New office location in Germany: A step in reducing the environmental impact of our operations

As part of our mission to be recognised as a trusted and sustainable bank, we strive towards efficient use of natural resources and are continuously taking steps to reduce the environmental impact caused by our own operations.

Our German branch has recently moved into a new office location – taking us one step further on our journey of becoming more sustainable in our own operations. Having been located on the outskirts of Wiesbaden for over 20 years, the time had come for a change. We aimed to move to a more modern and connected location with better access to public transport as soon as our established lease allowed. We succeeded in finding a building that supports our sustainability goals.?

One of our goals has been to reduce our environmental impact by using smarter and more sustainable solutions. Amongst other things, based on a GHG assessment, we work on reducing our use of electricity, cooling, and heating where possible, and increasing our share of renewable energy.?

“To reach the sustainable development goals we all have a responsibility to use our planet’s resources wisely and minimise our climate footprint. Moving to a more sustainable office building in Germany marks an important step in our journey to reduce the environmental impact from our own operations”, says Anna Werntoft , Chief Transformation Officer at Ikano Bank.?

Smart and energy-efficient?

Our German office is now located in a building that is designed for longevity, and with sustainability in mind. Though not certified, it reaches the German KfW standard 55. A ‘KfW Efficiency House 55’ requires a maximum of 55% of the annual primary energy requirement permitted by the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV).?

In addition to running on 100 % certified renewable electricity, the building is equipped with efficient building component activation for heating and cooling (thermo-active ceiling). All systems are equipped with heat recovery and the building is digitally controlled for energy-saving purposes. The smart building ensures daylight redirection into the offices, automated curtain walls enable glare control of computer screen workstations, and thermal protection. The building owner strives to make a positive impact through sustainable development and there is a plan for installing photovoltaic panels.??

An award-winning building that supports biodiversity??

There is also a biodiversity focus in maintaining the premises. The building operator has won several awards for their efforts. For example, the surroundings are maintained in a way that supports biodiversity by providing a natural habitat for bees. Everything is lush and green. As a result, many birds, insects, and squirrels can be observed in the outdoor area.?

More connected to our community?

Being located a mere 10-minute walk from the Wiesbaden main station encourages employees and visitors to use public transport to reach us. The central location also means we are now well-connected and more visible to our local community in Wiesbaden – a city that we have a strong bond with and where we maintain many social commitments with local charities and volunteer initiatives.?

An office space for flexible working??

With the move, we also took the opportunity to create a modern work environment for our co-workers. The new office space allows for a more flexible way of working that caters for the needs and dynamics of today’s working world. We adapted our office size to reflect our needs and occupancy rate and are now working in a flexible seating arrangement.?

Finding a location that supports all the above is a great step forward on our path of reducing our environmental impact. We are on a journey and will continuously work to move in the right direction.?