The VIBE office building in the business center of Warsaw has been awarded the DGNB New Buildings International 2020 Gold certification — making it the first in Poland with such a certificate.
Ghelamco, the owner of the VIBE building, describes it as “one of the most ecological buildings in Poland,” noting that it was “built in accordance with the highest standards and assumptions of Ghelamco’s ESG strategy.” According to the developer, the building, which has 11 floors and offers 15,000 square meters of office space, “uses numerous innovative solutions that make it ecological, including an ultra-modern Building Energy Management System (BEMS) that allows for a significant reduction in energy consumption, a vacuum sewage system that reduces water consumption in toilets (up to 75% per year), and an innovative InBin application that analyzes the generated carbon footprint based on the weight of waste generated by tenants and allows for the optimization of the waste collection schedule.”
In addition, Ghelamco reports, “the construction process used materials with a reduced carbon footprint (including concrete and steel), and to support biodiversity, a lot of new greenery was planted around the building, including 18 impressive trees (7 m high) and over 8,600 shrubs, perennials and other plants. Ultimately, VIBE will be powered by 100% clean energy, including from Ghelamco’s photovoltaic farms.”
DGNB (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nachhaltiges Bauen) is a prominent award in the field of sustainable construction, assessing projects in terms of ecology, economy, and various social aspects. In order to make sustainable construction practical, measurable and therefore comparable, DGNB has developed its own certification system, which was introduced to the market in 2009. According to Ghelamco, “since then, the DGNB system has been continuously developed and is now considered the most advanced in the world and internationally valued as a global reference point for sustainable development.”
Ghelamco notes that VIBE is also BREEAM-certified “at the highest possible level Outstanding,” as well as claiming the “Green Building Standard, Object without Barriers, and the WELL pre-certificate (and ultimately WELL v2 Core).” According to the developer, “the office building can also boast SmartScore and WiredScore certificates with a Platinum rating, which attest to the highest level of digital and technological advancement.”
“Obtaining the DGNB Gold certificate by VIBE strengthens our position as a leader in creating innovative and environmentally friendly office spaces,” said Jaroslaw Zagorski, Managing Director of Ghelamco Poland. “We implement projects that not only meet the highest ecological requirements, but also provide comfortable and intelligent work spaces that meet the needs of modern tenants.”
PM Services was responsible for coordinating the certification process and supported the Ghelamco team in obtaining the certificate.
“Although the DGNB certification of the VIBE building as the first office building in Poland was quite a challenge, the number of sustainable solutions planned by the Investor already at the concept stage made the process much easier,” explained Weronika Kaminska, DGNB International auditor at PM Services. “This building is an example of a perfect combination of innovative solutions and care for the environment, while ensuring high comfort of use, which makes it a model to follow.”
