business Park and, moreover, we are very honoured to have been chosen by the development team as their preferred and trusted advisor. The successful case of Coresi Business Park offers a positive example to the local market and sets the grounds for a more thorough approach to sustainable development in secondary cities. The buildings’ main advantages include the excellent location and unique one-level layout with generous floor plates, which leads to increased accessibility and space efficiency. Moreover, the developer proved a high level of commitment towards the sustainable design and management of the project”, states Răzvan Nica, Managing Director BuildGreen.
Coresi Business Park is a modern office project developed on Brasov’s former Tractorul industrial platform. The scheme is one of the major urban regeneration projects in Romania, transforming 12 hectares of the old manufacturing plant into a contemporary business environment. The initial phase of Coresi Business Park consists of approximately 25,000 sq m GLA of unconventional office areas with industrial architectural elements. The restored former industrial buildings provide all the A-class office space facilities. The master plan of Coresi Business Park features a well-balanced mix of industrial halls to office conversions and newly built offices, envisioning 100,000 sq m GBA of office within 10 years (2015-2025). In addition to the converted office space, the project will comprise 10 new, modern, low-rise office buildings (GF+3F/4F).
BREEAM is one of the world’s foremost environmental assessment methods and rating systems for master-planning projects, infrastructure and buildings. It addresses a number of lifecycle stages such as New Construction, Refurbishment and In-Use. Globally there are more than 541,700 BREEAM certified developments, and almost 2,238,300 buildings registered for assessment since it was first launched in 1990. BREEAM inspires developers and creators to excel, innovate and make effective use of resources. The focus on sustainable value and efficiency makes BREEAM-certified developments attractive property investments. It generates sustainable environments that enhance the well-being of the people who live and work in them.
