Vastint Poland has received LEED Platinum certificates for five buildings of the newly built stage of Business Garden Poznan. The office complex is one of a few commercial projects located outside the city centre, which received the highest environmental certification in Poland, what is more, it achieved the third highest score in the country.

Business Garden Poznan, located within the streets of Marcelinska, Bulgarska and Lubienska, consists of nine A-class office buildings with a total leasable area of 88,000 m2. Certified buildings along with a free-standing car park building were completed at the beginning of year 2019 as part of the second phase of the development.

MichaÅ‚ Wojciechowski, Project Manager at Vastint Poland says, “The obtained certification was granted mainly for the implementation of sustainable building practices, solutions in the field of energy efficiency of buildings, as well as for special care for the quality of the work environment. It is worth mentioning that all buildings achieved 90 points, i.e. 10 points above the required threshold of the highest rating in LEED, and it is the third highest score in Poland”.

Sustainable construction site practices focused on minimizing dust and water pollution from site work, as well as the implementation of a construction waste segregation program. On top of that, over 20% (by cost) of materials used in the buildings were recycled, and over 90% of project materials were regionally sourced. Adhesives, paints, sealants, and flooring used inside the building were selected to minimize harmful emissions, helping to ensure a healthy indoor environment.

One of the buildings’ key features is a very high level of energy efficiency, with an energy performance that is 55% better than a typical baseline building. This good result was achieved thanks to carefully designed glazing and insulation, high efficiency HVAC system with chilled beams, free cooling and efficient heat exchangers as well as low energy lighting and controls throughout the building.

The quality of the work environment is another issue. Almost 100% of regularly occupied tenant spaces in the buildings offer generous amounts of natural daylight and good access to outdoor views. High ventilation rates combined with openable windows and thermal comfort controls ensure that occupants have high levels of comfort and good air quality throughout the year.

As much of the site as possible is available as a green space with relax zones for employees. The garden is planted with a range of native and locally adapted plant species. This contributes to biodiversity, creates an attractive environment around the buildings and minimizes the need for irrigation. In addition, rainwater captured on the roofs of the buildings is stored for use in irrigation of relevant areas.

Lastly, the project provides good pedestrian access to many local services, such as restaurants, shopping, grocery stores and nearby public transport stops. It also encourages sustainable transport options by providing infrastructure for cyclists and priority parking for green vehicles.