Refreshing the urban space with Equilibrium, in Bucharest

I’m happy to share with you the 5th article of my series focused on ESG and sustainable development in office real estate. As we all know ESG is a buzzword in everyone's mouth in RE nowadays but there are not so many real examples of its implementation and translation into the language of real benefits for occupiers and the community. In this episode, I will cover solutions addressing ESG aspects of our Equilibrium project, based in the capital city of Romania, Bucharest.?

This project very well demonstrates our commitment to care for health and safety, along with sustainable impact, which are fundamental parts of our company's purpose of building a better society.?

The Equilibrium offices in Bucharest were designed and built with this spirit in mind. More so, the project focuses on shifting the notion of a traditional "workspace" for the tenants towards a livelier, more flexible design, refreshing the overall aspect of the urban space. In addition to developing the office building, we created 3,500 square meters of green space for outdoor work and recreation and, thus, introduced in Bucharest a much-needed office space that would support the wide return to work movement during the last year.?

Allow me to walk you through the major ESG aspects of this office project in the northern part of the Romanian capital, consisting of two buildings named Equilibrium 1 and 2.?

Protecting resources in the center of our attention...??

The Equilibrium office complex has a unique mix of green relaxation spaces, modern exterior furniture with solar chargers, and innovative features that aim to reduce and monitor resource consumption and carbon emissions. A dashboard located in the lobby is specifically designed to show in real time how the building is performing in areas such as carbon footprint calculation and energy consumption. Both buildings received a LEED Platinum certificate, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement, and each of them has an additional certification, which I will describe in more detail below.?

Are you asking about some tangible proofs? In today’s world, where energy consumption is topic number one in many conversations, we have something to show for it. We have designed and are managing the building in such a way that, last year, it performed exactly within the forecasted budgets for service charges.?

Equilibrium 1, 100% renewable energy?

Equilibrium 1 is a 12-story Class A office building with a leasable area of 20,700 square meters, which is fully occupied. Beside the LEED Platinum certification, the building was certified by the WELL Health-Safety Rating, obtained right after the pandemics started based on measures that we implemented in order for the users to stay safe and healthy. With care for the natural environment at the center of everything we do, we contracted renewable energy for 100% of Equilibrium 1 energy consumption.?

We not only "fuel" the project with green energy but also make sure we use energy and other resources responsibly. Here are some of the main solutions we adopted to do it:?

• Optimizing the ambient temperature through the BMS (Building Management System)?
• Real-time monitoring of energy and drinking water consumption?
• Floor layout focused on taking advantage of natural light, especially in the areas where the desks are located.?
• Lighting is exclusively made with LED fixtures and motion sensors in all common spaces.?
• Using grey water system.?

Equilibrium 2, Net Zero Carbon Buildings certification, the new standard for sustainable buildings in Romania?

Equilibrium 2, a building of approximately 20,000 square meters, delivered at the end of 2022, is the first building in Central and Eastern Europe to obtain the Net Zero Carbon Buildings pre-certification, developed by the Romanian Green Buildings Council (ROGBC) in collaboration with Skanska.??

The objective of the certification system is to significantly reduce both the carbon emissions associated with energy consumption throughout the life cycle of the building and the carbon emissions incorporated in the construction materials used. The assessment of the building for certification takes into account 22 criteria, such as Life Cycle Assessment, education, waste prevention and management, sustainable transport, and energy optimization.?

…and even more emphasis on people that at the heart of our projects?

Equilibrium complex was created to provide an inspiring, flexible, and customizable workspace. The 3,500 square meters of green space in front of the project is open to be enjoyed by the local community and tenants, especially by those looking for "that special place" that can fuel their energy and help them reach their full potential, both during and after office hours.?

The local leasing and asset management team Tamara Guleryuz and Anamaria Cretu takes pride in the diversity of tenants coming from various industries, the community they have created in Equilibrium, and the good energy that welcomes you when you walk through the door. These contributed to keeping the office populated also during pandemics, when the occupancy rate of the Equilibrium 1 offices was higher than expected with enhanced health & safety measures and in compliance with pandemic restrictions.?

Health, safety, and well-being for all?

Triggered by the pandemics, we have implemented a set of solutions in order to adjust to the changing reality: social distancing measures & building management systems; touch-free solutions for access; UV lamps in the elevators; nanoseptic foils on elevator panels; and others, most of which will remain a regular feature even after the global health crisis.?

Active people have adequate infrastructure, like bicycle racks, changing rooms, showers, lockers, a repair station, and iVelo bike sharing. We also share our premises with our neighbors and visitors, who can enjoy our urban garden, thus tightening our connection to the community.?

As a final thought, let me say that building for a better society by building what matters to local and global business ecosystems, to communities, and to cities takes responsibility, knowledge, and care. ?

I am glad to see a perfect physical manifestation of our purpose in Equilibrium. If you will be around pls come and visit us in Bucharest to get to know about this fantastic project !